Mini tower cakes

It seems that there’s no limit to what you can do with a cake. From sculptural buttercream flowers to mirrored glazes, bakers are using the beloved confection as a canvas for unconventional art.

Paying homage to this craft is Rachel Dyke, who specializes in making miniature cakes that'll fit in the palm of your hand. Her creations, however, aren’t edible. Dyke crafts the mouthwatering confections out of polymer clay. Using carving tools and tiny paint brushes, she forms the same trails of flowers, layers of sprinkles, and towering tiers that you’d find on the real things.

Dyke has an eclectic background that makes her perfectly poised for this type of unique artwork.

“My formal training is in Special Effects Makeup,” she writes in an Instagram post, “I worked as a cake decorator for over two years and appeared on Food Network’s Cake Masters in 2016.”

To craft the intricate details on these confections demands ample working time, and some sculptures take as long as 12 hours. When she’s done, Dyke will apply scented oils to make the handheld sculptures even smell like the real thing. Just remember, though - eat with your eyes only!

My Modern Met