You won’t need lobster crackers to break into these lobster tails — the shells are actually made out of candy! Food Network Magazine covered store-bought pound cakes with candy-melt shells and fins, then painted them with chocolate syrup for a speckled effect. The corn on the cob is a miniature cake covered with jelly bean kernels, and the drawn butter is just a simple icing. Keep reading to see how this larger than life dessert comes together.

Get the Recipe: Lobster Tail Cakes

Step One

Trim off 1 1/2 inches from one short end of each cake, then trim off 3/4 inch from each of the long sides. Round the top edges of the cake with a serrated knife as shown.

Step Two

Make the corn: Round the edges of the 1 1/2-inch pieces of pound cake to look like 2 short pieces of corn.

Step Three

Cover the mini cakes with white frosting, then cover the tops and sides with jelly beans in tight rows.

Step Four

Make the lobster meat: Mix 1/2 cup frosting with the coconut in a medium bowl; set aside.

Step Five

Make the fins: Melt the red and yellow candy melts together in the microwave. Spoon 10 fin shapes onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Feather the ends with a toothpick. Chill until ready to use.

Step Six

Make the shells: Spread some candy melts inside a coated paper or plastic cup to make a wide U shape. Repeat to make 5 more shells. Put the cups in the freezer until the candy is set, 5 minutes.

Step Seven

Remove the shells from the freezer and wait a few seconds until they release easily from the cups. Make about 12, in case some break.

Step Eight

Cover the pound cakes with frosting. Carefully arrange the candy shells on top, overlapping them slightly.

Step Nine

Attach the fins to one end of the cakes using more melted candy melts.

Step Ten

Paint the shells with a little chocolate syrup so it beads and the shells look speckled.

Step Eleven

Put some of the coconut-frosting mixture on the exposed end of each pound cake to look like lobster meat.

Step Twelve

For the butter, mix the confectioners’ sugar with 1 to 2 tablespoons water. Tint with the yellow food coloring.

All Photographs by Ralph Smith

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