A talented young Coleraine baker had host Harry Hill Irish dancing with delight during her appearance on Ch4’s Junior Bake Off.

12-year-old Lyla appeared on the January 12 episode of the hit TV show and faced two baking challenges: a technical challenge of creating the traditonal Australian treat known as a lamington and a showstopper cake on the theme ‘My Worst Nightmare’.

For the technical challenge (a test of bakers’ skills, where they must recreate a specific bake with minimal instructions and no prior practice), judge Liam Charles gave the bakers a ‘lambitious’ challenge – making the lamingtons look like actual lambs! The sponge treat is dipped in chocolate and rolled in coconut.

During Lyla’s bake, she took time out for a spot of Irish dancing with host Harry Hill.

Coleraine's Lyla icing her 'My Worst Nightmare' showstopper cake.

placeholder image — Coleraine's Lyla icing her 'My Worst Nightmare' showstopper cake.

And, the big-hearted Coleraine girl also set aside her own baking to help fellow contestant Penelope who forgot to add eggs to her mixture.

Next it was on to the ‘My Worst Nightmare’ showstopper which Lyla themed on her phobia of buttons – koumpounophobia. She had great fun coaching Harry Hill on how to actually pronounce the word!

Lyla produced a fantastic ginger cake with cinnamon butter cream and caramel, decorated with huge buttons and googly eyes.

Speaking about her TV appearance, Lyla said: “The minute I met Harry Hill I knew we would have fun together. Harry and I are a DREAM

Lyla (front second from left) with her fellow Junior Bake Off contestants

TEAM!

"We had some laughs. It was such fun - as he was so funny and such a cool guy to be around. Both judges were absolutely lovely. I wanted to impress both of them but particularly Rav as she’s a pastry chef. But I also wanted to impress Liam.”

And impress them, she did! Lyla is through to the next round of Junior Bake Off so tune in this evening (Tuesday, January 13) at 5pm on Channel 4 to see how she gets on.