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These 2-D Comic Cakes Look Unreal, But They’re Surprisingly Easy to Make

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comic cake: aqua and pink "present" sliced open
Tigga MacCormack/@tigga_mac

Not long after Is It Cake? made us all question our grip on reality, another confectionery trend is causing our heads to spin: 2-D comic cakes. Also called “cartoon cakes,” the sweets look more illustrated than frosted, as if they were pulled straight from a scene in Mickey Mouse Clubhouse or SpongeBob SquarePants. And, in some cases, they practically are.

So, how hard are they to create? And can the average person tackle one over a lazy Sunday? We turned to a pro—and mined YouTube—for answers.

16 Types of Cake All Bakers Should Know


MEET THE EXPERT:

Tigga MacCormack (@tigga_mac) has become TikTok-famous for her vibrant, playful takes on cake, especially her riffs on comic cakes. The Melbourne, Australia-based cake decorator has designed everything from 2-D-esque desserts that look like a single slice of cake to a SpongeBob-inspired twist on the apology cake featured on the show. 

Sorry cake, as seen in 'SpongeBob SquarePants,' next to actual cake designed just like it
Nickelodeon Animation Studios/United Plankton Pictures/Tigga MacCormack/Cake for Days

How Did the Comic Cake Trend Get Started?

Many people credit teacher and part-time baker Amy Bicknell, founder of Amy’s Little Cakery, for popularizing the style, though she says she got into them after spotting a similar design on Instagram. (MacCormack, who has amassed 1.5 million followers on TikTok, cites Bicknell as a source of inspiration.)

As Bicknell shared her process on Instagram, more bakers decided to try their hand at the aesthetic, and thus, a trend was born.

MacCormack’s initial take has raked in more than 120 million views so far, making it her most popular dessert to date. “I am still continuing to receive videos with people re-creating it which has been a joy to watch,” she says.

How Do You Make a Comic Cake?

There are two ways to go about decorating a comic cake—with fondant or buttercream. Fondant can give you smoother lines and a more cartoon-y look, but bakers have had just as much success with the fluffier frosting (provided you have a steady hand).

Here’s a basic breakdown of the process.

  1. Frost the cake, making it as smooth and even as possible.
  2. Add oversized sprinkles, icing drips, cherries and other decorations; the larger scale gives it more of a cartoon-y vibe. (If your typical rainbow sprinkle is half the size of your fingernail, try creating one that’s double—or triple—that.)
  3. Roll out thin pieces of black fondant or piping using black frosting, then outline the entire cake, which creates the hand-drawn effect. Clean lines are crucial here, MacCormack says. Shaky lines can shatter the illusion.
comic cake that looks like present sliced open to reveal pink and purple checkerboard interior
Tigga MacCormack/Cake for Days

What’s the Secret to Nailing the 2-D Look?

“The main secret to successfully create the illusion is also to make sure you pick the right angle when photographing your creation,” MacCormack says. Getting right at the same level as the cake, or aiming a bit above, from a three-quarters up angle, can help give the cake the flattened-out appearance you’re going for.

Ready to try it yourself? Shop these essentials and get to it.


candace davison bio

VP of editorial, recipe developer, kitsch-lover

Candace Davison oversees PureWow's food and home content, as well as its franchises, like the PureWow100 review series and the Happy Kid Awards. She’s covered all things lifestyle...