The owner of Panepinto Bakery & Cafe in Middle Village (71-19 Eliot Ave) was featured with his daughter on an episode of Discovery Family's baking competition series BAKE IT LIKE BUDDY, featuring “Cake Boss” Buddy Valastro, which aired on Saturday, January 5.

In Season 1, episode 19 entitled “Volcano Cakes,” Joseph and Gabriella Panepinto battled against a team from California as they created a made-to-order cake in just four hours. It was a battle of prehistoric proportions as the teams duked it out to produce impressive volcano cakes. Buddy, his wife, Lisa and his cousin, Frankie, decided which entry blew them away.

The tension was high as the Panepintos had stiff competition, seemingly ran short of time, experienced problems with chocolate molds and were uncertain as to whether or not their “lava pump” would actually work when it needed to. Many local viewers surely watched with bated breath.

At the end of the contest, Joe and Gabby walked away with $1,000 after the judges chose their Jurassic Park themed cake as superior to that of their opponents, who very creatively built a caveman figure in a party hat holding a volcano birthday cake.

Congratulations to the father-daughter team! Gabriella currently attends P.S./I.S. 49 in Middle Village and the bakery has been in business since 2007, previously under the name Panardo Bakery & Sandwich Shop.