An admin manager from Johannesburg, Dicks baked an extravagant two-tiered carrot and vanilla wedding cake for the shows very last Showstopper Challenge. Also competing in the final was property manager Teddy Zaki, and Michaela Tseun, a professional dancer.

On being crowned South Africa’s best amateur baker, Dicks says: “It still has not sunk in. If I look back all those months ago when I first entered and got the first phone call that I was on a short list - I was so excited just to have gotten that far.”

“Never in my wildest imagination did I think I was good enough to win, and there were a few close calls. I feel honoured and humbled to be crowned South Africa's best amateur baker, especially if I look at my fellow competitors, all of whom are brilliant, passionate, talented bakers," she says.

When asked how her family reacted to the win, Dicks says; “After they announced that I had won, it was all a bit of a blur, but what I will always remember is hugging my husband and daughter, Andrew and Jo, and all of us crying. They put up with a lot during Bake Off. I missed our family holiday and getting my daughter ready for her matric dance, but in the end they both were so proud that I had won, it made up for it."

Dot says she will continue to bake now that the show is over: “I will always bake as it is my passion and hobby. My dream is to own a small guest house somewhere in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands and serve high teas, with delicate cakes, cream scones and perhaps a glass or two of bubbly.”

Judge Shirley Guy says; “Dot has years of general experience in the kitchen and baking has a special place in her heart. She always followed the brief, was passionate, consistent and mostly well organised for all of her bakes. She deserved to come out triumphant.”

Fellow judge, Tjaart Walraven, agrees; “Congratulations Dot, a deserved winner. Dot consistently baked her way to the top for us judges. She showed us that sometimes the nuttier you are when it comes to baking, the better. Dot folded classic flavours into her baking that she not only liked, she loved. She also has a wealth of experience – a winning formula in our eyes.”

During transmission of the semi-final episode, The Great South African Bake Off positioned BBC Lifestyle as the number one lifestyle channel on DStv’s platform. The show has regularly trended number one on Twitter throughout the series.

Q&A with Dot Dicks

When did you get into baking?

I have always loved cooking but only got into baking about 2 years ago when my sister-in-law asked me to bake a fruit cake for my nephew’s birthday. I went into a baking shop and paid R25 each for some fondant "minions" and decided I could make them better. From then, I have been making celebration cakes for friends and family.

How would other people describe you?

Funny, outgoing, competitive.

If you could describe yourself as a type of cake, what would it be and why?

A quirky celebration cake full of color and decorations.

If you could bake a cake for anyone, who would it be for and why?

Not too sure, I love baking children's birthday cakes, the look on their faces when I deliver their cakes is the best.

For more information, visit www.bbcsouthafrica.com. Alternatively, connect with them on Facebook, Twitter or on Instagram using the #SABakeOff hashtag.