8 celebration of life cake ideas from talented online chefs
Are you planning a celebration of life? Join us as we run through 8 fantastic cakes we found online.
In recent years, celebration of life funerals have seen a huge upswing in popularity.
For those who don't know, a celebration of life is an alternative to a traditional funeral service. Where funerals are usually sombre and formal affairs, celebrations of life are more celebratory.
They focus on positive memories and reflections on how the person who died influenced the people they left behind. Often, they resemble a party more than a funeral.
Many celebrations of life feature food and drink. So, if you're planning one yourself, you might be looking for cake ideas.
We scoured the internet for some of the best celebration of life cake ideas from talented online chefs. Here are eight of the best. We hope they give you the inspiration you need.
1. Blue guitar with flowers
This talented chef from Carson City, Nevada, created a cake shaped like a blue guitar with country music-style flowers. The body of the guitar bears the message "You will always be our shining star".
What we love most about this cake is the attention to detail – from the pattern around the sound hole to the capo on the third fret. It even stands upright on its own guitar stand.
2. Celebration of life cake from Cakes We Are
This celebration of life cake appears on the YouTube channel Cakes We Are. In the words of the presenter, "This cake was made with so much love for our Dad & Grandpa who has gone to rest with the Lord."
It shows a lifelike picture of a military man with his name at the bottom and the word "Grandpa". At the top are gold balloons and a circle that says "Celebration of life".
Beneath the decorations is a multi-layered sponge cake. It looks delicious and, as the chefs say, made with love.
You can watch the whole process of creation in Cakes We Are's video.
3. Double-barrel cake from Sweet Bar, Philadelphia
This celebration of life cake bursts with life and colour. The cake is a vision in pink, decked out with flowers in matching colours and family pictures in gold frames.
Taking pride of place at the top is a marker with the name and birth and death dates of the person who died. It also features the touching inscription "Mom ❤️ LaLa".
4. Velvet cake with flowers
Made by Instagram creator For Cup's Cake Kitchen, this is, in the chef's own words, "a four-layer red velvet cake filled with cream cheese buttercream and decorated with cala lilies".
It bears the simple message "Beloved Sareeta" to remember the person who died. It's an elegant creation that's clearly been made with care.
5. Football-themed cake
Often, celebrations of life focus on the interests and passions of the person who died. In the case of sports fans, this can sometimes be reflected in everything from the dress code to the choice of venue. In this case, it also inspired the celebration of life cake.
It's an elaborate creation for a Crystal Palace fan. It features everything from a football to the Selhurst Park street sign, from a football shirt to the club's eagle. Taking pride of place on the body of the cake is the word "Dad".
6. White feather cake with candles
This tasteful cake is rendered in pure white icing and layered with feathers. These, the chef explained, are "gum paste rolled thin and sliced up on edges with a groove indented down the middle of each one".
The effort required to achieve this effect shows thoughtfulness and care for the person who died.
7. Four-layer carrot cake
This beautiful cake was made to celebrate the life of "a sweet man who was loved immensely by his family and friends".
The combination of the semi-naked cake and the fresh roses suggests life and renewal rather than death and sorrow. On top of the cake is a simple gold cross.
8. Celebration of life cake for a special lady
Our final choice is a tiered cake with light blue and white icing, clouds, gold drip edges, gold leaf and feathers. It's all topped off with real flowers and a picture of the person who died.
It's a cake that suggests something about the person being remembered and definitely says "celebration" rather than "funeral".
What can you include in a celebration of life cake?
Remember: the occasion is all about celebrating the life of the person who died. So, the cake could reflect any aspect of their personality, passions, interests or achievements.
It could include a photo, a themed shape or a symbol meaningful to you or the person who died. The main thing is to make the guests think fondly of the person who died. Many would say this is more important than drawing attention to the chef's skills.
It could feature the person's favourite colour or include a reference to their hobby. It could also be as simple as the favourite cake of the person who died.
What is a celebration of life?
A celebration of life is an alternative to a traditional funeral service. It focuses on honouring a person's memory and the positive impact they had.
It's typically more informal than a funeral and focuses on shared memories and the personality of the person who died.
Akshardham Funeral Directors is an independent funeral home based in London. We work with people from all faiths and walks of life. Do you need support to arrange a celebration of life funeral service? Please call at any time – 020 8355 7876.
