The Flora Hill Bakehouse owner entered the Great Australian Vanilla Slice competition as a last-minute idea and took out third place.

Narrowly beaten by bakeries in West Heidelberg and Kyabram for first and second, Mr Whittle said he was thrilled with third but would be back aiming for a win next year.

“It’s a tough sort of competition, so we were happy with third,” he said.

“All our customers told us we should enter.’’

Mr Whittle’s recipe has been tried and tested over more than a decade.

“It was judged on the creamy texture, the icing and the neatness – that’s what the judges go on,” he said.

“Now that we’ve entered this year and come third, we’ll definitely enter again.’’