Reddit Thinks The Realistic Cake Trend Has Gotten Out Of Hand

You'd think the most important element of a cake is whether it tastes delicious, but in fact, the dessert's appearance has recently been more relevant. We're not talking about fancy multi-tiered cakes but instead, the incredibly realistic cakes that have been trending on the internet over the past year. Sure, a cake that looks like anything but cake is pretty nifty, but it seems that the trend has gone a little too far. In the summer of 2020, the editor of "Know Your Meme" Don Caldwell, was already telling NBC News that the realistic cake trend was on its way out. The meme expert (yes that's a real description), pointed out that the trend had become so widespread, declaring, "I think the basic sentiment is if your parents know what the meme is, it's dead."

Nevertheless, the internet continued to be populated by pictures of cakes that looked like anything but cake ー or, was it "Everything is cake" as per the meme (via HITC)? In the Oddly Satisfying subreddit, Reddit user raunak_9000 shared a video of multiple objects being sliced into, only to discover that of course, they were all cakes (via Reddit). Over 150 Redditors have commented on the post, and let's just say that for many, the wow factor has worn off.

After seeing such deceptions as blue jeans made of cake, a burger dessert, and a strawberry (which you would presumably call a cake fruit instead of fruit), some people on Reddit found themselves questioning whether everything is cake (perhaps themselves included). While a number of commenters expressed joy or amazement at what they considered an impressive feat of skilled artistry, for others, the excitement has clearly cooled down. "NOT THE CAKES AGAIN," wrote LanaMK8, whose complaint garnered over 300 upvotes. That attitude was echoed by Dins__Fire, who said, "Exactly my response as well." Meanwhile, DrDarkwood's feelings defied description: "Words cannot express accurately just how much I hate these videos."

But what would a cake expert say? Mint spoke with baker Nitash Lalkaka and a cake artist Joonie Tan. They indicated that fondant is the main element used to make such cakes, and both stressed the skill involved. Lalkaka also remarked that "it's more about sculpting than baking." Yet while the aesthetics are certainly one of a kind, Lalkaka went so far as to say, "Let me tell you — fondant tastes like crap."

Lalkaka appears to have something in common with part of the Reddit community: a disdain for the fondant that's often used to make realistic cakes. User AerielAbaddon quelled the hate against fondant, explaining, "this is Sideserf Cake Studio on YouTube and she uses modeling chocolate instead of fondant."  All the same, the Fondant Hate subreddit was quickly evoked, highlighting the fact that 191,000 Redditors hate fondant, which many people apparently associate with these cakes.