10 Moments on Buddy vs. Duff That Had Us on the Edge of Our Seats

Posted on March 13, 2020 by Amber Dowling

The baking world’s ultimate (friendly) rivalry is back, which means more cakes, baking techniques, and challenges than ever before. When Cake Boss Buddy Valastro and Ace of Cakes Duff Goldman return for a second season of their pastry-filled competition series, we can all expect some amazing creations as these guys push their limits and prove once and for all who is the best baker around. In anticipation of all that frosting and fondant, here are the moments from season one that had us all on the edge of our seats.

Watch Buddy vs. Duff Sunday at 10 PM ET/PT and stream all your favourite Food Network Canada shows through STACKTV with Amazon Prime Video Channels, or with the new Global TV app, live and on-demand when you sign-in with your cable subscription.

1 of 10

Things Got Competitive Fast

Call it some lighthearted smack talk, or maybe Duff just didn’t do his research before entering the kitchen, but things got off to a rollicking start in season one when the Ace took a gentle jab at Buddy by saying he’d never seen Cake Boss. In that moment you knew things were going to culminate into one of the fiercest displays of baking prowess ever seen on television.
2 of 10

Their Styles Couldn't Be More Different

It’s no wonder that both Duff and Buddy have passionate audiences and fans that follow their every move: from the very beginning of the series they showed two completely different styles of cake baking and building. Buddy comes up with jaw-dropping, massive creations few people could even dream of, while Duff’s smaller concoctions are beautifully intricate. Whichever style you prefer, we can probably all agree that it’s (almost) a shame to cut into and eat any of them.
3 of 10

Buddy Adjusts to the Competition Life

To say this competition was tight is an understatement—the challengers both impressed the judges at every turn. But when Duff edged out Buddy in the first episode he needed a second to recoup. Cameras caught him walking off after the second round and seemingly fighting with a producer, but all was well by the time the duo picked things back up in episode two.
4 of 10

Duff Creates Magic with Blueberries

The scores were super tight until Duff pulled ahead in the non-cake categories, specifically with a magical blueberry pie that proved he’s got pastries down pat. The offering became the first to win a challenge by more than one point, and changed the game considering we all think of these guys as cake bakers first and foremost.
5 of 10

Buddy Pushes Through

In that same episode, Buddy wasn’t about to let his competition walk all over him, and he came back with an amazing cake in the second round that brought the scores closer together. It just goes to show you that on this show, you’re only as good as the last thing you bake. For more cake inspiration, check out the <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/shows/buddy-vs-duff/blog/buddy-vs-duff-see-buddy-valastro-and-duff-goldmans-most-epic-cakes/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">coolest baked creations from Buddy and Duff</a>
6 of 10

Duff's Not-So-Magical Moment

Heading into the penultimate episode, Duff had a substantial lead on Buddy. But things can change fairly quickly, as we all saw when Duff presented a cake that didn’t feature much… well, cake. It was so disappointing that some fans even accused Duff of throwing the challenge, maybe giving him a bit too much credit for what could have also just been a terrible, no good day.
7 of 10

The Bakers Were Tied Heading Into the Finale

There’s no bigger nail-biter in a show like this than when your two favourites are tied heading into the finale. It really could have been anyone’s game, especially considering Duff had proved himself to be a well-versed pastry chef, while Buddy really was the boss of all cakes leading up to that last installment...
8 of 10

Duff Pulls Ahead for the Win

In the end, Duff’s all-around baking styles earned him an impressive series-long total of 258 points, while Buddy tallied up at 254. That’s right—a simple four points separated these two men in the end, which is clearly why they need a rematch. There’s a lot more to prove on both ends now that they’ve had a taste of what this show is about.
9 of 10

A New Friendship is Forged

We love how these guys kept the “rivalry” going on social media after the cameras shut off, pretending that they were still beefing over sugar and flour. Luckily Buddy clarified things for us all when he wrote to Duff on Twitter that, “For every negative thing that made the final cut, I said 20 wonderful things about you and your work.” Awww. Now that’s how you (virtually) hug something out.
10 of 10

The Ovens Are Pre-Heated for the Next Battle

If we had one takeaway from season one, it’s that the heat will be on in season two. This time around we have eight episodes of challenges to look forward to, and we can’t wait to see how Buddy and Duff tackle the crazy themes and over-the-top tasks as they both try to prove once again who’s the best baker in the biz.
Start Over

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