Sixth baker eliminated during The Great British Bake Off Halloween week

Dawn has become the sixth contestant to leave the Great British Bake Off, as Halloween week saw flavoursome bakes and “messy” showstoppers.

The episode of the Channel 4 show saw the contestants tasked with baking an apple cake, S’mores and Jack O’Lantern-inspired showstoppers.

The IT manager, 60, was eliminated after failing to impress judges Paul Hollywood and Dame Prue Leith.

The contestants were first challenged to make a decorated apple cake, emphasising its fruity flavour.

Hollywood, 56, said: “We want to celebrate the apple, we want the apple to be the hero in this cake.

“We want an apple cake not a pudding, trifle or dessert.”

Disaster struck for Kevin, 33, from Lanarkshire, who struggled with baking his strudel and bourbon apple cake in time, causing the icing to melt.

Dame Prue, 82, said the taste of the cake was “amazing” but it was more like a “trifle”.

The music teacher was happy that even with the “construction issue…they were really complimentary.”

The episode saw both Syabira, 32, and Maxy, 29, receive coveted Hollywood handshakes.

Syabira, who earned her first handshake of the competition, had been worried after the judges criticised her last week for a lack of taste in her baking.

Hollywood told Syabira: “The chilli is the thing that really gets me, the flavour is back.”

The cardiovascular research associate said: “First the handshake and (then) they said my flavour is back.”

In the technical challenge, the contestants made eight S’mores, a marshmallow and chocolate ganache sandwiched between two digestive biscuits.

The challenge was set by Hollywood, who told the bakers: “There are two very distinctive textures you have to get right in this recipe and allow time for setting, you need to figure that out yourself.”

Syabira came first, with Hollywood saying: “You were 95% there, just one didn’t have definition.”

While Abdul, 29, an electronics engineer from London came last, admitting he got a little carried away with the burner to toast the marshmallow.

He said: “(What) I needed to do was lightly use the burner but I (superheated them).”

The showstopper was a hanging lantern that can be smashed open to reveal tasty treats inside – with Dame Prue doing the honours during the judging.

Kevin, who came third in the technical challenge, said: “I can’t do anything short of my best or I’m done for.”

He made a spider called “very messy” by Leith and filled with macaroons and sugar cookie with orange and five spice.

Hollywood criticised his biscuits saying: “It’s just sweetness and needs to be finished properly…The whole thing just needed more time, more effort.”

“I think I’m not only in danger of going home it’s a pretty foregone conclusion,” Kevin said.

Syabira also opted for a spider and was praised by both of the judges for her construction and the taste of some of her biscuits.

Dame Prue said: “It’s astonishing to look at and everything is neatly and delicately done.

“(The peanut biscuit) is perfect…(but) Syabira you’re off your head, honestly – orange and truffle does not go in a biscuit.”

Following the announcement of her departure, Dawn said: “I really don’t want to share tears over it because it’s been the most amazing experience.

“My kids will be like, mum doesn’t do emotion, what the hell is going on.”

Before giving the final verdict on star baker, Hollywood told Leith and co-hosts Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas: “I thought overall one person did better than anybody else.”

Syabira took the crown as star baker, with Hollywood noting that she had faced little competition this week.

The popular baking show returned to Welford Park in Berkshire for this series after two years of filming at Down Hall in Hatfield Heath, Essex.

The Great British Bake Off continues at 8pm on Tuesdays on Channel 4.