I can't believe it's been nearly two years since I featured steampunk Sweets! Ack! How is that possible?! If you follow me over on Epbot, then you know how near and dear steampunk is to my clockwork-loving heart, so this is a grievous oversight.

Well, we've got some serious catching up to do, lords and ladies, so gather your goggles, bustle your bustles, and let's get steamy!

Submitted by Tracey W., made by The Sweet Life Bakery

Steampunk often gets the "when goths discovered brown" rap, but all that Victorian influence can actually mean lots of fabulous color - and I'm digging these sweet pastels. Plus: hot air balloons. I loooove hot air balloons.

They're like candy-coated bubbles of pure, floating whimsy.

Here's one with more traditional steampunk colors: all rich burgundies and gleaming copper and brass:

Sub'd by Robyn & made by Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Photo by David and Vicki Arndt Photography

A lot of steampunk cakes can start to look the same, but to my knowledge this one is wholly unique. Check out the "glass" domes on the stand, and that fabulous gauge topper. I half expect to see a jet of steam shooting out!

Here's a dapper delicacy from my friend Darla over at Bakingdom:

Sub'd by Marlene W. & made by Bakingdom

The hats are made of Tootsie Rolls! NOMZ.

Speaking of hats, here's a lovely specimen with its own wind-up key: By Tramie's Kitchen

Did you know there's still only *one* mass-produced gear cookie cutter? (At least that I know of - and believe me, I've looked.) That means pretty much every gear you see on these cakes was either hand cut or the baker made her own cutters (like we did.) Something to keep in mind as we continue on to...

By Cake Central member CakeDiva11

Great grinding gears, look at all these details! I think my favorite is the pocket watch chain wrapped around the middle - it's amazing to think all of that is edible.

After hot air balloons, my second favorite mode of air transport is, of course, the dirigible:

Su'd by Meg N. & made by Charm City Cakes

WHO YOU CALLING "BLIMP?"

(Did you know: The difference between a blimp and a dirigible is that a dirigible has a rigid internal structure that gives it a shape, whereas a blimp just has gas.) [insert too-many-burritos joke here]

And now, clockwork butterflies:

By Gimme Some Sugar: Las Vegas

Get out. I want one of these for a hair clip, STAT.

This next one is less 'punk and more strictly Victorian, but I've never seen a dress cake done this beautifully:

Submitted by Camberly T. and made by Grace Cakes

Seriously - never. Check out how the tiers are graduated on a gentle slope, so that the bustle falls in just the right line. That, and the fabric draping, and the laced corset, and the utter LACK of creepy human torso bits sticking out make this my new favorite dress cake.

Who's up for a steaming cup of steampunk joe?

Made by CW reader Lisa N.

You guys. Look how adorably perfect these are. LOOK AT THEM. Not only are there tiny hand-painted temperature gauges, there are also tiny hand-painted strength gauges on the the other side!

The little rivets! The swirly "steam!" I'm swooning over here, Lisa. Major kudos.

Of course I'd be remiss if I didn't include the most recent amazingness from Mike's Amazing Cakes:

Sub'd by Arwen M. & made by Mike's Amazing Cakes

Believe it or not, this DaVinci-inspired steampunk Sweet is a tiny, single-serving cupcake. Which has to make it the most effort expended per person served in the history of Cakedom. I know we say this a lot on Sweets, but seriously: how could you eat this? I'd have it preserved in an airtight dome just so I could stare at it in awe for the next fifty years.

Remember what I said earlier about how steampunk can be colorful? Well, hold on to your top hats, folks, 'cuz this one's my favorite:

By With Love And Confection

This cake is very nearly perfection. The cameo, the feathers. the gear and clock design, the stripey corset - I love it all. But I think I love that color palette most. So, so pretty.

And finally, let's go out with a grand, gravity-defying delight:

Sub'd by Debbie B., made by Christopher Garrens



Take it all in: the jaunty airship trailing a sky banner, the bride and groom robots on a tiny top hat, the intricate skeleton clock, the goggles - even a gramophone horn! (I've actually featured this one before, but this is a much better photo than last time; every time I look at it, I notice some new little detail.)

Believe it or not, I have even *more* steampunk Sweets to share, but those will have to wait for another time. 'Til then, if you have a Sweet to nominate - yours or anyone else's - then please, send it to me at Sunday Sweets [at] Cake Wrecks [dot] com!