Newfoundland resident Jessica Brennan is representing the province on season two of CTV’s Cross Country Cake Off. A mother of two and social worker from Harbour Grace, Brennan’s passion for baking began when she became a mother five years ago. She wanted to be the kind of mother who could whip up birthday cakes, so she started experimenting with cake baking. Brennan uses natural and local ingredients, such as wildflowers and local berries, in her cakes, inspired by her rural Newfoundland upbringing. Although she bakes exclusively for family and friends, Brennan showcases her creations on her Instagram account, @jessbrennanbakes.
As a fan of cooking and baking shows, Brennan discovered the Cross Country Cake Off via a casting call ad that popped up on her Instagram feed. Brennan was visiting Pasadena when she had to fly to Halifax for the show, and her cake became an unconventional carry-on item. The flight was nerve-wracking for Brennan because airport security told her they would have to cut open her cake if the x-ray camera couldn’t see through it. The weather was hot, and the flight was turbulent. Furthermore, she had to put the cake in the overhead bin for take-off and landing, so it couldn’t sit on her lap. Her cake arrived safely in Halifax and made the journey in one piece.
Brennan’s experience on Cross Country Cake Off gave her the opportunity to represent Newfoundland and Labrador on the show and through her baking. She was thrilled to meet chef and host Mary Berg, who won the third season of MasterChef Canada. Brennan advised people always to say yes to opportunities, as trying new things is the only way to experience novel things. She encourages people to watch Cross Country Cake Off, which airs on Fridays at 10:30 p.m. NT on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app.
In each regional episode, eight bakers present their homemade creations to the judges, Mary Berg, and Andrew Han, hoping to secure a spot in the next round. The top four cake makers from each qualifier move forward to compete in a timed cake challenge. At the end of each episode, one baker advances to the finale, where they bake to claim the top prize. The regional qualifying rounds represent Western Canada in Vancouver, B.C.; the Prairies in Edmonton, Alta.; mid-Canada in Toronto, Ont.; Quebec in Montreal, and Eastern Canada in Halifax, N.S.
