Cakes have gone way beyond the simple round, two-layer frosted cake we all associate with birthdays. These days, cake-making has become an art, and cake-makers vie to create the most beautiful or astounding cakes. A fair number of them are inspired by books.
There are children’s book cakes:
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| Alice in Wonderland cake by Bobette and Belle |
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| Peter’s Garden cake by Izzy’s Cakes, Oxfordshire, England |
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| Children’s classics cake by Night Kitchen Bakery, via Bookalicious |
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| Hey Diddle Diddle cake by Mike’s Amazing Cakes |
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| Cat in the Hat cake, provenance unknown |
YA book cakes:
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| Twilight cake by Christopher Garrens Cakes |
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| The Night Circus cake (link and original page no longer available) |
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| Hunger Games cake (unable to find original link) |
Literary cakes:
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| Jane Austen cake by Heather Baird, SprinkleBakes |
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| Portrait of Poe cake by Heather Baird, SprinkleBakes |
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| Book Lovers’ Wedded Bliss by The Cake Whisperer |
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| Penguin Classics cake by Janet Mohapi-Banks (link no longer available) |
library cakes:
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| Radcliffe Camera, Bodleian Library, Oxford, by The Cake Shop (UK) |
fantasy cakes:
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| D&D dragon groom’s cake by Mike’s Amazing Cakes |
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| Castle cake, complete with dragon bearing maidens, by Suka (link no longer available) |
Lord of the Rings cakes:
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| Sebastian’s Magical Hobbit Hole Cake by Pink Cake Box |
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| Gondor cake (photo by Clare Wood; cake designer unknown) |
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| Eye of Sauron red velvet cake, by Emily Pease (emzstar on Flickr) |
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| Rivendell-inspired wedding cake by Irene’s Cakes by Design |
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| LOTR cake with Gollum, by Benja (Czech Republic) |
Dr Who cakes:
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| Dr. Who cake with TARDIS & Dalek (designer unknown; link unavailable) |
and lots of amazing Harry Potter cakes:
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| Hogwarts Cake for LA premiere of HP & the Order of the Phoenix by Charm City Cakes |
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| Sorting Hat cake by Karen Portaleo for Highland Bakery (via Flickr) |
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| Harry Potter cake by EnglishCakeLady after an original design by Sweet Blossom Cakes (via Cake Central) |
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| Goblet of Fire – First Task cake, by Art Cakes of St. Petersburg, Russia |
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| Marauder’s Map cake (photo originally on Caroline Keith’s Photobucket; no longer available) |
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| The Burrow, a gingerbread house by mezcraft on Instructables |
The artistry and dedication of these cake makers, some professional and some hobbyists, just amazes me. Do you have any favorite literary or bookish cakes? I’d love to see them! Feel free to include links in the comments.
Here are links to more collections of book-related cakes:
- My “Book Confections” Pinterest board has a lot of my favorites!
- 30 Gorgeous and Delicious Literary Cakes (Emily Temple, Flavorwire, 3/1/13)
- Eat This: Book Cakes! (Wallace Yovetich, Book Riot, 11/19/12)
- 43 Harry Potter Themed Cakes (Josh Fjelstad, Buzzfeed, 7/13/11)
- 10 Cakes for Book Lovers With a Sweet Tooth (BookLikes, with review links)
- A Literary Christmas: Bookish Gingerbread Houses (Booklicious)
Bea
Oh my, look at those cakes! Those are amazing but I don’t think I could bring myself to eat them.
Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard
I know; they look way too amazing to actually eat. I’ve got a lot more on my Pinterest board (called “book confections” because it also includes cookies and cupcakes.) The talent and skill that goes into something so ephemeral just amazes me.
pagesandtea
Oh wow, there are some seriously beautiful cakes in this post 🙂 The trouble with having something so wonderfully unique is I don’t think I could bear to cut into it and eat it. the Night Circus one is an instant favourite as I adored that book and really must find time to reread it. I also really like the Doctor Who and the Marauders Map cakes too.
Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard
I have the same feeling – I could never bring myself to cut it, let alone eat it! Yet if you didn’t, it would go stale, maybe even moldy, which would be a pity. At least the photos last!
Anna (herding cats-burning soup)
That’s some crazy talent. Yeah I wouldn’t be able to eat those I don’t think. lol
Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard
Agreed! But aren’t they fun to look at?!
Julie S
These are so awesome!!!!
Amber Elise
These are amazing! My birthday is in a month, wonder if I could get my husband to get me a custom bookish cake!
(And they look so delicious!)f
Amber Elise @ Du Livre