9 Gorgeous Day of the Dead Cakes

The Sugar Skull Bakers is a collaboration of cookie, sugar, cake decorators, and artists from around the world honoring the 3,500 year old Mexican holiday – Dia de los Muertos (aka The Day of the Dead).

The group, founded in 2013, by cake artist Berenice “Berry” Rabago, of Berry’s Sweet Studio and graphic artist Yuki Navarro, is comprised of artists who work with edible mediums. Their skills expertise range from hobbyist to professional. Some have competed worldwide and have even appeared on National American television network programs such as Sugar Dome, Cake Wars, and more.

The Sugar Skull Bakers may also be found on Facebook,Twitter, and Instagram.

This week, Between the Pages will be featuring many of these gorgeous creations.

The lovely Day of the Dead Pocketbook Cake shown above was made by Karen Geraghty from Bake Cake Create.  The purse looks so realistic, it is hard to believe it is a cake.

Here is Karen’s description of her amazing cake:

I love handbags and I love painting on cakes, so I combined the two elements. This design is based on that of Iron Fist and while the vibrant colour of the make-up reflects happiness in honouring and celebrating the lives of the dead, the real eyes beneath show the sorrow too, at losing and remembering a loved one. The bag is hand painted with edible paints and the cake board airbrushed.

The Iron Fist that Karen is referring to is not the well known Marvel Comics character, but a clothing company which among other things makes Day of the Dead shoes and pocket books.

 

Maria Cazarez from Perfect Indulgence Cakes made this lovely Day of the Dead Cake.  With the skeleton hand, black clothes, the black lace veil, and the broach, I get the impression that this cake represents someone older or someone who has passed on. 

 

Maria did a wonderful job painting the face on this cake.

 

I love the flowers she is wearing.  They are gorgeous.

Here is Maria’s description of how she made her lovely cake:

I made a bust cake using an internal structure, RKT for the body and cake for the head, covered in modeling chocolate and LMF fondant. Roses were made with gum-paste, and then airbrushed. Used modeling chocolate for the hair, and cake lace for her head piece. Used a homemade mold for the brooch on her dress. Her face was painted with americolors and spirit.

 

This gorgeous Day of the Dead Mask Cake was made by Gilles Leblanc from Les Gâteaux de Gilles. Gilles made the mask from gumpaste.  I really like the use of color on the mask.  The top of the mask has five Papaver Rhoeas on it.  The red flower like trim and black centers of the eyes accent the flowers perfectly.  The same color of red is used again on the material which hangs from the two sides of the mask.  The overall effect is striking and really draws your eyes to the red. 

 

This awesome Sailor Moon Sugar Skull was made by Jean A. Rettmer Schapowal from Cakes with Character.

Here is Jean’s description of her Sugar Skull:

Being a huge anime geek I decided to do my love for my favorite japanese anime as a sugar skull. Skull is Rice krispy treats covered in fondant and then decorated with modeling chocolate. Handpainted with cocoa butter and tints/gels!

Jean did a wonderful job blending Sailor Moon and Dia de los Muertos.

 

This lovely Sugar Skull was made by Berenice Rabago of Berry’s Sweet Studio.  Berry is the co-founder of this amazing collaboration – the Sugar Skull Bakers!  Berry made this in loving memory to a dear aunt who passed away earlier this year.  I really like how Berry used vibrantly color
ed accents on the sugar skull.

 

This terrific Day of the Dead Cake was made by Allison Henry from Let’s Eat Cupcakes.  Prior to Spanish colonization of Mexico in the 16th century, Dia de los Muertos took place at the beginning of summer.  It was moved to October 31, November 1 and November 2 to coincide with the Roman Catholic triduum festival of Allhallowtide: All Hallows’ Eve, Hallowmas, and All Souls’ Day.  I really like how Allison’s cake focuses on the religious side of the celebration.  Her cake features a woman with her face painted for the Day of the Dead.  She is wearing a veil and praying.

    

This awesome Mother and Child / Day of the Dead Cake was made by Crystal Barela from KITTY CAKES.  I love how the mother, even though she is a skeleton, is cradling her baby in her arms and smiling down at her baby.  Likewise, the baby looks peaceful and is staring at the mother.  It is just a beautiful image of a mother and child’s love.

 

 

This stunning Day of the Dead Cake was made by Tina Scott Parashar’s Cake Design.  Both the woman and the butterflies in flight are simply amazing.  Monarch butterflies are associated with the Day of the Dead because Aztec tradition holds that the souls of the departed will return as monarch butterflies.

Here is Tina’s description of her lovely cake:

For my piece I wanted to depict the bust of a beautiful woman whose body is disintegrating into a burst of butterflies. I wanted my piece to be dramatic, hence the use of black and red, and for the face makeup, blue and gold. The flower and butterflies are made with wafer paper and the bust is made using modeling chocolate.

 

I love the butterflies.  The way they are in flight is simply stunning.

 

The detail on the face and hair is amazing and the Papaver Rhoeas in her hair is beautiful.

 

In his house, my brother has an old picture.  If you look at it one way, it is a young beautiful woman sitting in front of a mirror.  If you look at it another way, it is skull.  This necklace reminds me of that picture.  It is both a monarch butterfly and two skulls.

 

This lovely Day of the Dead Cake was made by Anna Marie Matos from AnnieCakes.  The flowers scattered around this cake are beautiful.  I really like the intricate detail on the necklace and dress. Anna’s painted background for the cake is gorgeous.

Here is Anna’s description of her terrific cake:

Familia. The lady is my mami and on left shoulder is mi abuela, on the right mi tio Rafa, and on her head is my primo Rafi, and in her hand and surrounded by flowers is mi Nomar. The five of them are my strength and passion for life and love. For each one of them celebrated their lives different yet beautiful.