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Duff Goldman (Ace of Cakes) won the king of cake in season one, and Buddy Valastro (Cake Boss) took home the crown in season two.
Now the rivals are back for a third round in the ultimate baking brawl, “Buddy vs. Duff,” which premieres on Sunday, July 18 at 7 p.m. CST on Food Network and Discovery+.
This year, the eight-week competition will span the country as the famed bakers and their teams of cake artists tackle each cake challenge from their bakeries; Duff on the West Coast in Los Angeles, CA and Buddy on the east Coast in Hoboken, New Jersey. Every aspect of what it means to be a true pastry artist and cake master will be tested as they must build elaborate, enormous cakes that fit the theme each week.
But, that's not all.
Judges for the competition include 50 professional cake artists from across the country. Among them is Milwaukee’s own cake boss Kimberly Hall, a seven-time Food Network baking contender and owner of Signature Sweets, 3801 N. Oakland Ave.
Hall not only appears in numerous episodes, but her Shorewood-based bakery will also be showcased during one of the broadcasts.
“It was so fun,” says Hall of her experience on the show. “Judging the pieces was extremely hard because they are both so exceptionally talented. Their work is so unique and the creativity behind each creation was just insane.”
Fans who tune in to watch the show should also keep an eye on Hall’s social media channels on Facebook and Instagram. She’ll be doing a number of sweet giveaways to promote the show.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
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