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What's a Wreck?

A Cake Wreck is any cake that is unintentionally sad, silly, creepy, inappropriate - you name it. A Wreck is not necessarily a poorly-made cake; it's simply one I find funny, for any of a number of reasons. Anyone who has ever smeared frosting on a baked good has made a Wreck at one time or another, so I'm not here to vilify decorators: Cake Wrecks is just about finding the funny in unexpected, sugar-filled places.

Now, don't you have a photo you want to send me? ;)

- Jen
Sunday
Feb082009

Sunday Sweets: Valentine's Treats

Sunday Sweets is our weekly NON-Wrecks feature, the better to remind you how wrecky the Wrecks are.

Heather R. found this gorgeous Valentine's day wedding cake with a retro vibe:

If you're wondering, yes, those are M&Ms! Talk about a tasty alternative to fondant. Yum. (By the eminently talented Dahlia of Dahlia's Custom Cakes.)

And here's an extra special Sweet for Valentines: one that comes with a tutorial so you can make it at home! Believe it or not, this gorgeous box of chocolates (including the chocolates) is actually cake:

Cool, huh? The "chocolates" are cake balls, which creator Bakerella decorated individually. Here's another shot:

Remember: love is never having to share your chocolates.

As beautiful as this is, it's not nearly as complex to make as you might think. Don't believe me? Then check out Bakerella's step-by-step tutorial. And really, you should check out her blog anyway; it's gorgeous.

Many thanks to Raquel and the rest of you who sent this in!

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Reader Comments (54)

Wow--beautiful, but how did they get the M&Ms to stick? What recipe for icing that never dries out??

And the box of chocolates would be good for a wedding theme, "Life is like a box of chocolates...you never know what you are going to get."

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered Commenterjoyce

Amazing! I would take a cake like the second one instead of chocolates any Valentine's Day. Those are so cool!

~Colleen (cyberrblue.wordpress.com)

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterCyberrblue (Colleen)

I'm in love (love - get it??) with that cake! And yes, Bakerella is a gorgeous website!

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterFrom Single to Married

Bee-ooo-tiful!

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered Commenterpeasandcarrots

Very creative. I checked out the directions for the "cake box". I know even if she was standing on top of me, mine would not turn out that wonderful. Some real talent on both bakers part. Sometimes simple is best.

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered Commenterflovolgal

The M&Ms are pretty, but I am not a big fan of crunchy cake... the chocolate box on the other hand- YUM!

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterFluffy Cow

Oh my heck. That "chocolates" cake is amazing!

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterDangGina

Oooh, I love a baking challenage. I'm on it!

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterDorci Harris

I'm going to attempt that box of chocolates for my mother. (my stomach just made a funny noise as I typed that)

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered Commentertantra flower

My friend makes cake balls in all sorts of flavor and they are so yummy.

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterChar

Now these are Sunday Sweets I can really get behind. I wasn't totally on board with that Darth Vader deal last week, but that wedding cake is precious! When I first saw it, it reminded me of cross stitch:)

I would pull off all the M&Ms on my slice and save them for dessert. Then I would shove them in my face all at the same time:)

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered Commenteronlinepastrychef

Stunning! These cakes are testaments to the actually GOOD cake decorators out there...can't forget about them!

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterDeb

Wow that wedding cake is AMAZING!

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterKathleen

That M&M technique could be adapted to all kinds of uses. You could use pixelated pictures or cross stitch or other needle work patterns. Very whimsical, very homespun. The box of chocolates cake is to die for. Really , really nice.

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterjulieNarlington

Zowie! Bakerella is talented. Thanks for sharing.

Angie (from over at www.HalfAssedKitchen.com)

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterHalf Assed Kitchen

Oh wow!
The M&M cake is awesome, and so is the box of chocolates. Sweet! Literally. LOL

~Amy B

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterAmy

Amazing, both of them! Love the cross-stitch look the M&Ms created, and the box of chocolates... Wow. Wonderfully sweet Sunday Sweets!

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterAnonymous

The first two pictures are not showing up, even when right-clicking/show picture - only a small box with a red x

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterAnonymous

Both beautiful, but, sad to say--I think I'd rather have an actual box of chocolates!

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterBuffy

Making that box of "chocolates" for my sweeties for Val Day! Too cool!! Hope I don't eat all the "candies" before they see it....

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterStuffCooksWant

What a fun challenge!!!Should we send in our attempts at duplicating? Should be some wreckers at work right now.......

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterAnonymous

LOVE Bakerella! She rocks! :)

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterMommyAmy

I will SO be stealing those ideas! I also thought the M&Ms created a cross-stitch effect. That totally fits with its retro vibe. The chocolates... Eeeeee! Freaking adorable. Which reminds me... I have an awesome cake creation to send you that is also of a Valentine-ish sentiment...

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterJamers

Both absolutely superb.

I may get married, just to have that cake at the top.

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterGlory von Hathor

I would have been so much more impressed with the M&M cake if the artist had used the different colors of pink and red to do some anti-aliasing to smooth out the curves in the letters instead of leaving them so binary.

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterJohn Gjertsen

I love the first wedding cake! The M&Ms look like cross-stitching! Very crafty looking. I imagine it being a fun cake to cut and eat. M&Ms rolling on the floor and crunchy bits in your mouth. Hehe...

P.S. Jen, I'm giving away a handknit scarf at Salihan.com. Pop on over when you get the chance!

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterSalihan

My mother put a bowl of pastel M&Ms on the kids' table at my wedding reception. I wish I'd known of such a cake back then — the kids could have had their own M&M wedding cake!

As for the box of chocolates, thank you for the link to the tutorial. If I can ever get a better kitchen, I swear I'm going to make that thing for my best friend's birthday.

Love Sunday Sweets!

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterScritzy

That M&M cake gave me a great idea for my daughter's cake. Thank you so much.

The wedding cake is stunning. It must have taken a huge amount of time and a very steady hand. Its funky and hip, and what could be better when you are young and in love?

The heart shaped box of chocolate cake is actually quite an old idea - theres a version in "Jane Asher's Calendar of Cakes" which was published in the UK about 12 years ago.

I'm not sure about the "And the box of chocolates would be good for a wedding theme, "Life is like a box of chocolates...you never know what you are going to get." comment - surely one must be fairly certain of your partner by the time theres a need for a wedding cake?

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered Commenterrtb

Wedding cake is so incredibly clever, but the candy box cake...numnumnum.

WV: sedurrec "sedurrec?" "No. its a Sunday Sweet Cake"

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered Commenterwolfmom

WOW!!! Those chocolates are beautiful! I bet they even taste good. I think I'm starting to drool. . .

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterLisa

I have a daughter who was born on Valentine's Day. When she is old enough to appreciate it I will make her that box of chocolates cake!

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterHeather

How long does it take to decorate an entire cake with M&Ms? How does one keep from eating more M&Ms than they put on the cake. Cool cake tho.

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered Commenterfuzzandfuzzlet

Are tehre supposed to be two more pictures? I am only seeing red x's.

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterAnonymous

I have to say, if there was one cupcake cake idea I could get behind, I think that the 'box of chocolate' theme lends itself very well to them. (Small round things decorated with more sugary goodness and generally nestled in wax paper.)

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterLiz G

The second cake is amazing! If you didn't say so, I would never have believed that they weren't really chocolates.
The wedding cake is absolutely adorable, too.

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterAnonymous

I thought that V-Day weddings sounded kinda cheesy until I saw that cake. Wow.

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered Commenterkara

The "box of chocolates" cake is pretty, albeit yet another fondant cake, but if I were making it, I'd use actual chocolates rather than go through all the trouble to make little cakes that look like chocolates. Far easier, and in my opinion, far tastier.

Lisa (I have no idea how to leave a non "anonymous" comment.

WV: amess-- what far too many of the cakes on this site are!

February 8, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterAnonymous

The box of chocolates cake is amazing, and the tutorial really doesn't look that terribly hard! Although, honestly, I've done such minimal cake decorating in my life that I worry that it would all be hard for me!

Now the wedding cake, THAT is creative. I can truly say I have never seen a wedding cake like that, and in this day and age I feel like everything's already been "done." It's such a refreshing change

Great picks!!

February 9, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterIn the Meantime

Eminently. Hehe! :D

February 9, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterMaggie

Wow that Valentine's wedding cake is definitely one of a kind. I can only image just how long it took to strategically place all the M&M's on this cake.

That's the great thing about http://www.weddingwire.com/wedding-cakes" REL="nofollow">wedding cakes...they no longer have to be the traditional "white" cake. They can be fun and creative.

February 9, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterTJLoop85

Though I so appreciate the skill on the chocholates cake...so cute...I think I would be dissapointed to learn that they weren't actually chocholate. Cause....ahhhh, chocholate.

February 9, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterGale

The box of chocolates is amazing!!! There is hope for cake makers!

February 9, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterLaura Moffitt

The first cake looks like it was made of PixO's (child's toy). If you haven't heard of PixO's, lucky you. Turn on Nick or Disney and wait about 10 seconds...you're guaranteed to see the commercial.

February 9, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterHicksPub

If Keith got that cake for our wedding I'd KILL him!!!!!!!
IT IS SO HIDEOUS!!!!!!!!

I have to admit the chocolates are cute though. :)

February 9, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterAnonymous

Keith's MG by the way. I forgot to put my name on.

WV: suedu If you made that cake for me I would sue du.

February 9, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterSophie

The box of chocolates looks so real. True evidence of artistry at work. I wish I could bake that for a fellow volunteers who's leaving for a new assignment tomorrow. She's a cake fiend and I'm sure she would love it!

February 9, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterCalantha

I'm in charge of the birthday cake for my friend's Valentine's Day birthday this year and am so going to attempt the "chocolates" cake. However, I'm going to use actual chocolates instead of making cake ones... and I'm thinking I may leave an empty wrapper and cut one piece to look like someone took a bite out of it. Because, you know, it just can't be helped!

February 9, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterCarrie

"By the eminently talented Dahlia of Dahlia's Custom Cakes."

It'd be funny if it said "By the MnM-tly talented..."

:)

February 10, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterDeylah

so i think dahlia's cakes are great, but did anyone notice on this one
http://dahliascakes.com/ToolLarger.html
that the name is Natan? Think that's a typo? either forgot the H in Nathan or replaced the S with an N in Satan? hehehe reminds me of the church lady on SNL back in the day....

February 10, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterBrittany

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