Everything is Cake

The Definition

A viral internet phenomenon and meme originating in 2020 where seemingly ordinary, non-edible objects—shoes, tissue boxes, vegetables, or household tools—are revealed to be hyper-realistic cakes when sliced with a knife. It describes a state of existential digital distrust where one questions the physical reality of any object viewed through a screen.

The Deep Dive

The "junk knowledge" behind "Everything is Cake" is that it represents the pinnacle of optical illusion meeting the "attention economy." While the trend exploded during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was the result of decades of advancement in sugar artistry and the invention of high-definition social media video.

  • The Fondant Frontier: The illusion relies on "fondant" and "modeling chocolate," which act as a blank, sculptable canvas. By using airbrushing, edible "paints," and textured molds, bakers can replicate the sheen of leather, the grain of wood, or the matte finish of plastic with startling accuracy.

  • The Existential Meme: The trend reached its "junk" peak in July 2020 after a compilation video from BuzzFeed’s Tasty went viral. The internet responded with a wave of "existential dread" jokes, suggesting that if a Croc or a roll of toilet paper could be cake, then perhaps humans, pets, and the Earth itself were also made of red velvet and buttercream.

The meme eventually faded into the "anti-meme" category, where creators began filming themselves cutting actual objects (like a real shoe or a real raw onion) to mock the viewer's expectation of a cake reveal. It remains the definitive example of how a specialized craft can become a global psychological prank.

Fast Facts

  • The Pioneer: Turkish baker Tuba Geçkil is often credited with sparking the 2020 wave after her videos of "cake-ified" household items like soap bars and fruit garnered millions of views.

  • The Netflix Pivot: The meme was so pervasive that it spawned a high-budget competition show, Is It Cake?, where contestants attempt to fool celebrity judges by placing their cakes alongside real-world "decoy" objects.

  • The "Uncanny Valley": Psychologists note that the trend triggers the "uncanny valley" effect—a sense of unease when something looks almost, but not quite, real—which is why the "reveal" slice feels both satisfying and slightly disturbing.

References

  • Geçkil, T. (2020). Red Rose Cake: Hyper-Realistic Gallery.

  • Netflix. (2022). Is It Cake? (Season 1).

  • Jennings, R. (2020). The "Everything is Cake" Meme, Explained. Vox.

  • Ammer, C. (2013). The Dictionary of Clichés. Skyhorse Publishing..