Who won buddy vs Duff Episode 2?

After traversing the savannah and Duff being crowned the winner of the animal kingdom, Buddy vs Duff Season 3 episode 2 heads back in time for the new theme. Did this glimpse back into ancient times open the competition history books to a familiar tale?

As just Buddy vs Duff Season 3 episode 2, it seems that some of the previous themes played again in this challenge. Duff Goldman went back to his intricacies and Buddy Valastro went big. Although this approach has brought different results over both the previous seasons, the two teams are most comfortable going back to their preferred styles.

While Buddy vs Duff Season 3 is going to have changes in point totals throughout the season, it will be curious to track the challenges with the highest overall point total. Could this trip back and time predict a future outcome?

What ancient worlds were on display in Buddy vs Duff Season 3 episode 2?

Since ancient worlds could go in many directions, it was curious to see the two choices that the teams made. Before even the discussion started, many people might have guessed that Buddy would draw inspiration from ancient Rome. In addition, it would be a big display.

For this challenge, Buddy’s team created a horse and a gladiator (aka raviolus). Listening to the feedback from the previous challenge, this display was full of movement. The horse looks as if it is in mid-gallop.

In addition, Buddy listened to the critique that Duff received last week. His horse had muscles, expression and movement. It was a well-sculpted piece.

Also, the face of the gladiator was full of expression. Although it was slightly cartoonish, it was a fierce sight. No one would want to get in this gladiator’s path.

In addition to those aspects, Buddy incorporated many small details in the mix. From all the golden details on the chariot to the touch of glitter in the sand, those little touches made this display impressive. Even one cake artist commented that it looked like a statue from Caesars Palace.

Compared to last week’s design, Buddy’s team did a better job making the display seem more focused. While still large, the intricacies really stood out. With the judges looking through a screen, the wow factor as a composed image needs to be clear.

Host Duff Goldman, as seen on Buddy vs Duff, Season 3. Photo courtesy Food Network

Duff took a very different approach to the ancient worlds. In some ways, this display was similar to its cathedral from the previous season. It was all about the varying angles and finding a way to discover the little treasures.

Creating the lost world wonder of the hanging gardens of Babylon, it was a difficult visual to display. Although the name might sound familiar, the visual is not. No one really truly knows what it looks like.

Overall, the display was quite visually engaging. Although not huge, the reality is that it had little details that appeared from every angle. But, all those tiny aspects might have been hard to see from a screen versus in person.

Also, Duff seemed to miss some vital items. For example, it was pointed out that the cake was on a naked cake board, And, while he attempted a water feature, there was no alternative water aspect, like a fountain, on the display.

In many ways, Duff’s cake display seemed unfinished. It was an ambitious endeavor, but it was not executed to the best way possible. It was hard to find a focal point. Even though there were many things to see, there needs to be a little more clarity.

Or, the cake display would have benefited from another color or floral element. Something that could break up the whites and greens could have helped.

As the scores were revealed, it seemed clear that the winner was going to be Buddy. The scores were 215 for Duff and 241 for Buddy. That substantial score has Buddy surging ahead of Duff with a total score of 458 to 443.

For Food Network fans who look for clues in all these baking competitions, it will be interesting to see if the score reveal can indicate an eventual outcome. In episode one and two, the losing team was revealed first. Could this be a clue?

What was your favorite part of Buddy vs Duff Season 3 episode 2? Do you have a prediction for a winner?