Judging got under way in Dunfermline in this year’s Scottish Baker of the Year competition.
In the past few months 23,000 Scots have voted for their cakes and tarts.
And yesterday more than 170 bakers delivered more than 600 of their goodies to the judging panel of 50 expert and independent tasters.
Scottish Bakers’ chief executive Alan Clarke’s was expecting hundreds of scones, loaves, rolls and cakes to give head judge Robert Ross and his team a long day of deliberation.
Part of the team was writer and scone fan Sara Sheridan, who said: “I travel all the time, mostly to attend book festivals, and everywhere I go I take myself off to sample the local scones.
“Scones are my favourite you can keep your cake.”
Last year George Asher, of family-owned Asher’s Bakery, won the contest.
“Since winning, our business has gone from strength to strength and we have been able to share our success with all of our customers by continuing to provide the best baked goods day in and day out,” he said.
The winners will be announced in May by celebrity cake designer Mich Turner.