Welcome to The BakerMama Monthly Recipe Challenge! Each month, we’ll all be making the same recipe from TheBakerMama.com. After you’ve made the recipe, leave a review on the recipe’s page for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card.
How The Challenge Works
- Make the Recipe: Each month, I will choose a specific recipe from TheBakerMama.com for us all to make! You can find the monthly recipe link and description below.
- Leave a Rating and Review (required entry): Leave a comment (with a valid email address) and rate the recipe with a star rating here on the blog. Include the hashtag #TheBakerMamaRecipeChallenge in your comment to be entered into the challenge. Be sure to leave your email address so we can reach out to you if you’re a winner. To leave a recipe review, scroll all the way to the bottom of the blog post itself where it says “Leave a Reply”.
- Bonus Entry: Share a photo of your recipe creation in my Facebook Group and add the hashtag #TheBakerMamaRecipeChallenge. You’ll get one extra entry for the monthly drawing.
- Win Prizes: One random winner* will be chosen at the end of each month to receive a $100 Amazon Gift Card. We will contact the winner via the email that they leave with their recipe review. *Only residents of the U.S. and Canada are eligible to enter.
Stay in the Loop
If you haven’t joined my newsletter, be sure to enter your name and email below. You’ll receive the Monthly Recipe Challenge updates each month, along with new recipes and other exciting news from The BakerMama.
December Recipe Challenge: Candy Cane Caprese Board
Happy holidays, friends! It’s time to announce this month’s recipe challenge! This month, we’re making my original Candy Cane Caprese Board! This festive board first appeared in my Beautiful Boards cookbook back in 2019, and it’s been such a joy to watch it take the world by storm ever since. Its simple ingredients and elegant presentation make it one of those rare appetizers that looks stunning on any holiday spread without requiring much effort at all. It’s fresh, fun, and always gets that “wow” moment when you set it out.
Whether you’re hosting, heading to a party, or just wanting something festive for a cozy night in, I hope you make it part of your celebrations this season. You’ll be amazed at how something so easy can feel so magical!
Tips & Serving Ideas
Quick Tips
- Start by shopping for the mozzarella first. Look for pre-sliced fresh mozzarella (the kind that comes in a log). It keeps every slice the same thickness and size — which makes the candy cane stripes look clean and consistent. Once you have your mozzarella, choose tomatoes that match the diameter of the slices. This is the key to getting that perfect, even red-and-white stripe pattern.
- Pat the mozzarella dry before layering so the board stays neat and the slices don’t slide.
- Create a loose outline first (with a faint trail of basil leaves) to keep the candy cane shape consistent from the start.
- Drizzle last! Add olive oil and sprinkling of sea salt right before serving so it stays glossy and fresh.
Serving Ideas
This recipe is beautiful on its own or as part of a more elaborate holiday spread:
- Serve with crostini or toasted baguette slices so guests can build their own little caprese toasts.
- Add a small bowl of pesto or sun-dried tomato spread on the side for extra flavor and dipping.
- Pair it with other festive appetizers, like I do in my Christmas Eve Snacks Spread on page 225 of my Spectacular Spreads cookbook, to make it a more hearty holiday spread.
- Add salami, prosciutto ribbons or marinated olives around the candy cane shape for a heartier appetizer board.
- For a crowd, make a double candy cane by repeating the pattern side-by-side on a larger board, or build it next to one of my Caprese Wreaths for the ultimate festive appetizer display.
Previous Challenges
I hope you will join me in this fun and yummy Monthly Recipe Challenge! As always, If you make any of my recipes, be sure to snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see. If you’re on Facebook, be sure to join my Friends of The BakerMama group to connect and share all the fun and yummy recipes of mine that you make! 
I just love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the ideas I share. Enjoy!
xoxo,
