It was during the pandemic that many of us unexpectedly found ourselves stepping into the world of baking. Suddenly, kitchen counters became workstations, social media feeds were filled with banana bread recipes, and people were proudly showing off everything from microwave mug cakes to elaborate multi-layered desserts. For some, baking was a way to pass the time. For others, it became a comforting escape during an uncertain period. And while many of us eventually traded our mixing bowls for busy schedules once life returned to normal, there are plenty of baking enthusiasts who never stopped.
Thankfully for the rest of us, they continue creating desserts that are almost too beautiful to eat. That said, finding all these delicious masterpieces in one place can be a challenge. Luckily, the folks over at the r/Baking community have done the hard work for us. We've gathered some of the most mouthwatering, impressive, and downright irresistible creations shared by bakers from around the world. So grab a snack (trust us, you'll probably get hungry) and scroll down to enjoy this scrumptious collection of baking brilliance.
#21 My Dad's 70th Birthday And The Dessert Buffet I Made
Five cakes, 420+ sweets and two weeks of work later...gone in two hours 😂
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34points
#22 Trust The Process!
I made this sea turtle cake for a friend's son just for fun. When they said he was having a party coming up I basically forced them to let me make him a cake because I knew it would be something I've never done before. Probably would have been more stressed if I was doing it for money haha but I could just have fun making it.
My daughter watched me do some of it, and she DEFINITELY didn't think it was going to look like a turtle. I kept saying "trust the process!" which I say to my art students a lot.
Chocolate cake (based off of the 'How to Cake It' recipe), chocolate buttercream (Sally's). Head and flippers were chocolate rice krispie treat and modeling chocolate, and then the shell was fondant. Shell didn't cover the belly enough and I didn't want to add more fondant to expose the naked cake, so I figured sand - but didn't have any graham crackers. I almost DoorDashed a box lol but then found an unopened box of waffle cone bowls in the back of the closet that was still good, so blitzed them up and used those.
My daughter watched me do some of it, and she DEFINITELY didn't think it was going to look like a turtle. I kept saying "trust the process!" which I say to my art students a lot.
Chocolate cake (based off of the 'How to Cake It' recipe), chocolate buttercream (Sally's). Head and flippers were chocolate rice krispie treat and modeling chocolate, and then the shell was fondant. Shell didn't cover the belly enough and I didn't want to add more fondant to expose the naked cake, so I figured sand - but didn't have any graham crackers. I almost DoorDashed a box lol but then found an unopened box of waffle cone bowls in the back of the closet that was still good, so blitzed them up and used those.
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32points
Clearly, baking offers far more than delicious desserts. It can be a creative outlet, a stress reliever, a confidence builder, and a way to strengthen connections with the people around us. In a fast-paced world where many activities revolve around screens and deadlines, baking invites us to slow down for a while. Whether you're making an elaborate three-tier cake or simply baking a batch of cookies on a quiet afternoon, the experience itself can be incredibly rewarding. And as a bonus, you usually get something delicious to enjoy at the end.
#24 Cute & Tasty: My Horse & Cow Bread Project
I lost track of time making these horse and cow buns! Let's be real, the process was boring and tedious, but man, were they good.
I shaped the dough, iced on their faces, and stuck on those little almond horns — so much love went into every detail.
It was totally worth the effort though. Biting into this soft, tasty little guy makes all the hard work disappear!😊
I shaped the dough, iced on their faces, and stuck on those little almond horns — so much love went into every detail.
It was totally worth the effort though. Biting into this soft, tasty little guy makes all the hard work disappear!😊
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31points
And honestly, posts like these are a beautiful reminder of just how talented and creative bakers can be. Some of these desserts look like they belong in a museum rather than on a plate. Others are so elegant and perfectly crafted that it's hard to believe they were made in someone's home kitchen. Whether you're an experienced baker or someone whose greatest baking achievement is a microwave mug cake, there's plenty here to admire. So tell us, Pandas—which one of these sweet creations had you drooling the most? And be honest: did any of them inspire you to dust off your mixing bowl and start baking again?
#27 My Lamb Cake Didn’t Win, But I Thought I Would Share Him Here Anyway!
I made the PreppyKitchen chocolate cake and I made both regular and black cocoa buttercream.
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29points
#28 Roll Cake.. Finally
Another thing that's been on my list forever that I finally got around to making!
Wish I hadn't waited so long though. It was absolutely delicious, and I really enjoyed making it.
The fillings are vanilla mascarpone cream and raspberry.
Now lets see if I get around to making anything else on that list 😄. Cinnamon buns and croissants are both contenders, so if anyone has a recipe or tips/tricks that they swear by, please share.
Wish I hadn't waited so long though. It was absolutely delicious, and I really enjoyed making it.
The fillings are vanilla mascarpone cream and raspberry.
Now lets see if I get around to making anything else on that list 😄. Cinnamon buns and croissants are both contenders, so if anyone has a recipe or tips/tricks that they swear by, please share.
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29points
#30 Some Of My 18yr Olds Creations Studying In France
Currently studying in France. Something she has dreamed of since she was 10. Wants to eventually open a small shop and also do catering focusing on French pastries.
She paid for school, her apartment, and everything else on her own. Was her goal to do this and come back when it’s all done with no debt. To say I’m proud of her is an understatement.
:update:
Wow so many replies and rewards. I’d love to respond to you all but that will be tough.
First thank you all so much. Second I’ll have to get names of each and try to update the captions. Lastly I’m gonna hold off on sharing location and school until she returns. Just cause the Internet is a bit weird and sketchy. Makes this dad nervous.
Oh and lastly, no scholarships for this. Three years of working in a bakery saving every penny, and HS graduation cash helped make this a reality. Dad and mom pay the day to day (groceries, food, etc) while in France, plus car payment, insurance, gas, etc here at home. This is a 2.5 month program and she is in France for 3 months. School was just under $20k, her apartment is right at $900 a month. This is not in Paris, but a smaller French city.
She paid for school, her apartment, and everything else on her own. Was her goal to do this and come back when it’s all done with no debt. To say I’m proud of her is an understatement.
:update:
Wow so many replies and rewards. I’d love to respond to you all but that will be tough.
First thank you all so much. Second I’ll have to get names of each and try to update the captions. Lastly I’m gonna hold off on sharing location and school until she returns. Just cause the Internet is a bit weird and sketchy. Makes this dad nervous.
Oh and lastly, no scholarships for this. Three years of working in a bakery saving every penny, and HS graduation cash helped make this a reality. Dad and mom pay the day to day (groceries, food, etc) while in France, plus car payment, insurance, gas, etc here at home. This is a 2.5 month program and she is in France for 3 months. School was just under $20k, her apartment is right at $900 a month. This is not in Paris, but a smaller French city.
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27points
#31 Experimental Mahjong Matcha Butter Cookies 🀄
Matcha cookies with matcha cream cheese butter cream filling and thiccccck matcha ganesh in between, when you eat it freeze or frozen it's like an ice cream sandwich, still at an experimental stage, still need to fine tone the dough a bit, I would like it to have more structure and shape and less wonky when I get it out of the mold but also not too tough because it need to be freeze or frozen 😆 it still looks a bit rough, but it's so fun to make, and very tasty when you eat it cold.
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26points
#33 For My Mom 🩷
Wanted to share all the birthday treats I've made for my mom since I started making cakes almost 4 years ago.
In order from most to least recent.
Pics 1-5 are this year's. I was going for a fairy house/cottage look. Bottom half was carrot cake, top was coconut. Filled with lemon cream cheese frosting and coconut mascarpone mousse.
6-8. Apple cake with cinnamon cream cheese frosting and caramel.
9/10. Banana coconut cream pie.
11/12. Vanilla and chocolate sugar cookies. Mom loves cows 🐄🥰
13/14. Vanilla cake filled with espresso diplomat cream. Coffee buttercream and salted carmel drip.
15-17. Marble cake filled with vanilla crème légère. Chocolate buttercream.
If anyone would like a particular recipe, let me know which and as long as I can remember what I used I'd be happy to share!
In order from most to least recent.
Pics 1-5 are this year's. I was going for a fairy house/cottage look. Bottom half was carrot cake, top was coconut. Filled with lemon cream cheese frosting and coconut mascarpone mousse.
6-8. Apple cake with cinnamon cream cheese frosting and caramel.
9/10. Banana coconut cream pie.
11/12. Vanilla and chocolate sugar cookies. Mom loves cows 🐄🥰
13/14. Vanilla cake filled with espresso diplomat cream. Coffee buttercream and salted carmel drip.
15-17. Marble cake filled with vanilla crème légère. Chocolate buttercream.
If anyone would like a particular recipe, let me know which and as long as I can remember what I used I'd be happy to share!
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25points
#34 My Take On The Iconic Minecraft Cake In Real Life
My take on the iconic Minecraft game cake. I assembled chocolate blocks to form a cube then filled with cake.
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25points
#35 Fairy Cake 🧚
Made this for my sister in laws fairy themed baby shower haha
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25points
#36 Pistachio-Raspberry Cheesecake
Made everything from scratch, from the batter all the way to the raspberry compote on top. it was a great hit!
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25points
#37 Lemon Cheesecake
Ridiculously good. Even the family members who "don't like cheesecake" liked this one. Everyone scraped their plates clean 😄
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25points
#38 Elmo Fire Meme Cake
I made this cake for my sisters birthday! Shes got a great sensebof humor! Its a vanilla cake with american butter cream.
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25points
#39 Made A Massive Japanese Cheesecake
I’ve been making these for a while now, and I can’t get enough. The texture is really nice, it’s like biting into a cloud. Next time I will try to add some stronger flavors (this one is vanilla) like black sesame or pistachio.
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23points
