The ”Tsunami Cake” Baking Trend Surrounds Figurines in Flowing Icing Skirts

@foodie.beats Disney dress cake compilation #disney #dress #cake ♬ Aquarium – Kevin MacLeod

From buttercream flowers to cat-shaped bread, baking offers plenty of opportunities to get creative. But one trend that’s really caught our eye recently is the “pull me up cake,” also known as a “tsunami cake.” At first, it looks simple, with frosting held in place by a collar. Then, when the collar is lifted, a glossy cascade of icing spills down the sides, transforming the cake into a sweet spectacle.

Bakers around the world have been putting their own spin on the tsunami cake, often placing cute figurines at the centre. When the icing is released, it cascades down to form a flowing dress around the figure. Some designs take it even further, adding edible glitter, sugar flowers, or decorative sprinkles to give these sweet “skirts” an extra layer of drama.

One Germany-based baker known as foodie beats on TikTok calls her “pull me up” creations “doll cakes.” One mesmerizing video compilation shows how she created a series of Disney princess-inspired desserts, each with colorful dresses made from flowy, glittering icing or chocolate ganache.

However, the popular technique isn’t just reserved for princess-themed treats. Another baker, known as Cake House on YouTube, used the tsunami cake technique to create a dramatic, flowing waterfall cascading down a multi-tiered Super Mario–themed cake.

To make your own tsunami cakes at home, the flowing icing is typically created from a mixture of heavy cream, milk, and condensed milk, gently thickened with cornstarch to achieve that smooth, pourable consistency.

Have you heard of the “pull me up cake,” also known as a “tsunami cake?”

@foodie.beats Pull me up cakes Compilation #oddlysatisfying #satisfying #fyp #compilation #mostsatisfying #cake #pullmeupcake #foodiebeats ♬ Marseille – Accor Dion


When a collar is lifted, a glossy cascade of icing or chocolate spills down the sides, transforming the cake into a sweet spectacle.

@foodie.beats My Gugelhupf Ballarina #foodies #homebaker #funwithfood #ballerina ♬ Einaudi: Experience – Ludovico Einaudi & Daniel Hope & I Virtuosi Italiani

The fun technique is often used to create princess-inspired doll cakes where the flowing frosting becomes a dress.

@carl.is.cooking Explose les ❤️ et partage si tu veux que je réalise un autre #tsunamicake on fait quoi comme prochaine princesse? #fyp #foodtrend #viralfood #food ♬ Cendrillon – Les Conteurs

@pripoka23 O bolo mais lindo! #birthdaycake #cake #tsunamicake #bolosdecorados #bolodeaniversario ♬ Birthday – Anne-Marie

@rebecapolloficial Tsunami cake #cake #cakedecorating #cakes ♬ som original – Rebeca Poll

@donnaliciousbakeshop PULL ME UP DOLL CAKE. #pullmeupcake #pullmeupdollcake #tsoonamicake #tiktokph #pinoytiktok #fyp #cakelife #cake #foryoupage #foryourpage #cakeart ♬ sonido original – johmomusic

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by BakeMyDay (@bakemyday416)

This creative baker used the technique to create an edible waterfall.

Related Articles:

Artisanal Baker Reimagines Baroque Era Gowns as Elaborate Cakes

Colorful Hand-Decorated Cakes Look Like They Are Completely Covered in Tiny Beads

Culinary Artist Makes ‘3D Jelly Cakes’ Encasing Edible Scenes of Nature Within

Fluid Art: How to Start Acrylic Pouring & Create Psychedelic Abstract Paintings

Emma Taggart

Emma Taggart is a Staff Writer and Video Editor at My Modern Met. She earned a BA in Fashion and Textile Design at the University of Ulster in Belfast. Originally from Northern Ireland, she lived in Berlin for many years, where she fostered a career in the arts, dabbling in everything from illustration and animation to music and ceramics. She now calls Edinburgh home, where she continues to work as a writer, illustrator, and ceramicist. Her ceramics, often combined with hand-painted animation frames, capture playful scenes that celebrate freedom and movement, and blend her passion for art with storytelling. Her illustrations have been featured in The Berliner Magazine as well as other print magazines and a poetry book.
Become a
My Modern Met Member
As a member, you'll join us in our effort to support the arts.
Become a Member
Explore member benefits