by The Urban Grocer in New Food and Packaging on Wednesday 30 June 2010

So you think you’ve seen a few cool cakes in your day, huh? Well, you haven’t seen anything until you’ve checked out I Dream of Cake. Seriously mind-blowing sugary creations overflow from owner and baker Shinmin Li’s San Francisco-based cakery. An artist by trade – unsurprisingly – Li fashions jaw-dropping sugary concoctions inspired by art, life, and fashion. There’s the alligator Birkin Bag and the Classic Kelly Bag, not to mention a more than impressive Jade Buddha, a vase of cherry blossoms, or how about a recreation of Van Gogh’s Starry Night painted in buttercream?

The list goes on and on, and it’s undoubtedly worth browsing through Li’s gallery of cake masterpieces. Better yet, as someone obsessed with cake herself, Li doesn’t neglect the taste or quality; flavors like vanilla and caramel swirl, or ginger spice with cream cheese filling, are among the sweet varieties available. Talk about the icing on the cake.