Pretty as a picture: Desserts drawn from modern art

10 : 06 : 2013 San Francisco : Cake : Pastry

San Francisco – A pastry chef has taken food artistry to the next level with a cookbook inspired by modern masterpieces.

Moma modern art desserts Moma modern art desserts
Moma modern art desserts Moma modern art desserts

Modern Art Desserts by Caitlin Freeman of San Francisco’s Blue Bottle Coffee, presents 27 playful desserts inspired by the work of artists such as Henri Matisse, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol and Frida Kahlo.

Particularly striking are the Mondrian cake that graces the book’s cover, the translucent layered Warhol gelée and the Avedon honey-pistachio bee parfait.

Freeman looked to the collection at San Francisco’s Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), where Blue Bottle has opened a café, for ideas. And SFMOMA’s curator of painting and sculpture Janet Bishop has provided notes for each recipe.

For more on the future of eating, look out for our forthcoming Food Futures report.

Discover More Daily Signals
How WMH&I is uniting land and people through design

Daily Signals

How WMH&I is uniting land and people through design

Environmental charity Natural Habitat has unveiled a new identity by WMH&I, designed to reconnect communities with land through emotionally res...
Sustainability : Design : Branding
Foresight Friday: Savannah Scott, creative director

Daily Signals

Foresight Friday: Savannah Scott, creative director

Every Friday, we offer an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues, ideas and virals we’re all talking about. This week, our creative director Sav...
Foresight Friday : SXSW : Creativity
Stat: Gen Z turns to social for food inspiration as video dominates media habits

Daily Signals

Stat: Gen Z turns to social for food inspiration as video dominates media habits

Gen Z’s media habits are evolving rapidly, with video platforms and social feeds reshaping how young audiences consume content – and what influence...
Drinks : Social Media : Inspiration
SXSW 2026: How can brands move on the pulse of culture? 

Daily Signals

SXSW 2026: How can brands move on the pulse of culture? 

On day three of SXSW 2026, the conversation turned to one of the biggest buzzwords in modern marketing: community.
Global Events : SXSW : Marketing
The China Playbook: What brands get right and wrong about Chinese New Year campaigns

Daily Signals

The China Playbook: What brands get right and wrong about Chinese New Year campaigns

The China Playbook is a monthly briefing from Hot Pot China equipping businesses with the knowledge to navigate the complexities of the Asian premi...
Hot Pot : The China Playbook : Chinese New Year
Stat: How everyday rituals are becoming markers of status

Daily Signals

Stat: How everyday rituals are becoming markers of status

According to a recent report by global fashion and media brand Highsnobiety, status is becoming embedded in everyday rituals, enviro...
Groceries : Identity : Beauty
SXSW 2026: Why boring brands are borrowing from entertainment to break the internet

Daily Signals

SXSW 2026: Why boring brands are borrowing from entertainment to break the internet

On day two of SXSW 2026 speakers challenged a long-held assumption in marketing: that so-called ‘boring’ categories must produce dull advertising.
Global Events : SXSW : Advertising & Branding
Why WhatsApp is launching pre-teen accounts

Daily Signals

Why WhatsApp is launching pre-teen accounts

Instant messaging service WhatsApp is expanding its user base by introducing pre-teen accounts, lowering access to include users aged under 13 for ...
Social Media : Parental Control : Online Safety
Stat: How to appeal to each generation through visual design

Daily Signals

Stat: How to appeal to each generation through visual design

New research from Adobe reveals a widening generational divide in how UK consumers perceive design, with younger audiences placing significantly gr...
Design : Branding : Marketing
Creators, community and culture take centre stage at SXSW Austin 2026

Daily Signals

Creators, community and culture take centre stage at SXSW Austin 2026

A central question echoed across discussions on the first day of SXSW 2026: how can brands tap into culture in a way that feels genuinely relevant?
Global Events : SXSW : Marketing
You have 1 free Daily Signals remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN