A radiotherapist hopes to win the cake-making competition at this year’s Newcastle Show.

James Challinor, a Toronto resident who works at the Mater Hospital, has entered the show’s last four cookery competitions and last year walked away with the top gong.

His apricot and sultana fruit loaf was a winner with the judges and he also received best overall men’s exhibit for his famous fruitcake.

The 35-year-old first entered the competition for fun after being encouraged by work colleague and chair-person of the show’s cookery section Ellice Schrader.

He never expected to win.

But after many attempts of making burnt and uncooked fruit cakes, Mr Challinor learned how to make the perfect desert.

“The first couple of fruitcakes I made were complete flops.

“But I didn’t mind, that just meant I could eat them,” Mr Challinor said.

After discovering his cake-making talent, Mr Challinor decided to enter other competitions.

This year he entered the Morisset Show’s cooking competition and won, and will go on to compete against others at this year’s Sydney Royal Easter Show.

However, at the moment his focus is on the upcoming Newcastle Show

Mr Challinor said he hoped to win again this year, since he has had a lot of practice making fruitcakes.

“It’s funny because I used to hate fruit cake when I was younger, now I love them, I could eat the whole thing in one go.”

He would not give away secret tips on what makes his fruit cakes so delicious, but did spill the beans on one cooking hint.

“The key is to learn about your oven and how it cooks, because all ovens are different.

“I shield the bottom of the cake with three sheets of cardboard before I put it in the oven – otherwise the bottom will cook faster than the top of the cake and will go crusty,” Mr Challinor said.

People are encouraged to enter the show’s Cookery and Jams competition.

There are 47 different cake classes to enter from bar cakes to wedding cakes and 42 different classes of jams and pickles to enter in.

There is a separate men’s and children’s sections.

It is $1 for people to enter the competition and entries close on March 10.

Go to www.newcastleshow.com.au to download an entry form or for more information about the cooking competition.