Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Mom Creates Intricate Cakes That Resemble Incredibly Lifelike Meals

Mom Creates Intricate Cakes That Resemble Incredibly Lifelike Meals
PA Real Life/Collect

Inspired by TV's Great British Bake Off, a new mom has taken to creating incredibly realistic cakes, replicating everything from bangers and mash to duck and crispy pancakes.


When admin worker Abbie Small, 33, first settled down to watch an episode of the Channel 4 favorite about three years ago, she was soon hooked – eventually becoming so inspired that she decided to follow in the contestants' footsteps and try her hand at baking.

Initially making cupcakes and themed bakes, mostly for family and friends, she then watched another Channel 4 food show – Extreme Cake Makers, where specialist bakers go all out to make jaw-dropping creations – and was motivated to take things to the next level.

Since then, she has unveiled a string of uncannily lifelike cakes, spending up to a day-and-a-half at a time creating everything from fondant fish and chips to a 'meat' pie made entirely from sponge and jelly.

Abbie, of Merseyside, England, who is on maternity leave after having twins, Mitchell and Cassie-Mae, in September, said: “It can be tricky balancing the baking with working full time, and now being a mum, too, but I love doing it.

“People are amazed by the lifelike cakes – amazed and confused. It's funny to see something that looks like a Yorkshire pudding with mash and gravy, but tastes like icing and cake. Their eyes are telling them one thing and their tastebuds another."

Abbie (PA Real Life/Collect)

Abbie, whose babies are her first with her partner Simon, explained how she was first introduced to the world of baking when she tuned into Great British Bake Off back in 2016.

Watching the contestants battle it out for a chance at the coveted first place prize – and a 'Hollywood handshake' from judge Paul – she was inspired to give baking a go herself.

“I was really impressed by what the contestants were doing, so wanted to try and give it a go myself," she said.

Abbie's pie cake (PA Real Life/Collect)

Following the mantra 'practice makes perfect,' she began to bake more and more.

In time, she even set up a Facebook page – Abbie's Couture Cakes – where she would sell her creations from around £5 upwards.

Then, in 2018, she was watching an episode of Extreme Cake Makers, when a second wave of inspiration hit, after seeing baker Molly Robbins create a remarkably lifelike pie from cake.

Abbie's hoisin duck cake (PA Real Life/Collect)

She continued: “I did a couple of experiments first, making a scone and burger from a book my partner bought me for Christmas, and a little cheeseboard, which was all done from icing.

“It was the first time I'd made anything like it, but I thought it turned out quite well.

“So, I decided to try and replicate Molly's incredible pie cake."

Pleased with how her pie, chips and peas bake turned out – which she made in December 2018 – Abbie has spent the year since challenging herself to see what else she can create.

To date, she has baked a southern fried chicken burger, fish and chips with mushy peas, hoisin duck with pancakes and bangers and mash with peas and Yorkshire pudding – all from cake.

Explaining her process, she said: “There was a lot of trial and error involved. I tried to pick a mix of meals I liked, and things that would push me and be a real challenge to replicate in terms of shape and color."

Abbie's bangers and mash cake (PA Real Life/Collect)

She continued: “With every cake, I'll start by making a standard sponge, which I then carve to be the right shape.

“The finer details are then made using icing or a spray-gun I have – almost like a fake tan sprayer – that mists food coloring into the cake.

“That's my favorite part, as that's where you can see it really come to life."

Abbie's chicken burger bake (PA Real Life/Collect)

Most of the ingredients Abbie uses can be bought from her local supermarket – although the odd item, like coloring for her spray gun and a special gelatin she used to give the 'meat' in her pie and hoisin duck a lifelike glisten, have been obtained from specialist shops.

“I've also got some special equipment like my stencils and the spray gun itself from a proper baking shop near me," she added.

The bake Abbie is most proud of is her bangers and mash creation, which took her a day-and-a-half.

Abbie (PA Real Life/Collect)

The sausages and Yorkshire pudding are made from sponge, while the creamy mash is actually buttercream, and the peas are fondant icing – and the whole thing is topped off with a gravy made from royal icing.

Her sponge cake hoisin duck with fondant pancakes and icing plum sauce, her pie made from sponge cake, with icing and jelly filling and icing chips and mushy peas and her chicken burger, which uses crumbled cornflakes to recreate a lifelike breadcrumb coating, are equally impressive.

“On average, it'll take about two hours just to get the cake part alone sorted," she said. “Then I have to leave it to cool before I set about making the icing and getting the colors and little details just right."

She added: “I'd say it takes a good day-and-a-half to finish a cake completely."

Now, although she is busy with her new arrivals, Abbie has vowed to continue baking – planning to create either a hot dog, a sausage roll, or a full roast dinner next.

“A hot dog or sausage roll doesn't sound that impressive, but I think it would take a lot of work to get the colors and all the little details right," she said.

Abbie's cheeseboard creation (PA Real Life/Collect)

Abbie concluded: “A roast or Christmas dinner would be amazing, too.

“I bake whenever I can and if somebody wants me to create a special cake for them, I'll always do it. Sometimes the trickier ones can take a couple of days to plan, though.

“Still, when I enjoy something, I put my all into it – and I really do enjoy this."

More from News

Sarah Jessica Parker
Marc Piasecki/WireImage

Sarah Jessica Parker Claps Back At Conservative Critics Who Want Her To 'Shut Up' About Politics And 'Act'

Nothing seems to get conservatives' goats quite like celebrities having political opinions—well, liberal and leftist celebrities, anyway.

They seem to love it when weird right-wing celebs like Kevin Sorbo get on the internet and say bizarre, usually counterfactual nonsense, or when JK Rowling does her darnedest to make her legacy not about Harry Potter but about her weird obsession with trans people.

Keep ReadingShow less
Ann Coulter
Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic

Ann Coulter Faces Fierce Backlash After Saying 'We Didn't Kill Enough Indians' In Deleted Post

Far-right provocateur Ann Coulter is facing fierce criticism after she made a genocidal remark in a now-deleted post on X in response to University of Minnesota professor and Navajo Nation member Melanie Yazzie's speech about colonization.

Yazzie, in a speech at last year's annual Socialism Conference, said "decolonization is the only thing that is going to save us as a species" during a panel hosted by Red Nation, a Native American nonprofit that advocates for Palestinian and Native American rights. She also said that the United States is the "greatest predator empire that has ever existed" and said it should be dismantled.

Keep ReadingShow less
James Gunn
Matt Winkelmeyer/WireImage

James Gunn Bluntly Fires Back At 'Jerks' Who Criticize Superman's Pro-Immigrant Themes

Superman director James Gunn issued a response to the "jerks" who criticize the political themes inherent to the superhero's story, expressing his hope that seeing the movie will "make people a little nicer."

Speaking with The Times of London, Gunn stressed that the story of Superman is more relevant than ever considering the ongoing political turmoil in the United States largely centered around the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.

Keep ReadingShow less

Things People Do In Relationships That Seem Sweet But Are Actually Toxic

Content Warning: Controlling and Toxic Relationship Behaviors

We've all either been involved in or witnessed a relationship where we saw something that we thought was cute or sweet at first, but we eventually found the behavior to be troubling or "too much."

Keep ReadingShow less
A piggy bank surrounded by loose change.
coin bank

'Poor Person Habits' People Won't Give Up No Matter How Rich They Get

When money is tight, we look for every possible way to avoid spending it.

As much as we might find ourselves missing out on some of the nicer things life has to offer, we find ourselves contented by the fact that we will always have enough money in our bank accounts to pay our bills on time.

Keep ReadingShow less