South Australian Bakery Takes Out the 2024 Great Australian Vanilla Slice Triumph Merbein

The vanilla slice is an icon. The classic ‘snot block’ can be found, and enjoyed thoroughly, in any small town bakery around regional Australia. With so many options all around Australia, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly which vanilla slice is the best. That is, of course, unless you pay attention to the annual Great Vanilla Slice Triumph Merbein—which we’re glued to every single year.

The Great Vanilla Slice Triumph launched in Ouyen in 1998, following a visit from then Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett who claimed that the vanilla slice from Ouyen’s bakery was the best he ever tasted. The Triumph was held in Ouyen until 2011—with Kennett a judge from 98 until 2005—when the snot block baton was passed to Merbien to continue the tradition.

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Since moving to Merbein, other events have been added to The Great Vanilla Slice Triumph including the National Dried Vine Fruit Bake-off, including Sunmuscat Slice, Sultana Muffin and Plum Pudding sections. The event attracts entrants from around Victoria, as well as South Australia.

After a couple of years of pandemic-affected events and cancellations, The Great Vanilla Slice Triumph was well and truly back on the agenda in 2023, being held in August.

The 2023 event saw North End Bakehouse of Shepparton take out best vanilla slice in Australia, beating 2022 champion Sharp’s Bakery of Birchip. North End Bakehouse also took out best vanilla slice in the Baking Association of Australia’s Victoria Baking Show earlier in 2023.

The 2024 Great Vanilla Slice Triumph Merbein saw a huge boilover, with a South Australian bakery taking out the award for Best Vanilla Slice. Banana Boogie Bakery—Belair and North Plympton—has beaten all Victorian comers to take out the top gong.

2024 Great Vanilla Slice Triumph Merbein results:

Professional Vanilla Slice

1. Banana Boogie Bakery | Adelaide Hills, SA
2. Sharp’s Bakery | Birchip, Victoria
3. Porter Avenue Pies & Cakes | Geelong, Victoria

Professional Innovative Vanilla Slice

1. Banana Boogie Bakery – Chocolate Biscoff | Adelaide Hills, SA
2. North End Bakehouse – Salted Caramel Popcorn/Choc Top | Shepparton & Mooroopna, Victoria
3. Hungie Fangs Artisan Bakery – Lemon Wattle | Cobram, Victoria

People’s Choice Vanilla Slices

1. Roland Views Homemade Foods | Sheffield, Tasmania
2. Sunraysia Bread & Butter Bakery | Mildura & Irymple, Victoria
3. Biscuits By Tonia | Merbein, Victoria

Best Apprentice Vanilla Slice

• Mitchell from Banana Boogie Bakery | Adelaide Hills, SA

​​Professional Plum Pudding

1. Kytons Bakery Australia | Edwardstown, SA
2. Hudaks Bakery | Mildura, Victoria
3. Hungie Fangs Artisan Bakery | Cobram, Victoria

Professional Fruit Cake

1. 1st Hudaks Bakery | Mildura, Victoria
2. Kytons Bakery Australia | Adelaide, SA
3. Hungie Fangs Artisan Bakery | Cobram, Victoria

Professional Fruit Mince Tart

1. Hungie Fangs Artisan Bakery | Cobram, Victoria
2. CJ’s Bakery | Adelaide, SA
3. Kytons Bakery Australia | Adelaide, SA

Apprentice Plum Pudding

• Hungie Fangs Artisan Bakery | Cobram, Victoria

Registered Kitchen Innovative Vanilla Slice

1. Roland Views Homemade Foods | Sheffield, Tasmania
2. Ninny’s Kitchen | Merbein, Victoria

​Registered Kitchen Vanilla Slice

1. Roland Views Homemade Foods | Sheffield, Tasmania
2. Biscuits By Tonia | Merbein, Victoria
3. Ninny’s Kitchen | Merbein, Victoria

Registered Kitchen Fruit Cake

1. Margie’s Kitchen | Mildura, Victoria
2. Debbie Robinson

Registered Kitchen Plum Pudding

• Murray House Aged Care | Wentworth, NSW

Secondary School Vanilla Slice

1. Peter Agiro of St Joseph’s College | Mildura, Victoria
2. Annameiké Lindeman of St Joseph’s College | Mildura, Victoria

Primary School Vanilla Slice

1. Max Roberts of Mildura West Primary School | Victoria
2. Alice Niblett’s Grades 2 and 3 of Gol Gol Public School | NSW

Primary School Fruit Cake

• Jaxon and Hunter of Wauchope Public School | NSW

Amateur Open Vanilla Slice

1. Nicola Dobricic
2. Kevin Wisneske
3. Melissa Robinson

Amateur Open Fruit Cake

1. Hillary Johns
2. Damian Green
3. Jayme-Lee Saxby

Seniors (60+) Amateur Fruit Cake

• Briony of Oasis Aged Care (Irymple, Victoria).

Seniors (60+) Amateur Vanilla Slice

1. Briony of Oasis Aged Care | Irymple, Victoria
2. Kevin Wisneske
3. Helen Sharp

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