Northampton student mentored by Netflix baking star in National Baking Event

Elisabeth Crowley, from Northampton, has been named among the UK’s most promising young bakers, earning a coveted place at the 2026 Renshaw Cup, a celebration of baking excellence and creativity.

Elisabeth spent three days, from 30 June to 2 July, participating in technical challenges, expert-led tutorials, and a behind-the-scenes factory tour.

Selected from baking colleges across the UK for their exceptional skill, creativity, and attitude, Elisabeth was given rare, hands-on coaching from industry stars. Leading the line-up was Andrew Fuller, the hyper-realism cake artist and star of Netflix’s hit competition Is It Cake?, who flew in from the US as a Renshaw brand ambassador. He was joined by Suzanne Thorp, a former Renshaw Cup winner who is the  founder of wedding cake studio The Frostery and star of Channel 4’s Extreme Cake Makers, and Francezka Bell, Renshaw’s in-house applications specialist.

As a final challenge, Elisabeth worked with the ambassadors to create two showpieces using the extensive Renshaw range, including its newly launched Big Bakes cake mixes.

Elisabeth said: “Being selected for this year’s Renshaw Cup is a huge opportunity and something I’m really proud of. It was great to learn from professional bakers in a commercial environment and put our skills to the test. Taking part in the challenge set by some of the biggest names in baking is an experience I’ll never forget.”

First launched in 1952 by John Renshaw and revived in 2025 after a 21-year hiatus, the Renshaw Cup has a legacy of launching baking careers, with past participants going on to highly successful bakery careers. This year’s event was also a tribute to the late John Renshaw, whose vision in founding the competition continues to inspire young bakers more than seventy years on.

James Cawthorne, Managing Director at British Bakels, said: “Giving young bakers the opportunity and resources to bake alongside the very best at the Renshaw Cup is something we’re immensely proud of. By backing young bakers, we’re investing in the future of the industry and reinforcing our belief that baking and sugarcraft are skills well worth protecting.”

The event was hosted at British Bakels’ Liverpool site, home of the Renshaw home bakery brand.