What are the chances audiences would ever find a full-blown Netflix show based on a meme? Is it cake? is a show based on the 2020 'Is it a cake?' optical illusion slash cake art meme that went incredibly viral on social media. All those who absolutely loved those sweet surprises are in for a real treat with Is it cake? An added thrill apart from seeing random things as cakes, is to guess the cake and witness the magic it holds!
The show hosts some of the crème de la crème from the baking industry who would compete in making cakes look like other things. These bakers are not just deception experts in cake, but they're also successful personalities in the art of baking. If you fell in love with the show's theme and the bakers who do such splendid justice to it and want to check them outside the show, here's where you can find them!
Nina Maria Charles
The impressive Nina Maria Charles quickly became one of the most notable cast members of this reality series. Nina stepped into her baking zone with Nina Bakes Cakes (NBC) - her very own cake business.
As a creative artist and the head designer of NBC, she crafts hyper-realistic cakes, wedding cakes, luxurious cakes, and other high-end baked products. And when she's not at NBC, she's probably at her food truck - Nina Creole!
Justin Rasmussen-Ellen
Justin is a high school graduate (spoiler - he graduated on the great Netflix reality show!) with a competitive cake business. Here, he not only creates and showcases fantastic cakes but also gives cake enthusiasts the opportunity to learn the art!
So, while on Justin's profile, you could place a custom order for any hyper-realistic cake, and/or you could take up a baking course! Apart from cakes and learning to bake, you could also shop for branded ingredients, edible images, mixes, and baking calendars among other products on Everything Just Baked!
Dessiree Salaverria
A Zumba instructor turned cake artist, Dessiree (nicknamed, Dessy) is a fighter figure on the show. During her days as an instructor, Dessiree had a life-altering accident that forced her to give up her passion for Zumba.
Once she recovered, Dessiree discovered her gift of baking and soon became a baker! She owns Sugar Dreams, a self-established cake business in Palm Bay, Florida. At Sugar Dreams, she curates gorgeous wedding cakes apart from hyper-realistic and fool-worthy cakes. Dessiree is an American Cake Award finalist of 2022.
Andrew Fuller
The owner of Sugar Freakshow in Des Moines, Iowa, Andrew Fuller has a freak load of talent when it comes to cake art. A versatile cake sculptor, Fuller is a pro especially when it comes to making cakes that either gross people or fool them (and it's generally, both).
Andrew's line of cake art may be disturbing and something you'd see at a Halloween party, but that's where his brilliance lies. You'd never know if it's a toe or a cake! You could check out Sugar Freakshow on TikTok and Facebook. Their website is still on the way but for now, you can enjoy seeing them on this beloved Netflix reality series.
April Julian
April is a cake trickster from Toronto who specializes in making whimsical and mind-bending cakes. This Filipino-Canadian baker is a professional cake artist who mostly sculpts hyper-realistic fast food cakes. Nevertheless, she is versatile and someone who fans would watch a spinoff of.
During the day, April is the Director of Education for a civil rights organization in Canada and at night, she's a cake artist. April has been effectively fooling people with her skills since 2007 and has won several awards throughout her journey. Besides placing orders and checking out her gallery of hyper-realistic cakes, you could book classes with April as well!
Hemlata (Hemu) Basu
This Indian-origin contestant from Katy, Texas, brings a comprehensive history of professional expertise to the show. Apart from being the owner of Hemu's Sweet Sensation where she's open to orders for sculpted, realistic cakes and any other type of custom cake, Hemu's also a holder of other superlative titles.
She appeared on the Katy Times after winning the Halloween Wars on Food Network in 2020. Hemu was HBG's (Home Baker Guild) cake artist of the year in 2020. Her achievements as a cake artist opened her name to several interviews and articles as well - which you can check out via her IG profile.
Jonny Manganello
Though Jonny Manganello started his hyper-realistic cake journey only since the pandemic, he was into cake decorating and cakes, in general, for a lot longer.
He began experimenting and dishing out visual bakery marvels and several individual cake sculpting projects on his journey as a cake artist. The owner of Jonny Cakes, Manganello was also a judge on one of the 'Without a Recipe' challenges by The Try Guys. He also contended on Food Network's 'Holiday Wars' in 2020.
Sam Cade
Sam's connection with cake art started when she was in college. Ever since, she has been climbing the creative ladder and nailing it, one hyper-realistic cake at a time. Sam owns 'Cades Cakes,' her own custom cake business in New York.
Through her artistic (and edible) initiative, she not only accepts orders for custom cakes, but also for cake guts and cookies! She's a cake gut professional and an expert in crafting anything from sneakers and animals to fast food and fashion, you name it! Contestants like Sam make the show worth a binge.
Steve Weiss
This cake veteran on the show brings nearly 20 years of experience and expertise on Is It Cake? He may be a silent player, but Weiss is quiet with a purpose. His calm temperament showcases an explosion of talent in his work.
Steve Weiss is an Associate Dean at a community college in West Virginia, where he teaches Culinary Arts. He has two Instagram accounts - chefsugar1 and chefsugar2. The second account holds his professional exhibits while the first is presumably a personal/private account.