1949 The First Competition:How it Began

In 1949, the Pillsbury Bake-Off^® Contest began as the "Grand National Recipe and Baking Contest," set in the elegance of New York City's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. To celebrate Pillsbury's 80th birthday, executives at the company's advertising agency created the contest and invited homemakers to share their treasured recipes. Response was so great that Pillsbury decided to hold it again the following year, and the year after that, until it became an institution.

Almost immediately, the media dubbed the Grand National the "Bake-Off^®" Contest. The name fit so well that Pillsbury adopted it as the contest's official name. And the rest is history--60 years of American cooking and baking.

MILLION-DOLLAR WINNER! An easy make-ahead recipe is a fun and impressive dessert for your next gathering.

Entertaining is simply the best with winning recipes from the Bake-Off^® Contest from easy appetizers to decadent desserts.