The Great British Bake Off’s caramel week got off to a good start but cracks began to show during the technical challenge as one unlucky baker crashed out of the competition.

Scottish architect Tom said his choice of showstopper was “a wrong one” as he became the fourth baker to be booted from the competition.

The 29-year-old from Edinburgh failed to impress in the first caramel week the series has ever had with his showstopper – a hummingbird cake with caramel decorations.

Tom’s unravelling began with the first of three challenges, the signature bake, when he ran out of time and failed to complete the millionaire’s shortbread.

Like Tom former army officer Sophie Faldo, originally from Suffolk, found it hard to keep on top of timings during the signature challenge.

But the former Ipswich High School pupil made up for it in the showstopper.

Judge Paul Hollywood described her cake, which was topped with caramel filled eggs, as being “very, very elegant” and “magnificent”.

While fellow judge Prue Leith added: “It’s got a beautiful mirror glaze.”

Instead of offering judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood 18 identical bakes in his technical challenge, Tom presented them with two large tins of his caramel concoction instead.

The technical challenge saw the bakers create 12 Dutch stroopwafels with most getting poor reviews. Tom placed fifth out of nine.

But it was his showstopper caramel cake, a banana and pineapple hummingbird cake, that sealed his exit for Prue and Paul.

Paul described it as “a bit basic” thanks to Tom’s lack of caramel decorations while Prue said the cake itself was “gluey and under-baked”.

Hollywood said: “That cake was raw, it was just an off day for him, but unfortunately in Bake Off, one slip and that’s it.”

This week’s star baker was Kate, who impressed with her showstopper toffee apple cake and her bay-infused millionaire’s shortbread in the first round.

The Great British Bake Off continues next Tuesday at 8pm on Channel 4.