It was that time of year again, the Mushroom Kingdom Bake-off! The air was thick with aromas of delicious cakes, pies, cookies, and other treats. Everyone in the kingdom looked forward to this time of year, and anyone with a sweet-tooth was bound to show their face at this event.
The competition had been going extremely well, especially for the three toads who had the honor of judging the event. They had gotten their fill of sweet treats to eat and had picked the two competitors who had shown the most baking promise to participate in the final round.
Peach had been the bake-off champion for thirteen years running, and she was looking forward to another great competition. She couldn't wait to see who she was competing against this time. Twink hovered beside her, a smile on his face as usual.
Rosalina had made the journey from the comet observatory to participate in the competition. She had worked hard round after round, baking any delicious dessert she could come up with that would please the judges. Luma had been there, cheering her on and offering help and support in any way possible.
"Hello, Princess Peach!" Rosalina said warmly, taking her place next to the Mushroom Kingdom ruler.
"Oh! Hi, Rosalina!" Peach greeted. "I'm glad to see you made it to the final round!"
"You, too!" The cosmic traveler replied.
Just then, everyone quieted down as Toad stepped up to the microphone.
"Okay!" his high pitched voice echoed through the massive kitchen of the castle. "It's time for the final round of the Mushroom Kingdom Bake-off!"
The audience responded with loud cheers and a round of applause that echoed through the large chamber.
"Things are going to be a little different in this round." Toad explained. "First off, each competitor is allowed to have one assistant! Peach has chosen Twink, and Rosalina has chosen Luma!"
The audience clapped as the two celestial beings waved and danced around in the air.
"Also," Toad continued. "Instead of our usual three judges, this round will only have one! So, please put your hands together for the judge of the final round, Gourmet Guy!"
Another thunderous round of applause filled the room as the giant food loving shy guy walked in and took his place at the judges' table.
When all was quiet again, Toad spoke. "Contestants have forty-five minutes to create their best dessert!" Then, without any warning, he started the competition! Your time begins NOW!"
A bell sounded and Peach and Rosalina hurried to their kitchen stations, somewhat flustered. Twink and Luma zoomed after them.
At Peach's station, Twink grabbed a cookbook off the shelf and started looking through it.
"How's it look, Twink?" Peach asked curiously. "Anything look really yummy?"
"Let's see…" the star kid said, flipping through the pages. "Oh! How about this?"
The princess looked at the page that Twink had turned to. It was the dessert that had won Princess Peach her first place standing for the last thirteen years, the 'Special Strawberry Cake.'
"Sounds good!" she said with delight, her mouth watering slightly. "Let's whip one up!"
On the other side of the kitchen, Rosalina and Luma had gathered basic batter ingredients and had set them out on the counter. "All right, Luma, let's bake a cake! A cake sprinkled with star bits! Then it will be a star cake!" Rosalina suggested.
"Okay, Mama!" Luma exclaimed happily, and they began to measure their ingredients.
After forty-five minutes of measuring, mixing, and baking cake batter, along with some carefully detailed decorating, Peach and Rosalina stood in front of the judge's table, bearing their finished products.
Peach's cake was decorated with cream and a ring of strawberries around the rim. Rosalina's cake had swirls of green and blue icing and had been spattered with little yellow star bits that tasted like honey.
"Oh, finally!" Gourmet Guy sighed, his stomach rumbling loudly. "I'm wasting away to nothing."
"Here you go!" Princess Peach said, offering her dessert first.
"Thank you!" Gourmet guy said gratefully. He pulled Peach's cake towards him and gulped it down in one bite. "Ooooohhhh!" The giant shy guy sighed happily, his face shining with delight.
"Deeee-licious! This is lip smacking good!" The large shy guy exclaimed loudly, and with a burst of energy, he zipped around the room, completely out of control!
The princesses, stars, and even the audience took cover as Gormet Guy zoomed by, consumed by the sugar rush. He bounced around the room faster than Mario at an all-you-can-eat-buffet!
"Phew…" Gourmet Guy said, quickly settling down at the table again. "That was really good. Next please!"
Rosalina stepped forward and presented her cake, and the massive shy guy gobbled it up in one bite just as before. Everyone quickly braced themselves for another wild fit of excitement, and they were not disappointed.
"DELICIOUS!" Gourmet Guy exclaimed. "This is WAY too Deeee-licious!" Then the massive shy guy careened around the room, bouncing off the walls and ceiling even faster than before!
"Ah!" the judge said with pleasure as the rapid burst of energy wore off. "I haven't felt like this since, well, ever!" He looked at the two royal ladies standing in front of him, and knew he had a difficult decision ahead of him. After a long moment of contemplation, he spoke.
"Princess Peach," the food loving shy guy said. "You've always been the best at baking… But, I think I liked Rosalina's star cake just a little bit more!"
The audience was in such a frenzy that Toad could barely get his official announcement out. "The winner of the 67th annual Mushroom Kingdom Bake-off is… Rosalina!"
The cosmic ruler stepped forward and waved at the audience, Luma dancing excitedly around her head. She then looked at Princess Peach and Twink.
"That's okay, Princess Peach!" Twink was saying, his ever present smile still on his face. "There's always next year!"
"You're right, Twink!" Peach responded. Then she noticed Rosalina and Luma. "Congratulations!" the Mushroom Kingdom princess said brightly.
"Thank you! You, too!" Rosalina said, returning the complement. The two princesses smiled at each other.
"I was wondering, can I get the recipe for your strawberry cake?" Rosalina asked. "I'd like to make it for the Lumas back at the observatory sometime."
"Of course!" Peach replied, gazing at her new friend. "If I can have the recipe for your star cake."
Rosalina smiled and nodded. Though she had been the one to come out on top in the bake-off, the two royal princesses now shared something sweeter.