The Star Wars franchise was a phenomenon that rocked the world, and spawned an entire industry of offshoots, from television shows, to cereals. What’s most amazing about the Star Wars universe is how well it continues to resonate in American culture. There are countless examples of interesting Star Wars merchandising efforts, but here are some homegrown edible homages to some of the most beloved films of all time:

(Images via geekadelphia, slipperybrick)

Baking a cake is tricky enough, without having to make it stand on four articulated legs. It’s this management of the AT-AT’s design that makes these cakes so impressive. These homemade beauties do an excellent job replicating one of the Empire’s most awkward and unusual vehicles.

(Images via narwilliams, geeky-gadets, debbiedoescakes, official star wars blog)

Yoda is well loved because of his odd sense of humor, and fantastic cadence. His antics in the first three Star Wars films have given him even more pull with today’s youth, so it makes sense that he’d be featured in a lot of birthday cakes. I’m not sure how comfortable I’d feel scooping out his eye after blowing candles out on his forehead, but these cakes definitely look good.

(Images via official star wars blog, gizmodo, pixelbits)

There are so many different ways to go when making a Star Wars cake. Here are a few examples: The generic Star Wars cake you might get for a fan of the series without being too creative about it, the death star, for a challenge, and Han Solo frozen in carbonite, for someone who is quite familiar with the series and wanted points for choosing an interesting subject.

(Images via walyou, fresherthan)

One of the most memorable scenes from Star Wars took place on the ice planet Hoth, when Han Solo saved Luke by placing him inside the carcass of his steed (a Taun Taun). This couple decided to commemorate one of their favorite Star Wars moments with one of the greatest cakes I’ve seen. The gross subject matter makes the cake that much more interesting as a wedding cake.

(Images via darthmojo, geeky gadgets, the toy zone)

Even the lesser known characters in Star Wars get in the limelight on occasion, as exemplified by these cakes. Jabba the Hutt and the robotics-scavenging Jawa are both residents of the desert planet Tatooine, and this blue band member is straight out of Jabba’s palace in the original Empire Strikes Back film.

(Images via n_rdflickr, craftzine, easy-cake-ideas, geeksugar)

R2D2 is an all time favorite character – how can you not like his anthropormorphized antics and sense of humor? A great foil to his always tentative and uptight robotic partner C-3PO, R2D2 provides some great comic relief, and showcases a consistent loyalty that wins over plenty of fans.

(Images via delish, geeky-gadgets, craziestgadgets)

The Millennium Falcon is frequently characterized as a rusty hunk of junk in the Star Wars films, but Han Solo doesn’t let this get him down, as he knows she has a lot of life left in her. Large enough to stand on its own in a fight, and small enough to have some real agility, this spaceship is well worth baking a cake out of.

(Images via craftster, thecakestore)

Chewbacca is like a gigantic teddy bear, and is just asking to be baked into a cake. From the stylized depiction, to a more realistic vision, any Chewbacca cake is bound to be a hit at the party.

It’s strange to say, but cake technology is improving. The invention of new kinds of icing that can be sculpted to hold nearly any form, combined with age-old baking techniques, are creating a boom in the creative cake industry. With amateur and professional bakers pushing the boundaries of cakedom and their own creativity, a lot of awesome examples are cropping up. Of course, geeks are well represented. Here are some wonderfully artistic and geeky examples of the modern cake craft:

Creative Cakes

(Images via tribe, cakesite)

Wedding cakes are often the most traditional aspect of any wedding reception, but times they are a changin’, and as people loosen up and attempt to have a fun, relaxed affair, rather than the uptight ceremony of our older generations, cakes have quite a bit more room to maneuver. I honestly can not say that these destructive examples are what I would want at my wedding, but there is no arguing that they’re not creative and interesting.

Television Themed

(Images via thebeckyblog, firehazard, connect)

Television shows are always a huge influence on the cake world (especially for children’t birthdays), and nostalgia is an endless source of inspiration as well. This Fraggle Rock cake is well designed and complex, and would be the envy of anyone who grew up in the 80’s.

Stargate Cakes

(Images via scifihero, greatwhitesnark)

The more geeky readers may recognize the show Stargate, represented in the form of two delicious looking cakes. I would find it difficult to cut into something so well done.

Mario and the Princess!

(Images via gamespot, bridella, brianjgreen, geekologie)

The super mario games raised a generation of children, and now that they’re all grown up and own ovens, you can guess what comes next. Mario inspiration is prevalent in the cake making world, and some of the creations are extraordinary detailed; works of art in their own right.

Starcraft Fan Cakes

(Images via tenletter, starcraft, teamliquid, sc2armory)

Fans of the popular Starcraft computer game are celebrating the launch of Starcraft 2 with cake tributes. The Zerg  (one of the alien races in the game) are heavily featured, probably because of the interesting contrast between a delicious looking cake, and a lizard-like alien race.

Ocean Themed

(Images via boingboing, courtneyscakes, weddingandcakes, debbiedoescakes)

The ocean as a party theme has been popular at formals and dances for as long as I can remember. Here are some cool examples of ocean themed cakes fit for a variety of settings – a formal gala or even a child’s birthday.

Camera Cake

(Images via cookdays, oddee)

Any photographer would shutter (I know, I know) at the idea of scooping a chunk out of his prized camera, but a red velvet center makes it quite a bit more appealing. The details on this cake, and the unique subject matter, are what make it so stunning.

Halloween Party

(Images via yourbestwedding, zombiesandtoys, accidentallydomesticated)

Are you looking for a delicious and interesting cake for your next Halloween party? Would you like your October wedding to have a macabre theme? Here are some great looking cakes that would thrill any party goers, and would fit deliciously into a scary party.

Dungeons & Dragons

(whosmoreawesome, funtim, gizmopolis, knightly-slumber)

The long and serpentine appearance of a dragon makes it incredibly difficult to form out of cake, but some have stepped up to the challenge and emerged victorious. The Dungeons & Dragons themed cake is especially captivating, with its wonderful red coloring and long, slender neck. These cakes would stun any fantasy fan.