Photo:Magnolia Network
Magnolia Network
Warning: This article contains spoilers for season 1 ofSilos Baking Competition
After a riveting first season,Joanna Gaines’newest showSilos Baking Competitionhas crowned its first official winner.
During the finale on Sunday, Lu Aussem became the first person to win an official season ofSilos Baking Competition, receiving the golden whisk trophy, $100,000 and a chance to feature her winning pastry at Gaines’ bakery in Waco, TX. She competed against Jake Hagen, Jessica Juma, Danise Lee and Thomas Fooshee.
“It feels pretty surreal,” Aussem, an E.R. nurse from Ottawa, Illinois, tells PEOPLE. The home baker, who first appeared in the fifth episode ofSilos Baking Competitionbefore returning for her shot in the final round, says that “it’s all still kind of sinking in.”
Aussem competed in the first full season of Gaines’ showon Magnolia Network (streaming on MAX and discovery+). The showoriginally aired as a one-hour specialin June 2022, and then again during the holiday season when home bakers competed for a cash prize of $25,000 as well as a chance tofeature their winning bakeat Silos Baking Company in Waco, TX.
After an initial round competing against four other talented home bakers, Aussem and her fellow finalists were tasked with baking up a winning creation for Gaines and the panel of judges. While her competitors decided to test out new bakes for this final round, Aussem was the lone baker who decided to return to the Devil Cakes she served in her qualifier.
“I’ve baked this recipe a lot. I’ve practiced it at home. I’ve brought it to work. I mean, I’ve taken a lot of time to practice this recipe,” Aussem tells PEOPLE.
The chocolate cake sandwiches with a vanilla bean filling conjure special memories for Aussem. She tells PEOPLE she took inspiration from a bakery she visited throughout her childhood.
“A lot of times we’d go there after church to get donuts, but they always had this cold case,” she explains. “They had these chocolate cakes with this whipped frosting center, and my sister and I would literally mow grass, get our money, ride our bikes down to the bakery, and have these cakes because they were just so good.”
Aussem is now excited for the chance for her spin on the nostalgic treat to feed visitors of Silos Baking Company for the summer months. Like her own childhood bakery, Silos is fitted with a display case showing off the shop’s offerings. “I want the kids to come in and go, ‘Oh, I want that,'” an emotional Aussem tells PEOPLE, “And to know that you’re going to do that is pretty special.”
While not everyone will be able to make it out to Waco to get a bite of Aussem’s Devil Cakes, the home baker provides tips for making the sugary sweet sandwiches at home.
She says to make sure to “read that recipe, to take your time to make sure the ingredients are at room temperature if they need to be” because “those are probably the most important things” for a cohesive batter or perfectly set frosting.
Try Aussem’s winning recipe below for yourself at home.
Lu Aussem’s Devil Cakes
For the cakes:
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 ½ cups whole milk, at room temperature
3 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
¾ tsp. baking powder
2 ¼ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. kosher salt
For the filling:
1 cup whole milk
6 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
Pinch of kosher salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract
source: people.com
