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The average U.S. wedding cake costs around $350, according to Thumbtack. What does it tell us? Well, apparently not much.
Because no matter how much we adore those beautiful pieces of confectionary art we see in Instagram pics, family photos, and window displays, the reality is sometimes different. Not all cakes are worthy of compliments. Some look barely edible. Others send the wrong message. And the rest… are something you wouldn't feed your dog.
This hilarious Facebook group is a safe place to share these sweet food monstrosities and it’s called “Cake Shaming.” Below we wrapped up some of the funniest examples people shared there, so enjoy!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Hmmm
No matter what the occasion, cakes have always been a staple of celebrations. From birthday cakes to wedding cakes, cakes have been enjoyed by people of all ages and cultures for centuries. From traditional favorites like chocolate cake and vanilla cake to modern creations like red velvet cake and rainbow cake, there’s something for everyone’s palate.
Cakes can be made from a variety of ingredients, from classic white, yellow, and devil’s food cake to fruit-flavored cake and gluten-free cake. Decorations for cakes range from simple frosting and sprinkles to more intricate fondant designs.
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#2
Well Looks Like Hell Has Finally Frozen Over
#3
Hmmm
Mickysixxx 2 years ago (edited)
Sometimes things need to be shared for the greater joy, you're not horrible lol
Bored Panda reached out to Lily Jones, the owner of Lily Vanilli, the creative East London bakery creating customizable dream cakes and bespoke wedding cakes, who shared some insights into the current cake trends, as well as shared the most unusual cake she created.
“We're seeing a huge trend for more artistic, asymmetrical, imperfect cakes, often with deliberately messy piping, misshapen and with fresh flowers artfully positioned/stuck into the cake,” Lily told us.
“This has been cool and strange to see in equal measure as they're very reminiscent of the cakes I was making for the first 5 years of Lily Vanilli (scroll right back on my Instagram to see). I had my first commission for one the other day and it was a really nostalgic experience."
#5
A Duck Cake, Or Paralysis Demon...?
#6
Found This One In "Just Disney"
Lily also said that it's been interesting seeing this go full circle: “In 2008 I was making messy cakes in response to the perfectly piped cakes that were around forever, it was all fresh flowers and rough around the edges, then since 2018, we got hugely into retro piping, and now we're seeing the response to that again!”
#7
He Might Be A Little Beyond Help
#8
Hmmm.... Pickle Cheesecake With Pretzel Crust
HelluvaHedgehogAlien 2 years ago
People of the Earth and beyond, we shall unite against this absolute horror of an idea
The Other Other White Meat 2 years ago
I will eat a pound of pickles a day, and still say no to this. 🥒
rs_adahl1971 2 years ago
Apparently it's popular. I googled it and there were a ton of links lol
Cassi Lyris 2 years ago (edited)
I dunno... Serve this with a nice red meat, a burger or steak and honestly I'd give it a shot. It's also done really well. Yeah, I kinda want to try this. Hhhmmmnnn...
Jennifer Norton 2 years ago
I know of at least two people that I am "friends" with that would eat this in a heartbeat. There are some people that are just nuts over pickles.... apparently
Helen Davies 2 years ago
Not sure about the flavors, but someone did a nice job with the cake.
BeepBeepBoopBoop 2 years ago
that man makes some weird things! It's so much fun tho
Load More Replies...
Luke Wensley 2 years ago
In my opinion this is not a fail. Someone wanted this cake and they made it well... Maybe not tastefully, but we'll.
Benita Valdez 2 years ago
I have an unhealthy obsession with pickles and I don't think even I could enjoy this.
Starwhisper Nighthush 2 years ago
My little brother would eat it. One of his favorite treats when running errands with mom was at an ice cream shop (before Baskin and Robbins) that sold black licorice ice cream and dill pickle ice cream. He'd get a scoop of each in a cone.
Bryan Walker 2 years ago (edited)
Try a fried egg, laid on a piece of toast, with a light spread of marmalade. Yummy.
I Zwijesda 2 years ago
This might be a completely savory cheesecake with no sugar in which case it sounds pretty good. It's like eating a pretzel with cream cheese and pickles just in different form...
Aleah gugi 2 years ago (edited)
I freaking love pickles and this was just taken too far...def too far.
Savannah Newman 2 years ago
How did they get the pickle juice to not curdle the cream cheese? This is a mystery of science for sure.
Iva Kazalova 2 years ago
What’s wrong with that? Needs little rosettes of salmon mousse on top like whipped cream and some dill as garnish and we’re good to go
Arbor Chetia 2 years ago
Sure, it may not taste good, but you have to admit that this is a good looking cake.
Brian Droste 2 years ago
I would love to try this. I like dill pickles. Hope their dill pickles.
George Comas 2 years ago
W well, I once did a bacon coated smoked cheesecake. No middle ground. People either loved it or hated it.
#9
Ummm....what? This Unicorn Has See Some Things In Life
When it comes to ordering cakes for a special occasion, Lily said that the cake is such a statement that it's important to people that it reflects their unique tastes. “So they will consider the style and colors, all the way down to the tiny details that make it bespoke.”
“Beyond that, the flavor is hugely important, and multiple tiers allow people to cater to all their guests' tastes,” she added.
#10
Found In The Wild... Someone Even Commented, "Nice...but Please Don't Quit Your Day Job"
fair_weather_rose 2 years ago (edited)
It took me way too long to figure out this was supposed to be a car.
#11
Posted In A Book Group Not Sure If They Made It Or Found It As Well
#12
This Feels Like The Fake Things Mortuary Students Practice On
It's also important to consider how the cake will look in photos, Lily explained. “So positioning in the venue can be really crucial - it's always sad to see a spectacular cake with loads of story and thought behind it get placed in front of a speaker or worse, or somewhere it won't photograph well. Lighting is important too!”
When asked what was the most unusual cake Lily has ever created, she recounted her first book. “It was a zombie-themed, B-movie inspired, a comic book illustrated guide to cake decorating, so as you can imagine, for a while I was getting a lot of fabulously weird commissions. I've made a life-sized replica of someone's boyfriend's head, multiple heart and brain cakes, a cow heart cake for a music video, a dead pigeon... it's a long list!”
#13
Found In A Marketplace Listing
#14
First Of All…. What Is It? Second, $75?
#15
In My Local Sell Group. She Owns Her Own Company And Does Custom Designer Cakes For All Occasions
#17
Hmmm
#18
Op Said They Were Going For The “Cartoony” Look What Do Y’all Think?
#19
My Wedding Cake. 🫠 2016
RafCo (he/him) 2 years ago
Aww. This happened to us. It was a super hot day, and the venue's refrigerator stopped working. The cake melted into itself and looked awful. It still tasted great. The poor caterer was more upset then my wife or I (she was a guest and baked the cake as our wedding gift).
#20
I Just Feel Like Somethings Off About That Cow
#21
Seen For A Halloween Party. I Mean It Is Scary
#22
A Friend Of A Friend Paid For This
#23
I Love A Good Frog Cake But What In The Weekend At Bernie's Is This
#24
A Drake Cake
#25
Now The Cupcakes Were Described As Blister Cakes
#26
Hmmm
#27
Its Meant To Be Gold
#28
Am I Trippin? Cuz It’s Horrible To Me But She’s Very Proud Of It & Only Getting “Amazing Work” Type Comments In A Cake Decorating Group I’m In Lmao. Reminds Me Of Open Wounds, Like Gashes & Why Are The Roses So Thick & Wet
#29
Away In A Manger …
#30
The Caption Read ‘We Could Not Get Green Grapes So We Used Olives’ They Were Supposed To Be Tiny Yodas Surrounding The Border
#31
Can Anyone Guess What The Strawberries Are Meant To Be?! Hint: It’s Related To The Most Successful Fantasy Series!
#32
Hmmm
#33
Might Be The "Rope" That Does It For Me Lol
#34
Hmmm
#36
This Is The Cake Of A Killer Bella
#38
Okay Probably A Joke But Still
#39
I'm Feeling So Bad For The Wedding Couple... That's Is So Fkn Ugly!
#41
What The [frick] Is Going On Here
![What The [frick] Is Going On Here](https://www.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/funny-cake-shaming-63d3d124e7500__700.jpg "What The [frick] Is Going On Here")
#42
Stumbled Upon This Gem Today…
#43
My Mum Got This Cake For My Brothers Birthday. £150 For This Monstrosity 😂🤦♀️why Does Micky Look So Angry?
#44
Someone Tried To Make Bluey
#45
Hmmm
#46
What's Goin On Here?
#47
Hmmm
#48
Bakery Posted This
#49
These Are All Cakes Advertised By The Same Baker On Facebook Marketplace, Yes They Are Charging For These Sad Creations
#50
A Lady Was Looking For A LEGO Cake And Another Lady Chimed In To Recommend Where She Got This LEGO Cake For Her Son's Birthday
#51
Hmmm
#52
Posted In A Cake Hack Group. Taking Cake "Hack" To New Levels
#55
Posted On An Aquarium Page…
#56
I Ordered This Cake For My Husbands 10 Years Cancer Free
And I told them I wanted it black with orange for Halloween vibes. And this is what I picked up. Needless to say I didn’t pay for it. I don’t get where the problem was considering I chose a cake off their website. Just changed the color. Tasted just as it looks
#58
I’m Sorry If You’re In This Group But I Believe The 11 Year Old You Made This For Could Have Done Better
fair_weather_rose 2 years ago
This could've been a little neater, but it's not bad. At least you can tell what it's supposed to be!
#59
Found In The Comment Of A Mom Group I’m In! She Said “It Was A Two Day Project”
#60
My Brother And His Wife Are Avid Campers And Decided To Have A Small Ceremony In The Bush Where We Camp. I Gifted Them The Cake And Thought Camping Theme Was Perfect. I Didn't Even Notice Until My Sister In Law Pointed It Out, Anyone Else See What's Wrong With The Tent "Flaps"
#61
These Are All Cakes Advertised By The Same Baker On Facebook Marketplace, Yes They Are Charging For These Sad Creations
#62
Hmmm
#63
Hmmm
fair_weather_rose 2 years ago
I see nothing wrong with this. Just your average, everyday demon egg casings. The black goo means they're going to hatch soon! Not sure why it's on a post about cakes though...
#64
At Least It Wasn’t A Customer Order…? Mmmmkay
#65
Hmmm
Spocks's Mom 2 years ago
Spots are too round and at least one needs to be draped over the edge.
#66
Left: The Ops Request. Right: The Local Bakery's Interpretation
#67
Your Killing Them
#68
Found In The Wild On My Fb Feed. People Are Saying It's Amazing... I Think It Looks Like 💩 😬 😳
#69
She Was Laughing At Herself In The Tiktok. I Thought It Was Too Funny Not To Share. It’s Supposed To Be Her Dad Relaxing In His Chair
#70
My Friend Typically Makes Great Designs, But The Literal Screwdriver Took Me Out
#71
😬
#72
Just Because They Have A Business Doesn't Mean They Should Be Making Cakes/Desserts
#73
Someone Commented That It Was Good For A Novice And She Replied That She’s A Professional Baker
#74
It’s A Campfire…… Cute Idea, Poor Execution In So Many Ways
#75
Hmmm… (Posted In My Local Marketplace)
#77
Noice
fair_weather_rose 2 years ago
This is way better than I could've done on a first attempt. Or a 6th attempt for that matter.
#78
My Personal Favorite Is The Line Of Green Frosting That Just Doesn’t Go At All
#79
Hmmm
#80
0 Points For Gryffindor
#82
Hmmm
Couldnt_find_a_decent_name 2 years ago
No it’s not the best cake but it’s definitely not the worst one I’ve seen
#83
Hmmm
#84
A Coworker Of Mine Is Is Starting Up A Side Business Selling Cakes. She Just Did This Cake And Cake Pops For A Baby Shower
fair_weather_rose 2 years ago
First glance: "it's a little lopsided, but it's still cute" second look: "what in gods name is wrong with that baby?!"
#85
Local Baker [he Does It As A Side-Job] Just Posted This Cake & His Caption Appropriately Describes My Thoughts About The Cake!
![Local Baker [he Does It As A Side-Job] Just Posted This Cake & His Caption Appropriately Describes My Thoughts About The Cake!](https://www.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/funny-cake-shaming-63d3d16cc6298__700.jpg "Local Baker [he Does It As A Side-Job] Just Posted This Cake & His Caption Appropriately Describes My Thoughts About The Cake!")
#86
Ordered A Cake At Giant For My Friends Baby Shower, Ordered It Out Of The Book They Had At The Bakery. Left Is What I Ordered, Right Is What They Gave Me. Obviously Not What I Ordered At All
Amused panda 2 years ago
Anyone would think the bakery didn't look at their own book to see how they were supposed to decorate it.
#87
It Still Tasted Delicious, And The Writing Gave Us A Really Good Laugh. I Think Some Poor Unprepared Soul Was Thrown Into The Cake Writing Job! Happy 8th Birthday Kadin
#88
Hmmm
#89
But Is It Though?
#90
Found This In My Local Buy And Sell
#91
From A Professional Baker. Who I Almost Booked For My Wedding
#92
The Lashes Too
#93
This Poor Wedding Cake…
#94
Hmmm
Marie Dahme 2 years ago
Okay as I unicorn 🦄 lover, I approve! Very pretty and doesn’t belong on this list.
#95
I Think This Person May Not Like Their Daughter In Law All That Much 🤢
#96
Hmmm
#97
Sloppy. Posted On Professional Bakery Website. $75!!!!
#98
Saw This Cake Today Omg Looks Like A Kid Did It
#99
For Context: The Rectangle Cake Is What Was Advertised And The Circle Cake Is What Was Delivered 😂
#100
These Are All Cakes Advertised By The Same Baker On Facebook Marketplace, Yes They Are Charging For These Sad Creations
#101
At A Local Wedding Venue. Even For A Grooms Cake It’s Awful
#102
My Local Bakery
#103
Hmmm
#104
What They Wanted And What They Got
#105
One Of The Kardashian Kids, Birthday Cakes. What Poor Execution
#106
Saw This Posted This Morning
#107
This Baker Usually Makes Really Beautiful Cakes, But I Feel Like This One Was A Miss. Supposed To Be Disco Themed
#108
It’s The Eyes For Me
Marie Dahme 2 years ago
I dunno, this took some effort. If Ariel is not a doll and she’s made out of fondant and gum paste…I’d say that’s pretty dang nice.
Add New Image
What do you think ?
Alexandra Davis 2 years ago
Most of these are not fails! Yes they may not be professional level cakes, but for home decorators they're great! I'd rather have a home made cake that some I love has taken their time and energy to make for me than a cake that's cost £100's! You should be celebrating that so many people want to try and make cakes for people. When I was a teacher, I had a rule that I would make a birthday cake for each child in my form group (same group of kids I saw each morning before lessons started). Lots of kids (11-16) would tell me they'd never had a cake home made for them before ever and some kids would cry as they'd never had any birthday cake before- home made it shop bought! Having 16 year old kids crying happy tears because they had blown out candles on a birthday cake if their own for the first time in their life was both upsetting and rewarding. Thank your self lucky you have any cake and even more so that someone you love made it instead of laughing because it's not cake boss level
GoGoPDX 2 years ago
It looks like a lot of these were made by people who are not professional, or maybe even great at it, but they were made with love for someone. Cakes are expensive, and sometimes it is fun to try and make a special cake for your loved ones celebration. I would much rather have a far from perfect cake that my mom put the time and effort into making over a perfect store bought cake anyway. I refuse to shame 98% of the cakes in this list because even though they may look silly or weird or whatever, someone worked hard to try and make someone else's day special.
Linda Lee 2 years ago
My friend was across the country and alone for his birthday during covid. I baked him a birthday cake and sent him a picture. My right arm was in a sling due to a dislocated shoulder. The cake looked awful but he loved it because of my efforts.
Load More Replies...
VonBlade 2 years ago
Today on BP, for reasons that utterly escape me, we'll be pointing and laughing at people trying their best.
Suzy Creamcheese 2 years ago
I'll lay odds that most of the commenters trashing these efforts couldn't do better.
RoanTheMad 2 years ago
all joking aside, Stop being so judgy about cakes. The taste matters FAR more than the appearance imo, not to mention not everyone here is professional, they are just starting out. You're not just suddenly an expert at something.
Benita Valdez 2 years ago
Alot of these cakes are decent if not really good. The others though definitely make me feel better about my abilities
Cassi Lyris 2 years ago (edited)
I must be a cake apologist because most of these are fine. I've certainly seen (and made) worse in my time. I think the only ones I outright disliked were the ones given absurd price tags and the few that people actually paid for and they came out like that. Seriously though, I'm not gonna cake shame some parents doing their best. It's just unecessary.
I-OCUTUS 2 years ago
I feel like nobody realizes how hard cake-making is. You have to get the icing to the right consistency so it doesn’t melt all over the place, perfectly cut the cake, draw the outline of your image on a wonky surface, change colors, draw details, change colors, draw details, make sure it doesn’t all blend together into one brown mass, blah blah blah. And it’s done with frosting, which is super hard to control. A lot of these cakes were great. Drawing in general is difficult, but you haven’t lived till you’ve tried to draw on a cake.
Loki's_Lil_Butterknife 2 years ago
Cake decorating is extremely difficult and takes a great deal of skill. You can be an amazing baker, but a mediocre decorator. Lots of these look like they were made by people who are not professional baker. I did have to chuckle at some of them though as they are so bizarrely cute (I love the screaming mandrake strawberry cake).
Quinn Clemo 2 years ago
#15 doesn't deserve to be in this. That's the cake from Sleeping Beauty! That's literally how it's supposed to look!
Brenda 2 years ago (edited)
I really liked a lot of these. Hubby and big sister made our wedding cake, but were upset about how it turned out. I loved it! Exact colors of the wedding and exact flavors we wanted. They spent hours the day before the wedding making it. The fact that they went to the trouble to make it (we couldn't afford a professional baker) instead of buying a generic, pre-made cake from the grocery store (as planned) meant the world to me. They surprised me with it. It was so delicious and guests raved about it. Rather have homemade any day. People making cakes (or anything else) for a loved one is NEVER a fail.
funkybluegirl 2 years ago
Most of these were pretty good, or at the very least, fine, if done by amateurs.
Shawnna Clement 2 years ago
These photos are why I stick to simple cakes. I may have the vision and proper piping tips, but I wouldn't attempt half those cakes. The closest I've come to a character cake was a Minecraft creeper and it was right on par with the pictures above.
Mrs. C. B. L. 2 years ago
I have made many cakes with various decorations. NONE of them were as bad as these. When I cannot decorate a cake they way I’d hoped, I just use plain frosting the traditional way. These people should be embarrassed. Sorry I feel this way.
Clint 2 years ago
I don’t mind the fact that these people are not professional bakers. If the people who bought the cake did not bother to read reviews and personally see the work, then they can’t complain. I’m stuck at how the moron above is charging $1200 for a cake that a bakery would charge $60-$75 dollars for..
Old Roadie 2 years ago (edited)
Shaming... what's with this need to shame things people try to create? Ugh. Shallow minds.
Alexandra Davis 2 years ago
Most of these are not fails! Yes they may not be professional level cakes, but for home decorators they're great! I'd rather have a home made cake that some I love has taken their time and energy to make for me than a cake that's cost £100's! You should be celebrating that so many people want to try and make cakes for people. When I was a teacher, I had a rule that I would make a birthday cake for each child in my form group (same group of kids I saw each morning before lessons started). Lots of kids (11-16) would tell me they'd never had a cake home made for them before ever and some kids would cry as they'd never had any birthday cake before- home made it shop bought! Having 16 year old kids crying happy tears because they had blown out candles on a birthday cake if their own for the first time in their life was both upsetting and rewarding. Thank your self lucky you have any cake and even more so that someone you love made it instead of laughing because it's not cake boss level
GoGoPDX 2 years ago
It looks like a lot of these were made by people who are not professional, or maybe even great at it, but they were made with love for someone. Cakes are expensive, and sometimes it is fun to try and make a special cake for your loved ones celebration. I would much rather have a far from perfect cake that my mom put the time and effort into making over a perfect store bought cake anyway. I refuse to shame 98% of the cakes in this list because even though they may look silly or weird or whatever, someone worked hard to try and make someone else's day special.
Linda Lee 2 years ago
My friend was across the country and alone for his birthday during covid. I baked him a birthday cake and sent him a picture. My right arm was in a sling due to a dislocated shoulder. The cake looked awful but he loved it because of my efforts.
Load More Replies... VonBlade 2 years ago
Today on BP, for reasons that utterly escape me, we'll be pointing and laughing at people trying their best.
Suzy Creamcheese 2 years ago
I'll lay odds that most of the commenters trashing these efforts couldn't do better.
RoanTheMad 2 years ago
all joking aside, Stop being so judgy about cakes. The taste matters FAR more than the appearance imo, not to mention not everyone here is professional, they are just starting out. You're not just suddenly an expert at something.
Benita Valdez 2 years ago
Alot of these cakes are decent if not really good. The others though definitely make me feel better about my abilities
Cassi Lyris 2 years ago (edited)
I must be a cake apologist because most of these are fine. I've certainly seen (and made) worse in my time. I think the only ones I outright disliked were the ones given absurd price tags and the few that people actually paid for and they came out like that. Seriously though, I'm not gonna cake shame some parents doing their best. It's just unecessary.
I-OCUTUS 2 years ago
I feel like nobody realizes how hard cake-making is. You have to get the icing to the right consistency so it doesn’t melt all over the place, perfectly cut the cake, draw the outline of your image on a wonky surface, change colors, draw details, change colors, draw details, make sure it doesn’t all blend together into one brown mass, blah blah blah. And it’s done with frosting, which is super hard to control. A lot of these cakes were great. Drawing in general is difficult, but you haven’t lived till you’ve tried to draw on a cake.
Loki's_Lil_Butterknife 2 years ago
Cake decorating is extremely difficult and takes a great deal of skill. You can be an amazing baker, but a mediocre decorator. Lots of these look like they were made by people who are not professional baker. I did have to chuckle at some of them though as they are so bizarrely cute (I love the screaming mandrake strawberry cake).
Quinn Clemo 2 years ago
#15 doesn't deserve to be in this. That's the cake from Sleeping Beauty! That's literally how it's supposed to look!
Brenda 2 years ago (edited)
I really liked a lot of these. Hubby and big sister made our wedding cake, but were upset about how it turned out. I loved it! Exact colors of the wedding and exact flavors we wanted. They spent hours the day before the wedding making it. The fact that they went to the trouble to make it (we couldn't afford a professional baker) instead of buying a generic, pre-made cake from the grocery store (as planned) meant the world to me. They surprised me with it. It was so delicious and guests raved about it. Rather have homemade any day. People making cakes (or anything else) for a loved one is NEVER a fail.
funkybluegirl 2 years ago
Most of these were pretty good, or at the very least, fine, if done by amateurs.
Shawnna Clement 2 years ago
These photos are why I stick to simple cakes. I may have the vision and proper piping tips, but I wouldn't attempt half those cakes. The closest I've come to a character cake was a Minecraft creeper and it was right on par with the pictures above.
Mrs. C. B. L. 2 years ago
I have made many cakes with various decorations. NONE of them were as bad as these. When I cannot decorate a cake they way I’d hoped, I just use plain frosting the traditional way. These people should be embarrassed. Sorry I feel this way.
Clint 2 years ago
I don’t mind the fact that these people are not professional bakers. If the people who bought the cake did not bother to read reviews and personally see the work, then they can’t complain. I’m stuck at how the moron above is charging $1200 for a cake that a bakery would charge $60-$75 dollars for..
Old Roadie 2 years ago (edited)
Shaming... what's with this need to shame things people try to create? Ugh. Shallow minds.
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