Kids Baking Championship Season 13: Latest News, Premiere Date, Hosts, Contestants, & Everything We Know

Kids Baking Championship season 13, also known as Kids Baking Championship: Amazing Animals, will premiere in January, and there’s a lot to know about the latest installment of the fan-favorite Food Network series. Kids Baking Championship debuted in 2015, and features the best child bakers from around the country competing against each other for a grand prize. There are also special holiday-themed reunion episodes, in which former contestants return for a second chance at victory. It’s always delightful to see how much the kids have grown when they come back for these episodes.

Since Kids Baking Championship season 1, Valerie Bertinelli and Duff Goldman served as the hosts and judges of the show. However, season 13 will be the first time that someone else will be on the judging panel of the show because Valerie was fired in January 2024. Valerie was a beloved judge, adored by both the fans and the kid bakers. She had a loving way with the kids, offering them hugs when they got overwhelmed, and she’ll be greatly missed. As fans look forward to Kids Baking Championship season 13, here’s everything to expect from this most-anticipated series.

Kids Baking Championship Season 13 Latest News

Valerie Bertinelli Won’t Be Returning To Kids Baking Championship

In January 2024, Valerie revealed that she’d been fired as the co-host and judge of Kids Baking Championship due to budget cuts. She was devastated by the news, and admitted that it really hurt her feelings. At the time, Valerie’s replacement wasn’t announced.

However, in an October 2024 Instagram post, Kardea announced that she’ll be the new host and judge of Kids Baking Championship. Kardea had previously served as the host and judge of a few of the Kids Baking Championship reunion specials, alongside Duff Goldman. In her post, Kardea said that her new role means so much to her, and that it comes back full circle because she began her career in children’s social services nearly 16 years ago. She wrote that she’s been a social worker, a teacher, and a counselor, and she absolutely adores working with children.

Kardea added that, not only will she have the opportunity to experience watching the kid bakers do what they love, but she’ll have the chance to work with Duff, who she genuinely admires. Kardea emphasized that she could never replace what was built over the last decade, and she’s just thankful to be a part of it. During the November 4, 2024 episode of The Drew Barrymore Show, Kardea and Valerie both appeared. Valerie praised Kardea by stating that Kids Baking Championship is now in excellent hands. They then bonded about how much they loved the kids on the show.

In addition to the change in host and judge, Kids Baking Championship season 13 will have a special theme. According to Food Network, season 13 is titled, Kids Baking Championship: Amazing Animals. It will be an animal-inspired season. In recent years, Kids Baking Championship themes have been “Bake to School” (season 12) and Business (season 11).

Kids Baking Championship Season 13 Premiere Date

The Latest Installment Of The Culinary Competition Show Premieres In January

Kids Baking Championship season 13 premieres on Monday, January 6, 2025, at 8 p.m. EST on Food Network. Fans can also stream the show the next day on Max. There will be ten episodes in Kids Baking Championship season 13.

The Kids Baking Championship season 13 premiere will feature a parrot named Chicken and a cockatoo named Teva, who’ll help Duff and Kardea welcome the 12 bakers into the jungle-themed kitchen. The bakers’ first challenge will be to make a tart with an animal texture with features such as scales, feathers, fur, or fins. The challenge twist requires the bakers to make an edible tail for their creation.

Kids Baking Championship Season 13 Hosts & Judges

Kardea Brown Takes Valerie Bertinelli’s Place Alongside Duff Goldman

For Kids Baking Championship season 13, Kardea will take Valerie’s place as Duff’s co-host and as a judge. Kardea is best known as the host of her own Food Network show, Delicious Miss Brown. In October 2022, she published her first cookbook, The Way Home. Kardea has had some experience with Kids Baking Championship as she co-hosted and judged the holiday-themed reunion specials, “Sweets-Giving,” “Reindeer Games,” “Scary Good,” and “Frosting the Snowman.” Kardea has also been a judge on Spring Baking Championship, along with Duff, as well as pn Holiday Wars.

Duff has been a co-host and judge of Kids Baking Championship since season 1. He’s also known for his Food Network show, Ace of Cakes, along with competing on Buddy Vs. Duff and other shows, and serving as a judge on Holiday Baking Championship, Spring Baking Championship (alongside Kardea), and Summer Baking Championship, among others. Duff is also the author of three cookbooks: Ace of Cakes: Inside the World of Charm City Cakes, Duff Bakes: Think and Bake Like a Pro at Home, and Super Good Baking for Kids.Duff is the owner of the famous Charm City Cakes in Baltimore, Maryland.

Kids Baking Championship Season 13 Cast

The Child Bakers Are From The United States & Canada

Kids Baking Championship season 13 features 12 of the best child bakers from around the United States and Canada. They include Noah Azeez (Toronto, Canada), Brooklyn Barrett (Orlando, FL), Ella Hayek (Ann Arbor, MI), Aria Karayil (Danville, CA), Piper Lowe (Kansas City, KS), and Micah Parsons (Stephenville, TX). Also competing will be Pierce Sario (Atlanta, GA), Carter Siporin (Perkasie, PA), Ellvie Smith (Attalla, AL), Carly Van Pelt (Lake Geneva, WI), Jack Whalen (West Richland, WA), and Arielle Yang (Sandy, UT).

Kids Baking Championship Season 13 Finale Date & Grand Prize

The Kids Baking Championship Season 13 Finale Airs in March

On Monday, March 3, the final three Kids Baking Championship season 13 bakers will create zoo-inspired cakes for their final challenge. Duff and Kardea will judge the cakes, and determine who should be crowned the season’s champion. The winner of the competition will earn the title of Kids Baking Champion, a feature in Food Network Magazine, and the $25,000 grand prize. Previous winners of the show include Hollis Johnson, Rebecca Beale, Aidan Berry, Linsey Lam, Natasha Jiwani, Paige Goehner, Trevin Alford, Graysen Pinder, Keaton Ashton, Nadya Alborz, Naiel Chaudry, and Lila Smethurst.

Kids Baking Championship season 13 will be very exciting because of its animal theme. Through the years, the kid bakers have risen to the occasion no matter what the challenges entailed, and season 13 should be no different. It’s going to be intriguing to see what the series will be like without Valerie, but Kardea was the perfect choice to replace her. With its “Amazing Animals” theme, Kids Baking Championship season 13 is certain to be a wild ride.

Sources: Kardea Brown/Instagram, Food Network