THERE were 23 Victoria sponges, 15 movie-themed celebration cakes and more than 300 cupcakes at the second annual Oxford Bake Off.

More than 150 people shaked, baked and presented their prized creations to a panel of top judges, including Raymond Blanc’s head pastry chef and Great British Bake Off contestant Christine Wallace.

On Saturday there could only be one winner, and that was 26-year-old Martin Dyson, from Botley, an auditor for Oxfordshire County Council, right.

He was named the adult star baker for his drizzle loaf cake with Italian meringue.

He said: “I’m honestly gobsmacked.

“I only entered for a laugh, I never thought I would win in my wildest dreams.”

The competition was held at Oxford High School in Belbroughton Road, North Oxford.

Contestants bought their cakes down in the morning and entered them in one of 13 categories, ranging from biscuits and breads to afternoon tea platters.

Winners and runners-up were chosen by judges for each category.

After the hall was cleared Benoit Blin, head pastry chef at Le Manoir Aux Quat’ Saisons, sampled the two winners from each table before announcing the overall winner.

He said he was particularly impressed this year with the presentation of the junior categories.

“You can tell they are really picking up on what is on TV,” he said.

“For the youngsters, they start to discover the pleasure of cooking, which is what it should be all about.”

Overall there were 55 entries from chefs aged seven to 16.

The junior winners were Clara Davies, 11, and Matilda Milne, also 11. Runner-up Rachel Horobin, nine, from Kidlington, said she had baked her selection of Mr Men-themed cakes for her two-year-old sister Florence.

She added: “I like having different ideas of what to put on the cake.”

The sisters and their mum Jenny Horobin have been following the fortunes of Oxfordshire’s contestant on the Great British Bake Off, Christine Wallace.

Mrs Wallace, 66, from Didcot, is now down to the final five contestants, with only two epsiodes left to air.

She judged the afternoon tea platters at Saturday’s event.

She said: “My first rule was – if I was going out for afternoon tea, would it tempt me?”

The Oxford Bake Off is the brainchild of Oxfam employee Kate Kellaway-Moore who organised the competition this year and last year, when it was held in Oxford Town Hall, to raise funds for Oxfam and Helen and Douglas House children’s hospice for children and young people in East Oxford.