An electric candle device that resembles a real was candle includes an outer shell with an uneven edge around the top of the outer shell. The device includes one or more light emitting elements positioned within a cavity inside the outer shell and that emit beams at a non-zero angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the electric lighting device to provide illumination from within the cavity in an upward direction and reaching above the top surface after passing through the opening. An optical element is positioned to receive light from the one or more light emitting elements and to direct the received light toward the top surface. The optical element has a focal point to change one or both of a size and direction of the light received prior to projecting the light in the direction of the top surface.