North End Bakehouse vanilla slice takes out national prize

By Murray Silby

Mar 6, 2023

**Simply the best:** Shepparton baker Matt Aylett’s vanilla slice has been named Australia’s best, ahead of 143 entries from across the country. Photo by Murray Silby

It’s official, Shepparton’s North End Bakehouse has the best vanilla slice in all of this broad land.

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The bakery’s slice beat 143 entries from across Australia to the top prize in Bendigo on Saturday, March 4.

For owner Matt Aylett, it is the culmination of almost a decade of striving for the highest honour.

“We’ve been here for nine years and going every year to try to get it, and we’ve got a stack of trophies over the years,” he said.

“When it was just a Victorian comp, we got quite a few first and seconds in there and in the national one, in a different category, we’ve been second and third, so then this competition, we managed to get first.”

Competition to be recognised as Australia’s best at making one of a baker’s signature products is fierce.

“It gets down to half points in it, so we ended up with 97 out of 100. We were pretty happy with that,” Mr Aylett said.

“They judge everything, from the pastry, how crisp it is and the thickness, and then how smooth and shiny the icing is, how perfect they cut, the custard, everything.

“It’s always a surprise when they call out your name. We were over the moon.”

The North End Bakehouse also took home Australia’s best innovative hot cross bun for its Vegemite bun at this year’s awards and has previously been recognised for producing Australia’s best hot cross bun in 2021 and 2022.