These aren’t simply delectable dishes you might pair with a glass of wine or even a shot of tsipouro for the enthusiasts; as unbelievable as it sounds, these are “real cakes”—desserts crafted to look remarkably realistic.
Eirini Polyviou is a self-taught pastry chef who has fulfilled her dream despite facing numerous challenges. She creates incredibly lifelike, one-of-a-kind cakes that travel worldwide and go viral on social media, amassing over 350,000 followers.
It All Started with My Daughter’s First Cake
“Anything the human mind can imagine, I strive to execute with utmost precision,” Eirini Polyviou tells APE-MPE. She explains that some of her creative cake designs include representations of cod, lamb, kokoretsi, football fields, handbags, watermelons, bananas, garlic, fish, pattas, steak, cars, caskets, kolliva, soaps, towels, and octopuses. “The results speak for themselves. These processes are extremely time-consuming and creatively challenging.”
She said, “Everything began in 2016 when my daughter Miranta was one year old. That’s when I decided to create her first birthday cake! Although it had nothing to do with pastry arts at the time, I chose what to make and began planning how to execute it. The concept for the cake was already there in my mind. Two months later, I got divorced, and during that very difficult period—while my social life was falling apart as a result of the divorce—I embarked on a solitary journey and was reborn. I decided then that I wanted to pursue what made me happy, so I left the field of occupational therapy, in which I had studied and worked for years. From then on, I offered to create cakes as gifts for family members’ birthdays, using each as practice.”
Leaving Occupational Therapy for Pastry Arts
“After much studying—since I’m self-taught—the quality of my cakes began to stand out.” In 2020, after three and a half years, and amid the coronavirus pandemic, a very good friend told her, “You must do this.” At that time, she was exploring her professional future, wondering whether to open an occupational therapy center or a pastry shop. Having spent 14 years in occupational therapy, her heart was set on pastry, primarily so her child could see her in that role.
And so it happened, though not without many challenges. Just before opening her store—and while dealing with a serious neck issue—she was diagnosed by her neurosurgeon with myelopathy and was immediately taken into surgery. “I truly was saved; I could have ended up confined to a wheelchair, nearly quadriplegic,” she explains. Even after surgery, opening her store was delayed due to the pandemic. Yet she never gave up. Though initially tough, her engagement with TikTok and other social media platforms eventually propelled her work to new heights.
All Her Cake Videos Went Viral
“In July 2021, I started using TikTok and noticed that people began to follow me! That was it—I had found my calling! A job that I love and can promote independently. The viral videos kept coming one after another! The love I’ve received from my audience across all platforms has been overwhelming. Now, with over 350,000 followers and constant interaction—whether through messages, comments, phone calls, or in person—the gratitude is immense! When you receive so much love, you must give it back in kind,” she says.
“Cake Travels of Love”
But she didn’t stop there. “I also started a show called ‘Cake Travel,’ in which I hold contests on social media and give away a ‘cake trip’ as a prize. For example, if someone in Orestiada wants to send a cake to a loved one in Denmark, I’ll make that cake journey a reality! I draw a name and then begin organizing the trip! This idea came from a long-distance relationship I once had, where I would send a cake when we met—truly, ‘Cake Travels of Love!’ I’ve already made cake trips to Thailand, Iceland, Germany, Poland, twice to Cyprus, and once even crafted a cake on an airplane—a challenge I set for myself. I’ve also done it twice in the Netherlands and in Rhodes, Thessaloniki, Santorini, and now the next episode is on its way,” proudly emphasizes the 41-year-old pastry chef.
I Want to Send My Cake to the Moon
As for her future goals, they are nothing short of extraordinary.
“I want to accomplish two long-term goals: to take a cake to Australia and to send one to the moon! I’m sure there’s a way. Of course, my challenges don’t stop there—the next objective is to create cakes in the most unusual places.
I’ve already made a cake on a train and the metro to Syntagma, and I even ran 2.5 kilometers in a race while holding a cake. All these experiences energize me, and, God willing, I will one day open my pastry school,” she happily reveals.—
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Alexandra Chatzigeorgiou for the Amna