Make-a-Cake Series: Character Figures
Posted by Ashley 
28 Comments
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Every kid wants their favorite character on top of their birthday cake, right?
Making characters for the top of a cake can be tricky.
I am going to show you how I made a character figure and hopefully it will give you some steps to and tricks to get started on your little ones favorite character.
Do you know who Foofa is?
Do your kids watch the show Yo Gabba Gabba?
My little girls love that show.
Does anyone know what it is about that show that is so captivating?
I don’t quite get it.
She looks like this:
Supplies:
Gumpaste
Gumpaste modeling tools
Picture of your character
So we start building from the bottom up.
(And I keep the picture out the entire time so that I can constantly refer to it.)
Make two balls about the same size. One for each leg.
Roll them out into logs.
Take your gumpaste tool that looks like this (or the backside of a butter knife) and press down while pushing up with your finger on the end.
Cut out flowers.
We are going to need two flowers for Foofa.
One for the collar that goes around her neck and one for on top of her head.
Cut out 1 larger and thicker flower for the collar.
Cut out a smaller and thinner flower for the head.
Mold arms.
Start out with two balls the same size. Roll them out leaving thicker “balls” at the end for hands.
Using your gumpaste tool or a clean pair of scissors, make thumbs in the hands.
Place the legs in the shape of a V with the feet facing out.
Add a small amount of water at the top of the legs and attach the body.
Add water to the back of the arm and place it on the figure, making sure it wraps around to the back of the body. Repeat on the other side with the second arm.
Add the thicker larger flower to the top of the body.
I use a toothpick inserted into the body to hold on the head. It’s extra support just in case.
Foofa has a teardrop shaped head, and I gave her the post on top to attach the flower.
(I use Americolor Food Writer markers. I like this type because the tips are like a paintbrush)
I rolled out some gumpaste very thin. Then I used the cap from the food color marker and cut out eyes.
I placed the eye on the table and traced it with black food coloring marker to get the outline.
Attach the eyes with water to the head.
Draw pupils and lashes with a food color pen.
By this time, the smaller flower will be dry enough to attach.
Draw a center to the flower with a yellow food color marker and attach the flower with a little bit of water.
Attach the head.
Place a small amount of water on the collar around the toothpick.
Slide the head down the toothpick onto the body.
Done.
It’s not perfect…but there is a decent similarity, right?
I think it works great!
Give it a try!
Next week I am going to continue with another post on figures.
It will be little pandas next time……too cute!
Related posts:
-
Make-a-Cake Series: Almost Too Much Chocolate Cake -
Make-a-Cake Series: Fondant Candy -
Make-a-Cake Series: Cake Tattoo -
Make-a-Cake Series: English Lemon Cake -
Make-a-Cake Series: 'My Little Pony' Cake and Rainbow Cookies
my daughter LOVE Foofa and YGG! I might have to try to make this. Thanks!
This is so cute!! Any little one would love to have this one :) Great job!
You make it look so EASY!! And I think she looks exactly like the picture. Fantastic Cake!!
that's awesome!
That is so so so darn cute. Fabulous job and your tutorial is wonderful…I know how much time goes into doing that. Congrats.
super cute! i love these posts! i can't say that i try everyone of them, but it's so nice to have another "craft" to try. it's definitely unique! thanks for the tips!
yo gabba gabba is AWESOME! i think i love it more than my daughter does. they have the BEST musical guests.
good job on foofa! you made it look easy!
Great job!
That is simply fantastic! You did a wonderful job! I love seeing your work!
That is awesome–I'm actually having a yo gabba party for my daughter!!!
You did a great job. It looks awesome!
So cute. your are so talented!
We love Foofa, were is lance
This is fantastic! I am totally making this for my Foofa-loving almost 2 year old's birthday!
That is beautiful, I can't believe how perfect it looks!
You make that look so easy! I don't know how you got her to look so much like the picture! Great job!
I love it!
Oh thanks! I am making my daughter's birthday cake this week and started looking for YGG toppers. I might just make it myself! I am super excited and you did this at the right time for me. =)
Super cute!!!
My 2 year old love Gabba so much she's going to the live show next month for her birthday.
Yooooooooooooooooooooooo Gabba Gabba!
Too cute!!!!
Just curious, what do you do with the character when you're done. DO you eat it? Let it dry and make an ornament out of it?
Heidi
prairiewhisper– You can eat it. When we have a figure at our house we let the birthday kid have the figure. Be sure the warn whoever is going to eat it that there is a toothpick though.
I bet you could turn it into an ornament until someone realized it's sugar….then it might not last very long. ha ha
So very cute!! You are so talented!!!!
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I found your blog and LOVE IT!!!! I can't wait to make this for my daughters first birthday next month! I have a few questions and hope you don't mind how late they are since you posted this….
1. How far in advance did you make Foofa/flowers? or How far in advance can you make Foofa/flowers?
2. Did you have any problems with Foofa cracking when you were done?
(can you tell this is my first time actually doing a figure…)
Thanks for the post I love it and has helped give me the confidence to do this crazy cake :)
Mills- Oh how exciting your first cake project! You might find it very addictive!
As for your questions. you can make your flowers days (up to a week) in advance if you want them to harden. If you want them to stick flat to the cake then you need to do it the day you decorate fo the fondant is still soft.
I have had figures with carcks before but I could see the crack when I made the figure so I would just roll the peice again and start over. If you knead the fondant well you sould not have any cracks.
I hope it goes well!
Brittany
I was just wondering how much fondant you need to use for the Foofa? My 2 year old is seriously obssessed with YGG & I have her cake being made at a bakery and then am wanting to top it with the Foofa next weekend! Thanks!
I know this is so late but I just found this post now and am so blown away by your skill. Have only ever followed your sewing tutorials but thought I’d check this out and am so amazed. Great work! Foofa looks perfect.