Great British Bake Off: Who should win? Ruby, Kimberley or Frances?

Our writers give their verdicts on which baker deserves the coveted title

Kimberley, Ruby and Frances await the result of this year's Great British Bake Off (BBC/Twitter)

In Tuesday night's final, we'll find out which baker Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry have chosen as this year's Great British Bake Off winner.

No particular contestant has stood head and shoulders above the rest in this fourth series, meaning we're in for a tense hour of television. Here, our writers tell you who should lift the Bake Off trophy.

Liam O'Brien is backing Ruby Tandoh

Let's be honest, it hasn't been a vintage Bake Off series. We haven't had a brilliant all-rounder, like Jo Wheatley in series two, or a bake that takes your breath away like James Morton's abandoned gingerbread barn last year (although should Frances produce THIS marvel in the final I'll be eating my words).

So thank heavens that Ruby has given us all something to talk about. She has been slated for her crying fits, her pessimism and - oddly - her self-deprecation.

I'm no fan of the way every reality TV contestant these days seems to have the same level of emotional resilience as a Tiny Tears doll, but there is a difference between the X Factor mob - 16-year-olds declaring their lives are over if they fail to progress to the live shows - and Ruby, who seems incapable of realising that she's a brilliant baker.

I understand that there might be some frustration as the young student has a meltdown over what ends up being a near-perfect dish. Believe it or not, my favourite moment of the series was when Mel told her to "get a ruddy grip".

Ruby Tandoh's bakes are full of flavour (Love Production)

But in an age when young people on TV are largely brash, overconfident, and assured of their own excellence, isn't it great to have someone who is so good - she's won "Star Baker" three times - and doesn't know it?

It's about time someone who doesn't fit the reality TV mould won this show. I can't see Ruby going on a tour and making pleasantries with hundreds of people at food festivals, or conjuring the smiley disposition required for cookery segments on daytime TV shows. Let's hope Paul and Mary - and the producers - remember that it's not about finding a "brand", it's about discovering Britain’s best amateur baker.

Daisy Wyatt is a Kimberley Wilson fan

Again and again Kimberley has shown her talent for pairing big, adventurous flavours. From week one, when she chose to make a blood orange Victoria sponge, I knew she was one to watch.

Kimberley's flavour combinations have kept her in contention (Love Productions)

Her bakes that really stand out for me are her chicken, bacon, butternut squash and turmeric pie (which earned her "Star Baker") and her garlic, pesto and parma ham couronne. Both show Kimberley at her best: pairing punchy, ambitious flavours to create hearty and - as Mary would say - "scrummy-looking" fare.

While Ruby's flavours often come off well, she always stays on the safe side, opting for traditional combinations like goat's cheese and beetroot or chocolate and orange. Design queen Frances definitely has the upper hand when it comes to presentation, but she has suffered throughout by failing to pack her bakes with much, if any, flavour.

Kimberley on the other hand gets straight in there, never afraid to add Nigella seeds, Zatar or saffron to spice up her bakes in a way no other contestant can.

At times Kimberley has come across as rather pleased with herself, but at least she isn't afraid to own just how good she is. When she has appeared smug, she's always had reason to be.

Felicity Morse speaks up for Frances Quinn

Frances Quinn is known for her visually inventive bakes (Love Production)

Frances should win the Bake Off. Mistress of the most creative confections, the cakes cooked by this clothes designer make my tongue tingle.

Ruby and Kimberley are both fantastically talented, but Frances builds the best looking bakes. This is immensely important for me. The Great British Bake Off is a TV show and if I'm not able to eat their cakes, I want them to look bloody good.

Yet I'm not just backing Frances because her demiurgic dainties make me salivate, but because week after week she's faced criticism that all she can offer is "style over substance".

It's a crushing comment that fails to recognise her artistic flair, but with Franciscan fortitude she has battled on, continuing to deliver witty presentation while improving her flavours.

She has shown faith in her own artistry and I want her to win because she's the only one who I think could literally bake a pie in the sky.

Who do you want to win? Join the debate below