Ten pastry chefs begin vying for a chance to work alongside Buddy Valastro at his famous Hoboken, N.J., bakery in the series premiere. Their first task is to create elaborate celebration cakes that showcase their baking and decorating skills.

Things get heated in the kitchen when the hopefuls work in teams, creating Monopoly-theme cakes to mark the 75th anniversary of the board game.

The gals battle the guys in a Christmas-theme bake-off for the American Cancer Society.

A special-effects company needs an extreme cake to mark its 20th anniversary, so the hopefuls must incorporate special effects and pyrotechnics in their confections.

The hopefuls are tasked with creating space-theme cakes for Buddy Jr.'s birthday party.

The remaining hopefuls must create a dream wedding cake for a couple who are about to walk down the aisle.

Cakes inspired by cars are created after the hopefuls are taken for a test drive in a new vehicle.

The winner is crowned in the Season 1 finale. At stake is $50,000 and a job at Carlo's Bakery.