Buzz
A few years back, hyperrealistic cakes became a viral sensation, sparking a TikTok trend where users tried to guess whether an object was a cake or something else. While these edible masterpieces are awe-inspiring, the moment you see the inside, you might lose your appetite. Many of these cakes are covered in fondant, which isn’t exactly a treat for your taste buds. Without further ado, let’s dive into the list. Here are ten incredibly realistic cakes that might make you think twice before taking a bite.
10. Cigarette Cake
Despite the ongoing anti-smoking campaigns, cigarettes still hold a certain edgy appeal, especially when a stylish celebrity is seen with one. However, the reality of smoking is far from glamorous—think overflowing ashtrays and lingering stale odors. So, why would anyone want to eat a cake designed to look like an ashtray, complete with fondant cigarette butts?
YouTuber Seller FactG had their reasons for creating this cake, likely to showcase their impressive skills. And yes, the craftsmanship is undeniably remarkable. But no matter how talented the baker, I can’t imagine wanting to slice into a cake that mimics cigarettes and an ashtray. That’s a niche craving best left to someone else.
9. Sneaker Cake
Let’s be honest—this next cake is absolutely stunning, far surpassing the cigarette cake in creativity. Cakes StepbyStep demonstrates how to craft a vibrant sneaker cake, though I doubt many amateur bakers could replicate it, even with the tutorial. It’s more like, ‘Step-by-step, you’re terrible at baking, so let me show you how it’s done, alright?’
The baker skillfully transforms a blue cake into a perfectly shaped sneaker mold, complete with textured fondant to mimic shoe details (because apparently, that’s a thing). Meanwhile, I struggle just to tie my own shoes.
While I deeply admire the talent behind this creation, I wouldn’t want to eat it. Not only does the idea of consuming a shoe-shaped dessert fail to appeal to me, but I also wouldn’t want to destroy such a work of art by digging into it.
8. Bloody Human Skin Cake
Putting aside the dislike for fondant, it’s pretty clear why this cake isn’t exactly appetizing. It’s one of the most terrifying and grotesque creations I’ve ever encountered in the baking world. Epic Confections crafted this cake as a Halloween centerpiece, and they absolutely nailed it!
The cake features stitched-together skin, bones, guts, and a slimy, blood-like glaze. It brings back memories of high school Anatomy & Physiology dissections. The baker achieved their goal because I wouldn’t go near this cake with a 10-foot pole, much less consider eating it.
I have to mention the fondant, though, since the intestines are made from it. Fondant is a malleable, sugary icing that can be shaped and colored as desired, but it tastes like a strange, soft, sugary blanket. Picture that in the form of intestines. If you’re brave enough to eat this cake, I’d recommend peeling off the intestines first.
7. Cockroach Cake
Cockroaches are the stuff of nightmares, especially for those living in urban apartments. Spotting one usually means there are hundreds hiding in the shadows or creeping up through the drains. Thanks to shows like Fear Factor, cockroaches have shifted from being a threat to a dare. How long can you hold one? Could you put one in your mouth? Or, in this case, could you create a hyperrealistic cockroach cake?
Yes, the answer to that last question is a definite yes.
Katherine Dey, a master of hyperrealistic cakes, specializes in creating unconventional designs. Browsing her Instagram, you’ll find everything from snails and larvae to livers, skulls, bats, and even a human brain complete with a spinal cord. Naturally, she couldn’t resist making a cockroach cake.
When presented to a group of Buzzfeed employees, many of whom had traumatic cockroach experiences, their initial reaction was pure horror. The level of detail is so astonishing that the cake cockroach appears lifelike. While they eventually ate it, watching them cut into it felt like expecting bug innards to spill out. Gross.
6. Kitty Litter Cake
Back in fourth grade, during a Halloween party, each student was tasked with bringing a dish. It was a recipe for potluck chaos. One student brought a dessert called kitty litter, complete with Tootsie Roll ‘cat poop.’ It looked exactly like the real thing.
I thought my encounter with a kitty litter dessert would be a one-time thing, but I was mistaken. Enter the kitty litter cake. Following the Try Guys’ “Without a Recipe” standards, it technically qualifies as a cake. However, it’s served in a bin, with crushed butter cookies mimicking the litter and Tootsie Rolls shaped into realistic-looking poop. The result is so convincing that it’s hard to tell if it’s a cake or an actual litter box.
I’m not even sure if this cake is meant to be eaten or just admired while carefully avoiding the ‘cat poop.’
5. Pig Head Cake
No pigs were harmed in the making of this cake.
Returning to Katherine Dey’s impressive portfolio, we have the pig head cake, elegantly displayed on a silver platter with a garnish. While head cheese has its fans, the sight of an entire pig head, even as a cake, makes the idea of eating it far less appealing.
It could also serve as a clever, albeit slightly mean-spirited, prank. As Dey described in the official photo caption, “Made a birthday cake for a vegan.”
4. Croc Cake
Some cakes are so realistic that you wouldn’t even realize they’re edible, and even if you did, why would you want to eat them? A classic example can be summed up by a throwback Vine: “What are those?!” “Those are my crocs!”
This cake is so lifelike that you’d expect to wear it rather than eat it. If you jump to 0:26 in the video, you’ll see the incredible attention to detail by the baker, Tuba Geckil. The Croc holes are flawlessly round, and the sole’s texture is perfectly textured. So why would anyone want to put a Croc in their mouth, especially when it doesn’t belong there?
(Cue the jokes.)
3. Human Body Cake
This creation truly takes the prize. While it may not be the most hyperrealistic, it’s undeniably disturbing, leaving one to wonder what kind of dark, cannibalistic fantasies inspired the bakers.
A street food vendor in China crafted a cake shaped like a human torso, complete with arms. To add to the effect, a person with face paint sits beneath it, pretending to writhe in agony as if their body is being devoured. It’s chaotic, brutal, and definitely not for everyone.
Curious customers request slices of the cake, and the vendors eagerly cut into it. You never truly understand what it means to have everyone want a piece of you until you’re turned into a cake.
2. Dead Head Cake
If you thought a Dead Head cake was a psychedelic Grateful Dead-inspired treat, think again. While that sounds fun, this cake is literally designed to resemble a severed, bloody head, complete with rolled-back eyes. Despite its buttercream frosting and red velvet base, the idea of consuming a head oozing with fake blood is too unsettling for me.
1. Pimple Cupcakes
Most of the aversion to these cakes is psychological. The mere thought of eating something that doesn’t look like cake is enough to put you off. This creation fits squarely into that category.
Technically cupcakes, but still cakes, these pimple-themed treats are so grotesque that even the most dedicated popaholic would struggle to eat them. They likely taste delicious, but I won’t be trying them anytime soon. The zit heads are red and inflamed, with a gooey substance oozing out. The baker went all out—you can even squeeze the top, and frosting (meant to mimic pus) will ooze out. It’s accurate, creative, and utterly unappetizing at first glance.
But let me know how they taste because, honestly, they probably taste amazing.
