The third series of The Great British Bake Off began airing on Tuesday 14 August 2012. The series was filmed at Harptree Court in East Harptree, Somerset.

Seven thousand applied for the competition and twelve contestants were chosen. The competition was won by John Whaite.

The third series was broadcast as the fifth season on PBS in the United States.

Bakers ContestantAgeHometownOccupationFinishPlaceNatasha Stringer 36 Tamworth, England Midwife Episode 112thPeter Maloney 43 Windsor, England Sales manager Episode 211thVictoria Chester 50 Somerset, England CEO of the charity PlantlifeEpisode 310th 26 Lichfield, EnglandPE teacher Episode 49thManisha Parmar 27 Leicester, England Nursery nurse Episode 58th 28 Bewbush, England Vicar's wife Episode 76th (tie)Ryan Chong 38 Bristol, England Photographer Cathryn Dresser 27 Pease Pottage, EnglandShop assistant Episode 85thDanny Bryden 45 Sheffield, England Intensive care consultant Episode 94thBrendan Lynch 63 Sutton Coldfield, EnglandRecruitment consultantEpisode 10Runner-upJames Morton 21 Hillswick, Scotland Medical student John Whaite 22 Wigan, England Law student 1st

Results summary + Elimination chartBaker12345678910John SAFE SB SAFE SAFE SAFE LOW LOW LOW WINNERBrendan SAFE LOW SB SB SAFE James SAFE SB SAFE SAFE LOW LOW SB SB Danny SAFE SAFE SAFE LOW SB LOW OUT Cathryn SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE LOW OUT Ryan SAFE SAFE SAFE LOW SB SAFE OUT SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE LOW LOW OUT Manisha SAFE SAFE SAFE LOW OUT Stuart LOW LOW OUT VictoriaSB LOW OUT Peter SAFE OUT NatashaOUT

There was no elimination the sixth week after John sustained a major injury to his finger and could not complete the last bake. The judges determined it would be unfair to eliminate anyone and instead, two bakers were eliminated the next week.

Colour key:

Episodes Colour key:

Episode 1: Cakes For their signature bake, the contestants were required to make an upside-down cake filled with fruits of their choice in 2 hours. For the technical bake, Paul set the bakers the challenge of making 4 rum babas with cream in the middle and sliced fruits on top, to be completed in 3 hours. For the showstopper, the bakers were given the task of making a cake that would reveal a hidden design when sliced open in 5 hours.

BakerSignature(Upside Down Cake)Technical(4 Rum Babas)Showstopper(Hidden Design Cake)Result Brendan Plum, Sour Cherry & Walnut Upside Down Cake 10th St. Patrick's Day Cake with Hidden Irish Flag* Cathryn Apple, Hazelnut and Calvados Upside Down Cake 5th Hidden Cupcake Cake Danny Plum, Ginger & Orange Upside Down Cake 7th Nectar Cake with Hidden Beehive* James Parsnip, Pear and Pecan Upside Down Cake 2nd "Simmer Dim" Sunset Cake John Toffee Apple Upside Down Cake* 11th Hidden Pink Hearts Cake Manisha Vanilla, Peach and Raspberry Upside Down Cake 6th White Chocolate Cake with a Red Velvet and White Chocolate Mousse Heart Natasha Pineapple & Passion Fruit Upside Down Cake 12th Mother's Day Layered Rose Cake Peter Pear, Muscat & Chocolate Upside Down Cake 3rd Jubilee Cake Ryan Kumquat and Orange Polenta Upside Down Cake 8th Hidden Flowerbed Mousse Cake Sarah-Jane Pear, Chocolate and Hazelnut Upside Down Cake 1st Hidden Crown Cake Stuart Tomato and Ginger Upside Down Cake 9th Lemon and Pistachio Union Flag Cake Victoria Pear and Pecan Upside Down Cake 4th Blackbird Pie Cake Unseen in the episode

Episode 2: Bread For the signature bake, the bakers were required to make 12 flatbreads, 6 with yeast and 6 without, in hours. For the technical challenge, they had to make an eight-strand plaited (braided) loaf in 2 hours, using Paul Hollywood's recipe. For the showstopper bake, the bakers were given 4 hours to make 24 bagels: 12 sweet and 12 savoury.

BakerSignature12 Flatbreads (6 Leavened and 6 unleavened)Technical(Eight-Stranded Plaited Loaf)Showstopper24 Bagels (12 Sweet and 12 Savoury)Result Brendan Middle Eastern Taboon BreadIndian Roti 4th Chocolate and Vanilla BagelsCumin and Gruyere Bagels Cathryn Spiced Mango NaanLime, Coriander and Chilli Tortillas 8th Cranberry and Orange BagelsChipotle, Chilli, and Smoked Cheddar Bagels Danny Lime Coriander and Coconut TortillasZaatar Naan with Dukkah 3rd UNKNOWN James Tomato, Garlic, and Parmesan FlatbreadsTattie Scones 2nd Orange, Mint and Chocolate Bagels'Millers' Sourdough Bagels John Coriander and Chilli RotisGarlic, Pomegranate and Potato Pitas 1st Fig, Walnut and Gruyere BagelsBlueberry and White Chocolate Bagels Manisha Indian FlatbreadsItalian Flatbreads 6th UNKNOWN Peter Fennel and Nigella Seed NaanBannock Bread 11th Rosemary and Sea Salt BagelsApple and Cinnamon Bagels Ryan Shanghai Spring Onion FlatbreadGarlic and Coriander Naan 5th Cinnamon and Date BagelsTarragon and Rosemary Bagels Sarah-Jane Coconut RotiOatcakes 10th UNKNOWN Stuart Bombay BreadChorizo and Spring Onion Naan 9th Cinnamon and Cranberry BagelsTomato and Thyme Bagels Victoria Coriander and Lemon NaanGarlic and Parsnip Chapatis 7th Saffron and Golden Raisin BagelsPorcini Bagels

Episode 3: Tarts The classic tarte tatin, either sweet or savory, was set as the signature challenge, to be finished in hours. Baking a treacle tart in 2 hours was set as the technical challenge by Mary Berry, with the requirement that the pastry lattice on top be woven. For the showstopper, the bakers were required to make a large designer fruit tart, fit for a window display, in 3 hours.

BakerSignature(Tarte Tatin)Technical(Treacle Tart)Showstopper(Designer Fruit Tart)Result Brendan Apple and Ginger Tarte Tatin 9th Blackberry, Nectarine and Dragon Fruit Tart Cathryn Plum, Cherry and Five Spice Tarte Tatin 3rd Raspberry, Pistachio and Lemon Tart Danny Savoury Pear and Roquefort Tarte Tatin 2nd Pineapple, Coconut and Frangipane Tart James Apple and Lavender Tarte Tatin 1st Rose, Lychee and Raspberry Fruit Tart John Apple and Vanilla Tarte Tatin with Walnut Praline 6th Berries, Grapes, Pomegranate, and Dragon Fruit Tart Manisha Cinnamon, Apple and Pear Tarte Tatin 10th Rum and Tropical Fruit Tart Ryan Spiced Pear Tarte Tatin 5th UNKNOWN Sarah-Jane Caramelised Banana Tarte Tatin 8th French Apple Tart with Blackberry and Cassis Jam Stuart Pear and Almond Tarte Tatin 7th Raspberry Triple Chocolate Layered Tart Victoria Fig, Walnut and Pink Peppercorn Tarte Tatin 4th Tropical Fruit Tart with Black Pepper Crust

Episode 4: Desserts The bakers were given 3 hours to make a torte without conventional wheat flour as the signature bake. The torte had to be more than 20 cm in diameter. Mary set crème caramel as the technical challenge, to be finished in 23⁄4 hours. A four-layered meringue dessert was the showstopper challenge.

BakerSignature(Torte Cake)Technical(Crème Caramel)Showstopper(4-Layered Meringue Dessert)Result Brendan Clementine and Chestnut Torte 1st Pear, Chocolate and Hazelnut Dacquoise Cathryn White Chocolate, Macadamia and Coffee Torte 3rd Gooseberry, Almond and Honey Meringue Danny Blackberry, White Chocolate, Lemon and Elderflower Torte 2nd 'Monte Bianco' Chestnut, Chocolate and Coffee Dacquoise James Hazelnut, Chocolate and Passionfruit Torte 5th Fig, Chestnut, Cherry and Chocolate Layered Meringue John 'Torte Noir' Black Forest Torte with Boozy Cream 6th Elderflower and Bramble Berry Pavlova Manisha Almond, Chocolate and Cherry Torte 9th Tiramisu Layered Meringue Dessert Ryan Green Tea Opera Torte 7th Strawberry, Rose and Pistachio Meringue Sarah-Jane Chocolate and Almond Truffle Torte 4th Hazelnut Tiramisu Layered Meringue Stuart Black Forest Torte 8th Choca Blocka Mocha Meringue

Episode 5: Pies The signature bake was Wellington, which Paul specified should be at least 8 inches long and completely covered with pastry. The bakers were given 3 hours for the challenge. The technical challenge was to make a hand-raised pie in 21⁄4 hours. This was to be made with a hot water crust and moulded using a dolly. The pie was left to set overnight and judged the next day. For the showstopper challenge, the bakers were required to bake a family-sized sweet American-style pie in 31⁄2 hours.

BakerSignature(Wellington)Technical(Hand-Raised Pie)Showstopper(American Pie)Result Brendan Salmon Coulibiac in a Scandinavian Pastry 3rd All American Chiffon Pie Cathryn Full English Wellington 1st Chocolate and Peanut Butter Pumpkin Pie Danny Chickpea, Spinach & Mushroom Wellington 7th Trick or Treat Pumpkin Pie James Four Pig Wellington 6th Sweet Potato Pie John Venison and Haggis Wellington 2nd Star Spangled Pecan Pie Manisha Lamb Wellington with Rosemary and Mint 5th Banana Scotch Pie Ryan Curry Spiced Seabass Wellington 8th Key Lime Pie Sarah-Jane Beef Wellington with Parma Ham and Gorgonzola Cheese 4th Chocolate and Banana Cream Pie

Episode 6: Puddings The bakers were challenged to make, in 2 hours, 2 different flavoured sponge puddings with different accompaniments, 6 of each. Mary set the Queen of Puddings as the technical challenge. For the showstopper, the bakers were required to make a large strudel, either with sweet or savoury fillings, in hours.

BakerSignature(2 Different Flavours of Sponge Puddings)Technical(Queen of Puddings)Showstopper(Strudels)Result Brendan Rhubarb, Strawberry and Ginger PuddingsSticky Toffee Puddings 1st Spinach, Cheese and Walnut Strudel Cathryn Chocolate Walnut Whip PuddingsElderflower Sponges 3rd Roasted Vegetable Couscous and Sheep Cheese Strudel Danny Banoffee Puddings with Walnut Butterscotch SauceJubilee Chocolate Fondants 2nd Leek, Potato, Pistachio and Gruyère Strudel James Banana and Clove PuddingsClootie Dumplings 7th Strawberry, Rhubarb and Ginger Strudel John Spicy Toffee PuddingsRaspberry and White Chocolate Puddings 5th Ryan Chocolate FondantsSticky Ginger and Date Puddings 6th Apple, Sour Cherry, Raisin and Mixed Nuts Strudel Sarah-Jane Sticky Toffee PuddingsGranny's Saucy Lemon Puddings 4th Sweet Strudel with Sour Cherries

Episode 7: Sweet Dough For the signature bake, the bakers were set to bake 24 buns made from an enriched dough with yeast in 3 hours. The buns should be all of the same size and evenly baked. For the technical bake, the bakers were challenged to make 10 jam doughnuts, using Paul Hollywood's recipe, in 21⁄2 hours. They should be consistent in size, shape, jam distribution, and colour. For the showstopper, the bakers each made a celebratory enriched-dough loaf. This challenge started straight after the technical bake, so that the dough could be proofed overnight if necessary.

BakerSignature(24 Sweet Buns)Technical(Jam Doughnut)Showstopper(Celebratory Loaf)Result Brendan Chelsea Bunskis 4th Black Forest Christmas Stollen Cathryn Lady Arundel's Manchet Buns 5th Bonfire Night Tear 'N' Share Brioche Danny Bakewell Chelsea Buns 2nd European Christmas Wreath James Easter Chelsea Buns 1st Whisky Kugelhopf-Brioche Baba John Cherry and Almond Saffron Buns 3rd Marzipan Stollen Ryan Lardy Cakes 6th Char Siu Bao Sarah-Jane Orange, Nutmeg and Saffron Buns 7th Sour Cherry and Dark Chocolate Christmas Plait

Episode 8: Biscuits The bakers were given 2 hours to make 48 crackers or crisp breads for their signature bake. They should be thin, evenly baked and crack when snapped in two. For the technical challenge, the bakers were asked to make six chocolate teacakes in 2 hours using Paul Hollywood's recipe, a task made more difficult because the high temperature that day would not allow the chocolate to cool. For the showstopper bake, the bakers were challenged to make a gingerbread structure, which should not be a gingerbread house, in 4 hours.

BakerSignature(48 Crackers)Technical(6 Chocolate Teacakes)Showstopper(Gingerbread Structure)Result Brendan Multi-Seed Savoury Crackers 2nd Fantasy Gingerbread Bird House Cathryn Cheese and Pickle Crackers 5th Gingerbread Buckingham Palace Danny Spiced Almond Drinks Crackers 4th Gingerbread Big Ben James Smoky Cayenne, Cumin and Chilli Crackers 1st Gingerbread Barn John Asian Spice Crackers 3rd Gingerbread Roman Coliseum