Ben Cullen, a married father-of-two originally from Yardley, Birmingham, has transformed from someone with "no interest" in baking into one of TikTok's most celebrated illusion bakers. Known as The Bake King, Cullen has amassed over 500,000 Instagram followers and more than 13 million likes on TikTok, captivating audiences with his hyper-realistic cakes that look like anything but cake.
His creations include a raw chicken, a pint of Guinness, a replica of the World Cup trophy, and even a sculpture of Cristiano Ronaldo—all disguised as cakes. Despite his success, Cullen admits he doesn't have a sweet tooth, preferring a Balti pie at St Andrew's, and views his work as an art form rather than a culinary pursuit.
From Tattoo Artist to Cake Artist
In 2016, Cullen was an aspiring tattoo artist when a client's mother, who made sugar-paste toys for cakes, sparked his interest. Around the same time, he made his first two cakes: a castle cake for his wife and a birthday cake for his father. The hobby turned into a career after he attended Cake International at the NEC, where he discovered illusion baking—a niche that allowed him to combine his passion for art with a growing demand for creative cakes.
Despite lacking formal catering qualifications, Cullen embraced illusion baking as a way to express his artistic side. He explains, "The closest I ever got to cakes growing up was when my mom made me scones in the morning. I had no interest in baking, no interest in cooking, but I've always had an interest in art. Graffiti, illustration, graphic design, I always went for something I could make art from."
Pandemic Boom and Netflix Fame
The pandemic proved a turning point for Cullen's career. As lockdowns kept people at home, hyper-realistic cakes gained mainstream attention, partly thanks to Netflix's series "Is It Cake?" Cullen, who had been perfecting his craft for years, saw his content soar. "Everyone was bored and stuck in their house, they needed to be entertained and illusion baking got discovered," he told BirminghamLive. "It was massive for me, I had been doing it for years and was one of the few baking before the trend."
His videos range from a realistic replica of The Grinch to a deck of playing cards, each designed to trick the eye. Cullen ensures every cake is completed within a week to maintain both visual appeal and taste, though he admits, "Sometimes I bite into it for social media and surprise myself by how nice the cake is."
International Recognition and Artistic Challenges
Cullen's talent has taken him beyond Birmingham. He flew to Slovenia to work with Ray-Ban on an advert that later appeared in Times Square, calling it "an out of body experience." Yet, he remains humble, noting, "Those cakes wouldn't have made my top ten." He prefers horror-themed cakes and those that push his artistic limits, saying, "Cars are really difficult to make. Humans can be really difficult to capture too, the Cristiano Ronaldo sculpture springs to mind."
Despite his success, Cullen stays grounded and health-conscious. "I'm conscious of calories and quite a healthy person. If I was going to waste calories, it would ideally be on chicken Balti pies," he jokes. He also hints at future projects, including a cake based on Birmingham City's new stadium, though a friendly family debate remains over which cake he made first.
A Career Built on Creativity
For Cullen, illusion baking is more than just a job—it's a medium for artistic expression. "It always feels like the last cake you've made is your favourite and it's always fresh in your mind," he says. With no formal baking background, he has carved a niche that celebrates creativity over convention, proving that sometimes the most unexpected paths lead to the sweetest success.
