Between impressive “Is it real, or cake?” videos showing up on our social media feeds, and watching three seasons of Netflix’s show Is It Cake?, many of us are completely entertained whenever a baker makes a cake creation of a non-cake product that looks *so real.*
So, it’s no surprise that 22-year-old Justin Ellen, master baker of “Everything Just Baked” has recently gone viral after creating an eight-layer cake that resembles an oversized 5-hour ENERGY bottle. He partnered with the brand for their latest flavor drop, Confetti Craze, which tastes like a rich, buttery blend of confetti cake topped with vanilla frosting, and actually used the 5-hour ENERGY as one of the ingredients. This all is timed perfectly for August, which is the most popular birthday month. And fans have been loving it—the video already has over 3.1M views!
Parade recently caught up with Ellen to find out more about his process, how long it took him to make this huge bottle of 5-hour ENERGY in cake form and how the shot’s flavor compares to a legit Funfetti cake.
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The Process of Making This Cake Creation
“Being an eight-layer cake, a lot went into this creation,” Ellen tells Parade. “I’m talking at least 5 cups of sugar, 5 cups of frosting, and over 1.5 pounds of fondant just to pull off the final look. It was tall, dramatic and totally on brand for Big Birthday Energy. I wanted every part of the cake to feel like a celebration, from the sprinkles inside to the bold details on the outside!”
In total, the 5-hour ENERGY cake took him about six hours. For some of us non-bakers, that seems like a huge undertaking and a crazy long time. But Ellen was quick to point out, “Trust me, that’s pretty quick in the cake decorating world.”
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How He Stayed Energized While Making the Cake
“Besides being a baker, I’m also an entrepreneur, which means I’m always juggling a hundred things at once and, yes… I’m usually tired,” Ellen admits. “Without caffeine, everything moves more slowly, and I’ve even forgotten ingredients before because I’m zoning out. But with a boost from 5-Hour ENERGY? I’m focused, productive and ready to actually get things done. I swear I was ready to bake another cake after this one!”
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How Does the Confetti Craze Flavor Compare to Real Cake, According to a Master Baker?
“The Confetti Craze flavor tastes just like a Funfetti cake in liquid form,” Ellen tells Parade. “It’s buttery, sweet and really does taste like a celebration, which is exactly what cake is all about. It honestly surprised me how close it was!”
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This story was originally reported by Parade on Aug 27, 2025, where it first appeared in the Food & Drink section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
