Sunday Sweets: Steampunk!
August 18, 2013 As you long-time readers know, I'm kind of a steampunk nut. I love the vintage vibe mixed with sci-fi gadgetry, and I love how it encourages people to create art out of yesterday's cast-offs.
Steampunk even inspired me to get into cosplay; last year I stepped out as a steampunk lady Darth Vader. The whole process was a total blast, and that costume is actually on display in a museum at this very moment. (Yes, I'm totally bragging. Hey, it was my first real cosplay! I'm stoked!)
Anyhoo, since I also (surprise!) love cake, it goes without saying that steampunk cake is my own personal gear-festooned heaven. So let's get to the goodness already, shall we?
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(Submitted by Amber B., designed by Swank Cake Design, and made by Sweet Blossom Cakes
[[swoon]] Stripey top hats and flowery corsets are another match made in heaven. LOVE.
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(By Cake Central member CakeSue)
What would steampunk be without clocks and gears? NOWHERE, I tell you. I'm digging that tiny keyhole plate and, of course, the aviatrix fairy chilling at the base.
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(By A Little Imagination Cakes)
This beauty looks like it could spring into motion at the touch of a steam-powered button. Or, uh, maybe a crank. Can't you just picture that topper spinning while little jets of steam billow out the sides?
There's a common misconception out there that steampunk is all brown and brass. To those poo-pooers I say: A-HA!!
Wait, maybe you should look at the cake first:
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(By A Wish And A Whisk)
Ok, now: A-HA! Color. Glorious, vibrant, drool-inducing COLOR!
Given its Victorian roots, there really should be more color in steampunk. My next costume (which I'm frantically finishing up because Dragon Con is less than 2 weeks away! AAAAUGH!) is all red and white, and John's is purple and hot pink, so, you know, we're trying to do our part. :D
This next wedding cake has a fun Toon Town vibe - and check out the vacuum tube topper!
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(Submitted by Paula D. and made by The Bunny Baker)
Hang on, we're missing another steampunk essential: goggles.
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(By Dream Cakes by Robyn)
Oooh, and goggles never look more dapper than when perched on a top hat, am I right? I should remind you that really IS a cake up there, though, complete with sugar glass lenses! Say it with me, now: AH-mazing.
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(By Mitchies Munchies)
I really like the soft glazed look here; the whole cake looks like a finely aged bisque sculpture.
Steampunk has more "flavors" than I can count, but one of my personal favorites is the nautical-inspired variation. Think Jules Verne's Nautilus or BioShock's Rapture. Or this:
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(By Ember's Cakes)
Look at that diver's helmet. LOOK AT IT. It's so perfect!! I'm also really enjoying the mental image of a fully suited-up Victorian diver wearing a top hat on his helmet. :D
It does my steamy little heart good to see so many steampunk-themed weddings happening these days - even if I HAVEN'T been invited to one yet, hint hint, all you engaged people-folk, you - because if nothing else I get to gawk at all their fantabulous cakes:
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Perfectly perfect in every way.
And speaking of weddings, my friend Steampunk Boba Fett actually officiated at this next one, where the trio of cakes featured dramatic built-in lighting and moving parts:
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(Submitted by Angela G. and made by Dani Startt of Sweet Startt's)
You can read more about the wedding here, which included an R2D2 ring-bearer, a Dalek flower girl, and enough assorted geekery to make me ridiculously jealous of everyone there.
That reminds me: you know what else makes steampunk awesome? All the mashups! Yep, if you can think of a popular character, movie, or TV show, odds are someone somewhere has made a steampunk version. Epic case in point:
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(Sub'd by Sharyn H. made by The Little Cake Patch)
Maybe time is a little less wibbly-wobbly when it's steam-powered.
Well, if you'll excuse me, I have to go finish riveting a clock pendulum onto my hand-carved leather corset. (If only I were making this up...)
I'll leave you with this beauty, which looks like it belongs on the mantel in a formal Victorian parlor:
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(Submitted by Amber B. and made by Christopher Garrens)
Kind of spooky sweet, am I right? I suppose it's a little more "seance" than "steampunk" - but maybe it was for some steampunk Ghostbusters? Because, oh yes, THOSE EXIST.
In fact, if you're not familiar with the League of S.T.E.A.M., here they are in action:
Plus check out this awesome group spotted at GenCon this weekend! (Steampunk Mr. StayPuft. THAT IS ALL.)
Have a steamy Sunday, everyone!
PS - For even MORE gorgeous steampunk Sweets, check out my previous features here and here.
Also, be sure to visit us on Facebook, since odds are you haven't seen our updates there in ages, and watch Epbot for John's and my costume debuts, coming soon!
Reader Comments (45)
Some of those could be sculptures :O
These are BEAUTIFUL! So glad to hear you'll be at Dragon Con - hopefully I can catch sight of your new cosplay around the Alternate History or Costuming tracks! This is my 2nd Dragon Con and first cosplay experience, so I'm alternately excited, terrified and overwhelmed with how much is left to do. :)
@mindy1:
They WOULD be, if I'D made them; no way would I let anyone actually cut into them! (They'd be in a museum or something...collecting dust & spiders like Miss Faversham's uneaten cake...) Of course I'm kidding.
=^e.e^= eewwww
We have a front door that is Tardis blue, for Halloween it shall be a Tardis.
The workmanship that went into these cakes is really marvelous. Every one of them was a *gasp* WOW or Lookit!
Love it! And stop right freakin' now with both of those Ghostbuster steam teams! Too funny!
By the way, the little robot cake topper on the Fluffy Thoughts cake is by this Etsy artist: https://www.etsy.com/shop/buildersstudio
I gave my sister one of his other styles as a wedding gift and she and her husband used it on their cake :)
Actually, I immediately thought the guy in that last cake looked like The Blue Raja from "Mystery Men" (and if you haven't seen that movie, watch it, because it will make you split a gut) and I'd love to see that steampunk lady Vader costume.
Ah, Jen, you're the reason I fell in love with steampunk in the first place! I love that Victorian era style, as well. My desk looks like something straight out of that era, with some nice aged copper knobs on it for show. ;)
For everyone else who loves steampunk, my husband just showed me a video on youtube by Ghostfire called "The Last Steampunk Waltz." It's as beautiful as it sounds! Check it out!
When lots and lots of my favorite worlds collide... this is perfect. Thanks.
LOVE!!!
Love Steampunk! Awesome cakes. LOVE your cosplay costume!!!
Those are amazing! As was your Lady Darth costume!
Is there a significance to 2 roman numeral 11s? and no number 9? I love steam punk for all the reasons you mentioned (not having thought of them before), but am soooo not into pop cultures. It's always fun visiting - and yes, I always read - the comments. N
#10: Lit up from the inside!?! Insane.....gorgeous. =^0.0^=
So, I really, really wanted a steampunk wedding, but my mother out her foot down. So, my fiancé and I have decided that when we do a vow renewal, we're doing it OUR way - steampunk and video games to the max! Jen and John, as soon as that happens, you folks are invited, and you'd better dress in steampunk themes! :D
Stunning cakes. I'm especially interested in the moving parts on the trio?
Is the Doctor Who cake bigger beneath the frosting than the frosting itself?
Is that a little steam punk R2D2 on the middle of the stunning 3 cakes pic?! Oh my, too sweet! Breathtaking collection, Ms. Jen, bravo! (As usual :) )
@Norine--I wouldn't have even noticed, but yes, that Roman numeral clock does have an eleven where the nine should be!
Personally, I love the cake that looks like the icing has been pulled back to reveal the inner workings. So clever, and absolutely gorgeous!
I would mention that the first cake (corset with flowers) is by Swank Cake Design. They offer classes for that particular cake. Just want to make sure you don't get in trouble with giving proper acknowledgement.
Ahhhh! Too much awesomeness in one post! Sweet Startts is awesome! She made my youngest daughter's birthday cake, so I can tell you she is just as awesome in person as her cakes are! Check out her Slimer cake she has recently made - too.die.for.
Yes, interesting workmanship but they all look as though they were designed by out-of-work engineers or Sheldon Cooper. I guess I just don't like steampunk.
@Gloria P: ("...designed by out-of-work engineers or Sheldon Cooper")
I had to laugh at that; I adore Sheldon. He's just so...Sheldon-y.
=^~.~^=
I am speechless. Wow!!
Such lovely cakes! I love steampunk and I love beautiful cakes, and putting them together is just perfect. I especially like the top hat/goggles ones, but I have to admit my personal favorites are the wedding cake and the one at the end. Fantastic and amazing in every way!
(Oh, and btw, sendingtheclowns -- it's Havisham, not Faversham. /Dickens nerd)
It's official. My new life goal is to randomly run into Jen while in costume (either of us). It would be almost as epic as these cakes.
I hear you, Gloria. I love Dr. Who and Star Trek and all kinds of other genre stuff, but Steam Punk just leaves me cold. The cakes are all nicely done, though.
In love and full of amazement! Theses cakes are spectacular, I had to double take most of them to make sure they indeed were cake.
For some reason, that first cake reminds me of "The Night Circus." Great book, btw. Lovely cakes today! :)
"Yep, if you can think of a popular character, movie, or TV show, odds are someone somewhere has made a steampunk version."
So there's something like rule 34 of steampunk?
I tend to be overly-wary of clicking links. I've (stupidly) hit some unknowns and tumbled down some weird rabbit holes that have taken me places that were not exactly "Wonderland". A couple of times, I've felt lucky to get out with my sanity nearly-intact. But I took a chance on yours, knowing that YOU wouldn't give me a bum steer. This particular "steer" was grade A prime! It was fun to finally have faces (lovely ones, btw) to put with the written "voices" of your posts! More than just a Sunday Sweet; this was an extra-special treat.Thanks, ever so much. =^~.~^=
Having The Doctor in steam punk is not a stretch it's just a TARDIS setting away!
Doc Brown Steam Punk Isn't either in fact it's all over the third move.
You see the fun part about a time travel series is that you can get away with ANYTHING!
You know what would be really cool....a Tardis topper on a Steampunk Dalek!
Thanks for featuring the trio cakes, Jen. This is quite and honor. The Marriage Of Steampunk trio cakes were truly a ton of fun. I see a couple of questions about the lighting and motorization. I don't want to hijack the comments, but anyone is welcomed to contact me thought my website or Facebook page (linked through the website) and I will be more than happy to answer any questions. (Thanks, Brandi, for the sweet remarks).
God Bless and Stay Sweet- Dani
That's a genre alien to me! I skipped over to YouTube to enlighten, and I came up with 1: "Just Glue Some Gears On It And Call It Steampunk" by Reginald Pikedevant; 2:"The Last Steampunk Waltz" by Ghostfire, and 3:"To The Apocalypse In Daddy's Sidecar" by Abney Park.It's definitely different, interesting, and VERY amusing! Me, I'm a Gershwin, Chopin, Queen, Steely Dan, Billy Idol, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Cars, Supertramp, Neil Young, the Clash, Pink Floyd, Beatles,Springsteen, Rod Stewart, Rolling Stones, Gorillaz, Cheap Trick,and Lou Reed kinda girl. Depending on the mood. Oh, and reggae! Oh, and...well... lots of others. Anyway~"To each his (or her) own." It would be an intensely boring world if everyone liked the same stuff.
=^e.e^= (blahblahblah)
Eeeeeeee! JOHN! Are you going to DragonCon as the Cheshire Cat?! Please let it be so! I can't wait to see your costume and Jen's costume! Why is no one else squeeing over that here?! Maybe there a bunch of comments that haven't posted yet.
Beautiful steampunk cakes, by the way!
@Mariah ("it's Havisham, not Faversham")
Oh! Thanks! (At least I didn't say that it was Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs.) It's only been a few hundred years since I read it. The one I knew really well was "A Christmas Carol", because my parents had 78 rpm. recordings of both that (with Ronald Coleman narrating), and of "Mr. Pickwick's Christmas."
LOVE the Steampunk goodness!!! Think about Wild West Con in March - Steampunk in Old Tucson! SO. MUCH. FUN!
"I have to go finish riveting a clock pendulum onto my hand-carved leather corset." Jen, I just followed the link to your Lady Vadore creation. My God woman, is there nothing you can't do? Absolutely stunning in every gorgeous detail! I'm not a huge steampunk fan but I ALWAYS appreciate talent!
p.s. the cakes are awesome too!
@sendingtheclowns: try http://www.epbot.com/2011/02/gorgeous-steampunk-music-video-eye-of.html
It's a beautiful steampunk music video.
Oh -- and I'm bragging now -- I got to see the Lady Vadore costume on display at the Steampunk Exhibit at the Oshkosh Public Museum earlier this month. (My parents live in Wisconsin.) It was an amazing exhibit, and the costume was even better "in person" (and I already thought it was awesome) because of the amazing attention to detail. I can't wait to see this year's costumes!
I love that little aviatrix fairy; she's so cute. Plus I really like saying aviatrix fairy...aviatrix fairy. I can't say it without smiling! Thanks Jen for another great round up.
I'm having a Steampunk themed wedding next month. I'd totally invite you, but I don't know that you'd want to fly all the way to the west coast to attend a huge wedding full of people you've never met. I'm quite sure that you would be one of the best dressed at the party though, and you'll love the cake that I ordered. I fully intend to send pics to you after the wedding.
wonderful cakes.
and i just clicked the link to your lady vadore costume. amazing work!
I may not be a die-hard fan of Steampunk, but I love the beauty of the art and the concept. These cakes are so realistic and amazing that I can scarcely breathe.
I was also thought it was funny that the cake toppers of the trio cakes were a dalek and R2D2! When my dad was a kid, he drew his own science fiction/ humor comics with inspirations from Star Trek, Star Wars, Doctor Who, Lost in Space, and others. In his Doctor Who issue (4th Doctor) the Daleks were the villans (of course) and he inserted various jokes into the background of their scenes. Examples: a picture of a trash can labeled "Mom" and a picture of R2D2 labeled "My Love".
You want color in your Steampunk? Mwahahhaa! Google "Nerfpunk" and be AMAZED!