Is It Cake?

Is It Cake? is an American game show–style cooking competition television series created by Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz, and hosted by Mikey Day. The series premiered on Netflix on March 18, 2022. Contestants create cakes that replicate common objects in an effort to trick celebrity judges. Winners of each episode receive $5,000 and a chance to win more money by identifying which display of cash is real and which is cake.

The series is based on the viral internet meme of the same name, popularized on YouTube and TikTok. The meme involves showing a skillfully decorated cake disguised as a common object or food, and challenging viewers to determine if it is real or a cake replica. Day became fascinated by the meme after his manager, Michael Goldman, introduced it to him. Although Day has no baking experience or background, he joined the show as host. Day explained the draw of show is the "human desire... to pick out the 'disguised something'."

In June 2022, Netflix renewed the series for a second season. The second season, titled Is It Cake, Too? was released on June 30, 2023. In January 2024, Netflix renewed the series for a third season, titled Is It Cak3? which was released on March 29, 2024.

Gameplay
Throughout each episode, contestants and celebrity judges are presented with a display of multiple examples of an object, one of which is a cake replica. Three contestants are given 8 hours to bake and decorate a cake that replicates the look of an object selected for that episode. Celebrity judges are then presented with three separate groups of five of the same object. Among each of the five-object sets is one of the contestant-baked cakes. If the judges correctly guess which object is actually a cake, its baker is eliminated from that episode. When multiple contestants are able to trick the judges, the winner is selected based on cake quality. The winner of each episode wins $5,000 and is able to win an additional $5,000 if they can correctly identify which of two identical bundles of cash is actually a cake. If they do not correctly identify the cake, the $5,000 is added to the cash bundle round winnings in the next episode. The winners of the three episodes leading up to the finale then compete in the finale to win $50,000. The show does not dismiss any of the eight contestants who are able to stay during the season and observe. Some not competing in the finale were selected to help support the finalists' baking efforts.

Production
Is It Cake? was created by Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz and is produced by their company, Alfred Street Industries. It is hosted by Mikey Day. On June 2, 2022, the series was renewed for a second season.

Release
Is It Cake? was released on Netflix on March 18, 2022, Is It Cake, Too? was released on Netflix on June 30, 2023, And Is It Cak3? was released on Netflix on March 29, 2024.