Somebody’s built a life-sized copy of the BFG entirely out of cake

When you’re after a solid building material, cake isn’t usually the first thing that springs to mind. Though it’s hard to find an amateur baker who hasn’t accidentally cooked a sponge down to an inedible blackened brick at some point in their cooking career, generally speaking you’re better  off with stone and cement. At the very least, the finished product should last a bit longer.

Credit: Solent News

However, even the obvious drawbacks of lemon drizzle and chocolate squares haven’t stopped one baking enthusiast from taking on what looks like an impossible challenge. Michelle Wibowo from West Sussex has this week unveiled her latest project to the world – a gigantic, lifesize sculpture of the BFG, constructed entirely out of Mr Kipling cakes.

The enormous statue, which currently sits on top of Primrose Hill, overlooking Regent’s Park in London, definitely puts the “big” back in “big friendly giant”. Standing at a whopping 7.32 metres tall – a little over 24 feet – and weighing a hefty half a tonne, the finished sculpture is the culmination of over 200 hours’ hard labour.

Credit: Solet News

So enormous was the task of putting together this immense piece that the creators decided to film their efforts for posterity. The resulting video features a sped up timelapse of the sculpture being put together and reveals just how arduous building a model out of one of the world’s most unhelpful materials can be.

Despite being made up of more than 7500 individual Mr Kipling cakes, there’s more to this splendiforous creation than just an exercise in edible artistry. The sculpture was actually commissioned as part of a new range of sweet treats celebrating the life and works of Roald Dahl. Though classics such as cherry bakewells make an appearance on the sugary giant, there were also new recipes, including “BFG’s Strawbunkle and Cream Fancies”.

In addition to the fruity flavoured squares, Mr Kipling have also come up with three further Dahl themed desserts. Until the 11th of September, British residents will be able to get their hands on “The Enormous Croc’s Mud Pies”, “George’s Marvellous Lemon and Raspberry Whirls” and “Mr Fox’s Fantastic Fruit Slices”. If you’re looking for a literary themed dessert this summer, then Mr Kipling may have what you’ve been waiting for.

Somewhat surprisingly, the massive spongey BFG is not the only food focused work that Wibowo has tackled over the years. The 39-year-old is actually a professional food artist and sculptor, and has been responsible for a number of impressive works, including busts of the royal family fashioned out of wedding cake and a recreation of Michelangelo’s “Creation of Adam” from the Sistine Chapel made entirely out of baking decorations. Though the BFG was certainly not a small project, it was clearly not one of Wibowo’s most daunting.

Credit: Solent News

It’s unclear exactly how long the sculpture will continue to dominate the London skyline. Thanks to soaring summer temperatures, there’s a good chance that it might collapse into a heap of melted sugar long before expected. However long it lasts, there’s little doubt that it’s helped to show people that the sky’s the limit when you’ve got eggs, sugar and flour.