Last week on Food Network’s Cake Wars, audiences got a little something that might seem unusual for such a show — a glimpse into geek culture.
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It’s really, really not, though.
After its first episode featured The Simpsons, geek and fan culture of all types has become a big part of Cake Wars‘s identity, with at least a few episodes of each of the show’s five seasons dedicated to celebrating the kind of stuff you would find at Comic Con.
To celebrate the show’s love affair with the things that entertain us the most, ComicBook.com figured we would wade through the Hello Kitties and Paddingtons of it all and put together a list of the 12 indispensable geek-themed episodes of Cake Wars…
…and because the show is such a hit, from a network that doesn’t have a ton of cross-platform successes, you can even see most of them in the relatively near future, via the showtimes links we’ll copy from Food Network into each episode description.
We’re not going to get into Cupcake Wars or Cake Wars: Champs…even though we really, really want to talk about those awesome Josie and the Pussycats cupcakes.
Cake Wars is currently available to stream via subscription, rental, or purchase on VUDU, iTunes Store, Amazon.com, XFINITY, YouTube and the Food Network website.
THE SIMPSONS
What a way to start, eh?
The Simpsons are TV royalty — even though they’re very much not royalty in any traditional sense.
But the show’s first broadcast episode gave us those yellow-headed things in various awesome cake forms.
One of the biggest television families ever is airdropping into Cake Wars — The Simpsons. They’re throwing a huge bash to celebrate their success and one of our cake makers will have their winning creation front and center at the event — and walk out $10,000 richer. Executive Producer of The Simpsons Matt Selman will help determine which baker wins and which will be left saying “D’oh!?” See Tune-In TimesDC COMICS
This was the first time the show caught our attention, when they brought together Jim Lee, Dan DiDio, and Geoff Johns…with cake!
This coincided with a big publishing push at the time, and set the standard that the show was a comics-friendly environment — something more publishers than just DC would take advantage of, as you’ll see…!
Batman, Aquaman, Superman, Wonder Woman and many more are coming to Cake Wars as DC Comics is looking for the best cake maker to create a centerpiece for their celebration. It’ll be two harrowing rounds to see who will win the $10,000 and take their jaw dropping cake creation to the event. Judges Ron-Ben Israel and Waylynn Lucas will be joined by Dan DiDio, Geoff Johns and Jim Lee, senior executives and comic book artists for DC Comics.
NINTENDO
Some of the best-looking cakes are the ones where the property being “adapted” into cake is a bit more stylized and less photorealistic, so taking on Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros. is right up there with Lego and The Simpsons in terms of things that look a lot like the stuff that’s supposed to be represented.
And the crazy, trippy, colorful world of Super Mario Bros. makes it even cooler, because the cakes that fans got to see on the episode were so awesomely elaborate.
It’s everyone’s favorite video game — Super Mario Bros. Now, Mario is getting turned into cake when four bakers compete in a cutthroat competition to see who will accompany their cake to the massive celebration for Nintendo’s Mario Maker and walk home with $10,000. Krysta Yang, from Nintendo of America, is on hand to help decide whose efforts are enough to save the Princess and which bakers are “game over.”
LEGO
This is one that’s kind of a no-brainer. It’s a brand known around the world, and frankly the sharp geometric shapes make for relatively easy molds, allowing the competitors to focus on details and build a truly creative confection.
It all begins with a brick as four talented cake bakers piece together incredible LEGO-themed cake creations, when they compete in two jaw-dropping rounds for the chance to have their cake at the center of a massive party at LEGO’s flagship store, as well as the $10,000 prize. Guest Judge Michael McNally, Senior Director of Brand Relations for LEGO Group, helps Ron Ben-Israel and Waylynn Lucas determine if everything is awesome.
STAR WARS
Any time you can get an official tie-in with Star Wars, you’re pretty much golden.
That’s like Licensing 101, and it was no different here. The creative worlds of Star Wars and the iconic imagery from the film franchise give artists of all sorts, even cake artists, a massive canvas to do their work.
Cake Wars takes on one of the biggest adventures in the galaxy… Star Wars! One of the four talented cake makers will have their winning creation front and center at a huge bash celebrating Disney’s newest Star Wars video game — and walk out $10,000 richer. Vice President of Development for Disney Infinity, John Vignocchi, joins the judging panel to help determine who will win and whose cake will succumb to the dark side.
ARCHIE
Years before Riverdale was a thing, what made Archie scrumptious on TV? Why, cakes, of course.
Archie, Jughead, Betty, Veronica and the whole gang are headed for Cake Wars, as four master cake artists battle to have their creations at the center of a party celebrating 75 years of the iconic comic book. Special judge Jon Goldwater, CEO of Archie Comics, is on hand to see whose cake best illustrates the essence of the comic and deserves the $10,000 prize!
CAPTAIN AMERICA
This one was pretty great, even if it kind of rendered the recent Avengers-themed episode a little redundant. Especially when you consieer that the massive popularity of Marvel’s movies guaranteed that even when celebrating 75 years of Captain America, the show still allowed plenty of other Avengers to mix it up with the super-soldier.
Bakers, assemble! Cake Wars takes on one of the greatest heroes in comic book history — Captain America! Only one of four talented bakers will take their incredible cake creation to a party celebrating the super-soldier hero’s 75th birthday and take home $10,000. Stephen Wacker, VP of Animation at Marvel, is on hand as guest judge to help decide.
POWERPUFF GIRLS
While the Powerpuff Girls aren’t mainstream comic book superheroes, they’re some of the best-known and most profitable new superhero creations of the last thirty years…
…so of course when it came time to reboot, the cast and producers were going to do everything they could to get the show in front of a new audience.
Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup fly into Cake Wars to celebrate the iconic animated series The Powerpuff Girls! Four bakers will need their own superpowers as they compete to have their amazing cake creation at the center of the party and take home the $10,000 prize. Amanda Leighton, Kristen Li and Natalie Palamides, the voice actresses behind The Powerpuff Girls, serve as guest judges.
WONDER WOMAN
There’s been a whole lot of 75th anniversaries lately, and with a birthday party that big, you’ve got to have cake.
That’s why Wonder Woman, like Archie and Captain America, ended up on her very own episode of Cake Wars — although we’ve got to hand it to Wondy: she’s got the most comics-accurate cake of the trio.
It’s the 75th anniversary of Wonder Woman and Cake Wars is joining the party! Four bakers will face the golden Lasso of Truth from our judges, but only one cake will be chosen as the centerpiece of a party celebrating the iconic hero’s birthday and take home $10,000. Nicola Scott, Wonder Woman comic book artist, joins the judging panel.
TRANSFORMERS
They did a surprisingly effective job of making these both accurate to a recognizable version of these characters and not totally disgusting-looking.
Autobots roll out! Four talented bakers will enter battle, but to take home $10,000, they’ll have to create Transformers-themed cakes that are more than meets the eye. Simon Waters, senior vice president of global brand licensing for Hasbro, takes a seat on the judging panel.
SPACE JAM
If you can’t get excited about a CAKE celebrating SPACE JAM, then I grieve for you.
Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and the Looney Tunes gang are headed to Cake Wars to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the classic basketball movie, Space Jam. Four bakers will battle to have their amazing cake creation at the center of the party, but only one baker will be able to make a slam dunk and win $10,000. Bill Farmer, the voice actor behind Sylvester and Yosemite Sam, joins the panel as guest judge.
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES
They’re the world’s most fearsome fondant team. They’re heroes in a half-shell, with whipped cream!
Four master bakers take on Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael in order to have their cake at the center of a party celebrating the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and take home $10,000. Greg Cipes and Mae Whitman, voices of Michelangelo and April O’Neil, join the panel as guest judges.
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