Museum Teaches Anatomy And Disease With Ghoulish Body Part Bake-Off

By Helen Thompson

Published October 28, 2012 at 1:21 PM EDT

Lung Cancer Warning: A cake by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SarahHardyCakes">Sarah Hardy Cakes</a> in London juxtaposes a healthy lung with that of a smoker.

1 of 13 — Lung Cancer Warning: A cake by Sarah Hardy Cakes in London juxtaposes a healthy lung with that of a smoker.

Lung Cancer Warning: A cake by Sarah Hardy Cakes in London juxtaposes a healthy lung with that of a smoker.

Kidney Cake: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cakesbyvictoria">Cakes by Victoria</a> baked this marshmallow red velvet cake to look like a post mortem, polycystic kidney.

2 of 13 — Kidney Cake: Cakes by Victoria baked this marshmallow red velvet cake to look like a post mortem, polycystic kidney.

Kidney Cake: Cakes by Victoria baked this marshmallow red velvet cake to look like a post mortem, polycystic kidney.

Bacterial 'Jelly' with a Kick: Jello cocktails depicting bacterial sample smears in laboratory petri dishes from the <a href="http://www.conjurerskitchen.com/">Conjurer's Kitchen</a>.

3 of 13 — Bacterial 'Jelly' with a Kick: Jello cocktails depicting bacterial sample smears in laboratory petri dishes from the Conjurer's Kitchen.

Bacterial 'Jelly' with a Kick: Jello cocktails depicting bacterial sample smears in laboratory petri dishes from the Conjurer's Kitchen.

4 of 13 — Operation!: Just like in the popular children's game, this set of macaroons by cakemaker Miss Insomnia Tulip look like realistic human organs.

Operation!: Just like in the popular children's game, this set of macaroons by cakemaker Miss Insomnia Tulip look like realistic human organs.

STD cupcakes: From <a href="http://www.twolittlecats.co.uk/">Two Little Cats Bakery</a> in Cambridge & Hertfordshire, these chocolate cupcakes feature symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases, including gonorrhea, syphilis, genital warts, chlamydia and HIV.

5 of 13 — STD cupcakes: From Two Little Cats Bakery in Cambridge & Hertfordshire, these chocolate cupcakes feature symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases, including gonorrhea, syphilis, genital warts, chlamydia and HIV.

STD cupcakes: From Two Little Cats Bakery in Cambridge & Hertfordshire, these chocolate cupcakes feature symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases, including gonorrhea, syphilis, genital warts, chlamydia and HIV.

6 of 13 — You don't have to be a zombie to eat a brain: Brain truffles by Freya & Rachel look surprisingly like they just might contain a neuron or two.

You don't have to be a zombie to eat a brain: Brain truffles by Freya & Rachel look surprisingly like they just might contain a neuron or two.

7 of 13 — A Pathologist's Dozen: This set of twelve cupcakes by Tattoo Cakes depict historical illustrations of human anatomy.

A Pathologist's Dozen: This set of twelve cupcakes by Tattoo Cakes depict historical illustrations of human anatomy.

RBC Cupcakes: <a href="http://www.denisebakescakes.co.uk/">Denise Bakes Cakes</a> of north London prepared these red velvet cupcakes topped with platelets and a raspberry jam and syrup center.

8 of 13 — RBC Cupcakes: Denise Bakes Cakes of north London prepared these red velvet cupcakes topped with platelets and a raspberry jam and syrup center.

RBC Cupcakes: Denise Bakes Cakes of north London prepared these red velvet cupcakes topped with platelets and a raspberry jam and syrup center.

An Anatomical Model: This sponge cake with marzipan icing by the <a href="http://www.conjurerskitchen.com/">Conjurer's Kitchen</a>, a specialty baker, depict the art of wax modeling called "moulage" first developed during the Renaissance.

9 of 13 — An Anatomical Model: This sponge cake with marzipan icing by the Conjurer's Kitchen, a specialty baker, depict the art of wax modeling called "moulage" first developed during the Renaissance.

An Anatomical Model: This sponge cake with marzipan icing by the Conjurer's Kitchen, a specialty baker, depict the art of wax modeling called "moulage" first developed during the Renaissance.

10 of 13 — Suicide Stomach Contents: Bartender James Dance of Loading in Cornwall concocted this mixture of flavored vodka, chocolate pieces, skittles, and absinthe, with empty pill casings for garnish, modeled on pathology lab stomach specimen.

Suicide Stomach Contents: Bartender James Dance of Loading in Cornwall concocted this mixture of flavored vodka, chocolate pieces, skittles, and absinthe, with empty pill casings for garnish, modeled on pathology lab stomach specimen.

11 of 13 — Festival organizer, pathologist, and baker Carla Connolly injects a cake make to look like human flesh in this promotional shot for the museum's bake sale.

Festival organizer, pathologist, and baker Carla Connolly injects a cake make to look like human flesh in this promotional shot for the museum's bake sale.

Toe nail cookies by <a href="http://neviepiecakes.com/">Nevie Pie Cakes</a> depict three unfortunate toe ailments: a fungal infection, corns, and chilblain.

12 of 13 — Toe nail cookies by Nevie Pie Cakes depict three unfortunate toe ailments: a fungal infection, corns, and chilblain.

Toe nail cookies by Nevie Pie Cakes depict three unfortunate toe ailments: a fungal infection, corns, and chilblain.

13 of 13 — What a boob: A cupcake by cakemaker "Miss Insomnia Tulip" draws inspiration from breast diagrams in educational pathology.

What a boob: A cupcake by cakemaker "Miss Insomnia Tulip" draws inspiration from breast diagrams in educational pathology.

Everyone's crazy for cupcakes these days, as our pals over at The Salt will tell you. So why not use them to lure the public into a conversation about STDs and platelets?

That's what St. Bartholomews Pathology Museum in the U.K. is up to this weekend, and the baked goods on the menu are quite the frightening sight.

Just in time for Halloween, the event brings together specialty bakers and pathologists from across the U.K. "It's two different worlds colliding but it's a very interesting mix," says Carla Connolly, the pathology museum's technician and a co-organizer.

Along side the bake sale, the museum is hosting a lecture series. Topics range from venereal diseases in 17th century London to the importance of dangers of cancer screening.

Through Sunday, the museum will display an assortment of cakes, chocolates, cookies, and cocktails that would add flavor to any haunted house. Some highlights include: a trio of cookies made to look like fungus-infected toes, red blood cell cupcakes, diseased kidney cakes, and a macaroon display that reads like a medical textbook diagram. (For other creepy treats, see the slideshow above.)