Talented teen baker from Portlaoise makes All Ireland Final

A talented young baker from Scoil Chríost Rí has won a place in the Junior All Ireland Final of the CEIST Bake off 2018.

Tara Maher, 14, is a 2nd year Home Economics student living in Market Square Portlaoise.

For the competition, she must recreate her novelty Spongebob Squarepants lemon madeira cake with lemon buttercream icing.

She is delighted to reach the final and represent her school.
“I love baking, especially the decorating part. I will practice another one in my school before the competition,” Tara told the Leinster Express.

Tara will be up against six other Junior Cert bakers in Athy on March 9, and will have three hours to recreate her Spongebob cake.

Tara is already an experienced baker, and regularly creating occasion cakes to order, even including engagement and anniversary cakes.
“I started two years ago for family and friends and then other people started asking me. I didn't think it would go that far. My favourite to make is a drip cake,” said Tara.

She is also a talented rugby player for Portlaoise Rugby Club, and a daughter of Joe and Cora Maher, and sister to Emily, Alan and Ryan.

Ready to go @ceistbakeoff @Odlums_Ireland @LaoisNews. Good luck to Tara today ...we are all hoping her Spongebob will wow the judges pic.twitter.com/1vQL8jAHUB

— Scoil Chriost Ri (@ScoilChriostRi1) March 9, 2018