The Many Cake & Dessert Shows on Television and Cable Networks

Updated! As of April, 2015 🙂 The list sure keeps growing.

The pastry field has exploded, as evidenced by the many lively dessert, baking, and pastry related shows on TV now. Here are several to check out, with direct links to their webpages. Have I forgot any? I know there are others across the pond, in either direction of the U.S. Let me know…

On the Food Network, there are many shows dedicated to the sweet arts.
Current and Past Shows:

• Ace of Cakes – Hosted by Duff Goldman.
• Chocolate with Jacques Torres – Follows Jacques Torres and the world of chocolate.
• Cupcake Wars – Cupcake competition.
• Dessert First – Hosted by Anne Thornton.
• Duff Till Dawn -Baking competition hosted by Duff Goldman.
• Have Cake, Will Travel – Ashley Vicos travels creating cakes.
• Holiday Baking Championship – Search for the best amateur holiday baker.
• Kid In a Candy Store – Hosted by Adam Gertler.
• Kids Baking Championship –  Hosted by Duff Goldman and Valerie Bertinelli.
• Last Cake Standing – Crazy cake competition.
• Sugar High – Hosted by Ace of Cakes’ Duff Goldman.
• Passion for Dessert – Hosted by Jacques Torres.
• Save My Bakery – Hosted by Kerry Vincent, helping to revitalize bakeries.
• Sugar Dome – Show piece competition.
• Sugar High – Duff Goldman travels to sample desserts and sweets nationwide.
• Sugar Rush – Hosted by Warren Brown.
• Sweet Dreams – Dessert cooking show hosted by Gale Gand.
• Sweet Genius – Dessert competition hosted by Ron Ben-Isreal.
• Tough Cookies – Cookies by Crazy Susan’s Cookie Company (no longer found on the Food Network, the show details can still be found on IMBd).

On TLC, here are the current and past shows.

• Bakery Boss – Hosted by Buddy Valastro, helping bakeries. Relaunched as “Buddy’s Bakery Rescue.”
• Bakin’ with the Boss – Buddy Valastro’s show.
• Cake Boss – Follows Carlo’s Bake Shop with Buddy Valastro
• DC Cupcakes – Follows two sisters, Sophie LaMontagne and Katherine Kallinis, owners of Georgetown Cupcake.
• Next Great Baker – Baking competition, hosted by Buddy Valastro.

Past Shows:

• Little Chocolatiers – Follows Hatch Family Chocolates in Salt Lake City.
• Ultimate Cake Off – Cake competition.

On Bravo, there is one reality show dedicated to pastry and desserts.
Current Shows:

• Top Chef Just Desserts – Dessert competition

On the BBC, there are many cooking shows with a baking theme – past and present.

• Baking Made Easy – Hosted by Lorraine Pascale.
• The Great British Bake Off – Home bakers battle off in a ‘bake off’ to be crowned the Great British Bake Off’s Best Amateur Baker.
• The Great British Wedding Cake – Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood explore British wedding cake history.
• The Great Sport Relief Bake Off – Charity celebrity bake off.
• The Hairy Bakers – Dave Myers and Simon King search for Britain’s best baking.
• Paul Hollywood’s Pies and Puds – Hosted by Paul Hollywood, the best of pies and puddings. 
• Sweet Baby James – Hosted by James Martin.
• Sweets Made Simple – Hosted by Kitty Hope and Mark Greenwood.

 Australia’s Nine Network Mi9 and ninemsn – lifestyle websites:

• The Great Australian Bake Off – Competition between Australia’s 10 best bakers.