How to win The Great British Bake Off

It can't be coincidence that all these claimed the star baker spot: Jason White's cocktail-flavoured macarons, Chetna Makan's almond liqueur torte, Mat Riley's piña colada frangipane tart and Ian Cummings' biscotti with a zabaglione dip.

Make it a team effort

Enlist the help of your nearest and dearest. John Whaite's partner, a graphic designer, created the template for the 2012 champion's gingerbread Roman Colosseum. Nancy Birtwhistle's husband created moulds for her bakes. Nadiya's husband, Abdul, was enthusiastically supportive - although she didn't always listen to his advice.

Beware the beetroot

Last year, hipster Stu Henshall was first out, due to mixing chocolate with beetroot in his Black Forest gateau. Traditionalist Mary was not having it. 'Too clever,' was her retort.

Rose can be thorny

Six contestants have been eliminated for being too enthusiastic with the rose flavouring, including Deborah Manger in series four, and Danny Bryden for her rosewater & lychee St Honoré in series three.

Tweet your progress

With as much of a following as the series. Canny bakers should use social media to build their profile for potential book deals and TV opportunities once the series ends. Heartthrob medic Tamal Ray, one of last year’s finalists, used Twitter to extend his fanbase. As an anaesthetist working shifts, he couldn’t always watch his own progress and tweeted: ‘No Bake Off for me tonight as I’m on nights again. Feeling sadder than a very sad panda…’

Talking of animals...

Never underestimate the power of a creature crafted in dough. Paul Jagger didn’t win, but his lion bread inspired hard-to-please Hollywood to say: ‘That is one of the best things I’ve seen in bread, ever.’

Think big, think kitsch

A winner’s CV needs a standout showstopper – a mix of audacity, skill and surrealism. Remember Frances Quinn’s giant matchbox with breadstick matches or Nancy Birtwhistle’s edible Moulin Rouge? And the pièce de résistance? Nadiya’s levitating soda can cake with Italian meringue ‘foam’.

Nadiya's winning formula

Nadiya Hussain's advice for would-be champions:

1. Plan ahead. 'I tried to predict which technicals might come up. My husband created a spreadsheet of the five previous series. Before the semi-final, he said, "I think they're going to do a chocolate soufflé." Did I listen? No! He brings it up, now and again as ammunition.
2. Swot up. 'Before the show, I bought Paul and Mary's books. I didn't make many dishes, but looking at the recipes helped.'
3. Don't fight gravity. 'When the judges want something big, scale it back - that gives you a fighting chance of it not falling apart. If they want a stack of cheesecakes, do small-ish ones. It gives you more time and is more achievable.'
4. Flavour to the max. 'It has to look great, but flavour is what really counts. I messed up my vol-au-vents but the judges hadn't tasted my fillings before - Bengali korma and cod and clementine. Those stayed with them.'

Test your own technical baking skills with a showstopper from our celebration cake collection.

Think you've got the winning baking formula? Let us know your never-fail showstoppers in the comment section below...