Book prize follows copycat claims against Brisbane cupcake queen

1News

09-05-2025

Recipe book writer Nagi Maehashi has beaten cupcake queen Brooke Bellamy at the Australian publishing industry's annual awards, after Maehashi and other authors accused Bellamy of plagiarism.
Maehashi won the illustrated book of the year prize for a second time at the Australian Book Industry Awards in Melbourne yesterday for her most recent book RecipeTin Eats: Tonight.
In April the prize-winning author accused Bellamy, who runs the popular Brooki Bakehouse in Brisbane, of copying her caramel slice and baklava recipes in her bestselling book, Bake with Brooki.
Another author, US-based Sally McKenney from the blog Sally's Baking Addiction, has alleged Bellamy copied her Best Vanilla Cake recipe.
Bellamy denied the allegations, which she has described online as "deeply distressing". She did not attend the awards night and she was understood to be attending a pop-up bakery venture in the United Arab Emirates.
The Brisbane baker and online influencer has previously said she offered to remove the recipes that were the subject of Maehashi's allegations from any reprints "to prevent further aggravation".
Maehashi beat five finalists including Bellamy to take out the prestigious industry prize, with her second cookbook Tonight selling more than 78,000 copies in its first week on shelves, breaking Australian records for first week non-fiction title sales.
Bake with Brooki was published in October by Penguin Random House Australia, which was awarded a gong for publisher of the year and has been contacted for comment.
The awards were not only about authors but the whole publishing industry, according to Australian Publishers Association chief executive Patrizia Di Biase-Dyson.
"The industry judges cast their eagle eyes over the whole process of bringing books to consumers – from editing the manuscript through to the sales, marketing and publicity," she said.