Sunday Sweets: Wonderland Treats
July 28, 2013 Ever wish that real life wasn't so ... real-lifey?
Me, too.
So let's take a little break from boring ol' reality today with an imaginary vacation down the rabbit hole, to a magical place called ...
;)
(By Vsem Tort)
... Wonderland!
A place full of tea parties and roses and magic mushrooms:
;)
Why, it sounds like a party already!
And this cake is a party for my eyeballs; check out those edible ink illustrations pulled straight from the book! Fantastic.
But Lewis Carroll's classic, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland has inspired all kinds of wonderlands, should you feel suddenly inspired to create your own wonder-cake. There's also Tim Burton's interpretation:
;)
(By Fatma Ozmen Metinel)
Tweedledee and Tweedledum! (Way way waaaaay cuter here in fondant - sorry, Tim.) And could that Queen of Hearts BE any more Helena Bonham Carter? So much detail. I love that the platter goes along with the theme, too; kinda would have ruined the effect to plunk this masterpiece down on a Chinet.
Then, of course, there's the 1951 Disney version:
;)
(Submitted by Melissa G. and made by Jacques Fine European Pastries)
How dead-on is the door knob?! (And is it weird that he was always my favorite character?)
But no one ever said you can't mix them all up; it is Wonderland after all. Here are Tim Burton's Alice and Queen of Hearts sharing space with the Disney cast of characters:
;)
Sheer madness! But the best cakes usually are.
;)
No, don't worry your little pink nose, we still have much more muchness to see.
Like this classic take on The White Rabbit:
;)
(Submitted by Lauren B. and made by Nevie-Pie Cakes)
... looking dapper in his party finery on this hand-painted cookie, which sounds exactly like something you'd eat at a Wonderland tea party.
But be careful. Wonderland can also be a dangerous place ...
;)
You just might lose your head.
Or get in big trouble for painting the roses red ...
;)
(By Design Cakes)
Still, it's a beautiful effect on a cake! Amiright, or amiright, Your Majesty?
;)
(By Sweet Ruby Cakes)
Ooookay. Nevermind. Love the dress, by the way! That collar is killer.
Well, the clock's a-ticking; it's almost time to go ...
;)
(By Tiffany's Baking Co.; pic courtesy of Torrence Photography)
... but not without taking a minute to give a hand to this baker and his/her subtly stunning cake. Teacups and mushrooms and pocket watches, oh my! Just wonder-full!
And speaking of, I don't think you could stuff any more wonder into this last cake; it's chock full of wonderment, right down to the props on the table:
;)
(Submitted by Sierra & made by Karen Portaleo of The Highland Bakery)
I love the bottom layer, with the Mad Hatter peeking out from under his hat, as if to say one last goodbye. [sniffle]
Aww, I'm not ready to leave!
Reader Comments (32)
LOVE these!
Wow.
The 2nd one down is my favorite...because of the black&white, original illustrations. Very classy. Oh, there is NO doubt that Tim Burton is incredibly talented (love his stuff), as are the Disney artists...but to my sensibilities, no one (but NO ONE) can "out-illustrate" Alice, the Cheshire cat, Caterpillar, or any of the rest of them like John Tenniel (the original illustrator). That's, of course, just my humble opinion...
=^-.-^= (...and WHO are YOU?) (,(,(,(,(,(,('/')
Every week I think the cakes can't get any better, yet they do - incredible this week!
Fun! But there's no Hatter on the combo (5th) one.
10th one down: the Queen reminds me in some odd way of Holland Taylor, the actress who plays "Evelyn Harper" on the sitcom "Two and a Half Men"; maybe it's the exasperated and bored "I-don't-have -TIME-for-this" look. I can almost hear this Queen tapping her royal foot impatiently! And that black "lace"?!?! LOVE that! (A cake entirely covered in black lace would be gorgeous, wouldn't it?)
What amazing skill!!!
=^-.-^=mmmm
Same here, having a hard time choosing a favourite. Being a fan of less is more, I'd probably choose the second and the eleventh ones (and that cookie!!) but the others are just equally amazing.
Just one thing about the Chesire cat on the last one... Don't ask me why but I thought of Rick James when I saw it.
Little known fact: As a fourth grader, oh so many years ago, I was the caterpillar in a community production of "Alice in Wonderland". So, sendingtheclowns, I appreciate the quote and ASCII art. :D
I also love the handpainting of the original illustrations. I believe I like the color combination of the washed pastels of the second and second to last cake. While Disney's and Tim.Burton's interpretation have Wonderland as loud and bright, I think the muted pastels reflect the era of when the book was written.
All of these cakes, though, are beautiful.
Such stunning cakes! They make me want to go and re-read the book...which I shall do now..... Thank you!
Soo sweet and cheery :D
I love the next to last one the best!
The dormouse was always my favorite.
OMG! the Johnny Depp on the Tim burton cake is spot on! And the one with the teacups and pocket watches. These are just plain amazing!!
Holy cow! Stunning, every single one. I spend every weekday morning laughing & shaking my head at the wonderful wrecks here. Yet Sundays I sit, mouth agape, at the beauty & talent on display for Sunday Sweets. Love, love, love, Sundays! And not just 'cause "there's no post on Sundays". ;). My husband played the White Rabbit in a 3 grade play; I'm off to show these works of art to him right now. Hopefully he won't want me to try to reproduce one for his birthday! Not gonna happen. Of course, I suppose I could always submit it as a wreck.....
Tenniel on a cake? Please serve with Punch! :D
These are splendid!!! . . . just wondering, how do copyrights apply to images in cake? Artistic freedom or royalties? -- if royalties, how computed? . . . and if you don't pay, off with your head? or top layer?
Oh wow! These are all beautiful, though I'm seconding the adoration of the one with the book illustrations. And I like the last one with the Mad Hatter peeping out too. :D Wonderland in cake form can not go wrong!
Also, you should do not only Sweet Neverland, but also Sweet Oz. Might as well hit all the big three on your vacation!
I have an Alice in my life, and yes, she lives in Wonderland. Thank-you for these.
@SaraV: That's sweet (re: Caterpillar gig)! Did you have a soap-bubble hookah? (Just kidding!)
11th one down: It's crazy-amazing how they achieved such a gossamer,filmy effect with that little scrap of green lace/crochet on the top of the cake, just under the teacup. There's even writing and bits of illustrations on that layer. Just amazes me to the zTh degree.
=^6.6^=(Ditto.)
@SaraV:
I'd never heard of "ASCII art"--I had to Google it! (Huh! Learn something new every now and then, don't we?)
I just call it doodling-without-a-pen! I get a lot fancier when I doodle with an actual pen or pencil in my actual hand (and for me, it's more fun, and more "free form").
=^~.~^= <O>)..(<O>
http://www.artcake.ru/cakes.htm/b1389/
it says "evdokya, its you day of birth"
@ M. (Re: Cheshire cat on the last cake pic ("Don't ask me why but I thought of Rick James when I saw it."))
------
Okay, I won't ask! I'm getting more of a "Whoopie Goldberg-meets-Alfred E. Newman" vibe, myself.
=^0.0^= (Me, too!)
I don't know whether to be disappointed or relieved that the American McGee interpretation is not represented here; why, one based on the second game could RUIN your appetite!
This was the exact stress-release I needed right now! Anything Wonderland related just makes me so happy.
Thank you, Lindsey! "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking-Glass" are two of my favorite books of all time, so a "Wonderland"-themed Cake Wrecks post is doubly awesome.
The rose on that second one...how beautiful! It's three dimensional yet looks like its painted!
Enchanting!
I always reckoned Caroll had smoked rather large amounts of rather interesting weeds himself... magic mushrooms, shisha-smoking caterpillars, eat this & drink that an oh so strange things will happen...sheesh... and thats supposed to be childrens literature... tut-tut-tut ;-)
*turns around and pops another venlafaxin*
So amazing!!!! I can't believe all the details.\
There is a little known book series that is a phenomenal Steampunk-esque take on Wonderland called "The Looking Glass Wars." I think it is a must read for any sci-fi/fantasy fan. For instance, the Mad Hatter is a bodyguard named Hatter Madigan whose top hat becomes a weapon and Alice is the royal princess.
I really want a sculpture or figure of some of these cakes! It is somehow a shame that they are cakes and wont last...Get out the clay and bake with that please!!! Lovely
@Arlene: Precisely why the legendary Grace Slick wrote the song "White Rabbit"; she was like "Hey, hold on here Grown Up Types-- YOU read us stories FULL of drug references, how can you be surprised at our antics?!"
Allow me to take the Alice-themed opportunity to bust Jen's stones about her Steamy White Rabbit Costume. Stay off the Interwebz all you need, but for Bowie's sake, don't leave us costumers hanging-- we wanna see it!
Your Pal,
Storm
“There is a little known book series that is a phenomenal Steampunk-esque take on Wonderland called "The Looking Glass Wars." I think it is a must read for any sci-fi/fantasy fan. For instance, the Mad Hatter is a bodyguard named Hatter Madigan whose top hat becomes a weapon and Alice is the royal princess. Christie H”
I LOVE these books! Frank Beddor rocks! I heard about them from a blogger friend and tracked them down. They are so vivid and imaginative. I love how they travel via the Pool of Tears, the descriptions of the card soldiers and the caterpillar oracles. A thoroughly wonderful romp!
Because what fun is there in making sense?
*runs off to design a Discord cake*