All you really need to make this little guy is a knowledge of basic shapes. If you remember your circles and teardrops from kindergarten, you’re already halfway there!
| I thought up this cake topper after I found a picture of a baby shower cake that a client liked, but said was a little too bare and boring on top. The cake is jungle-themed and the only animal that wasn't part of the design yet was an elephant. I began by mixing some leftover dark gray fondant with an equal amount of plain white fondant. I had previously dyed the fondant gray using Wilton icing colors; concentrated gel colors in small screw-top canisters that are specifically for baking. They actually make “gray” and “dark gray” color options, but you could always use a small amount of black and add more as needed. |  All photographs by Olivia Hall |
When dying and working with fondant, you want to be quite wary of your body temperature. Just like when making meatballs, a 96 degree hand can actually start to cook the product while you're rolling and shaping it. Once fondant is malleable, it can quickly become sticky and thin. Always keep it moving and use the heel of your palm to keep folding it over itself. If the color is not evenly spread yet but the fondant is getting too warm, keep your hands and working surface dusted with flour or cornstarch.
 Shaping the body. | After the color was fully mixed, I took a 2-3 inch round piece for the body. I rolled it with slight pressure into a ball until there were no visible cracks or wrinkles on the surface. Then I pinched one side until the piece became teardrop-shaped. I flattened the bottom on my counter so it sat up straight and placed it on a piece of waxed paper that it would not stick to while it dried. I took a fairly large piece for the head, almost disproportionately large as compared to the body, so that I could pull a trunk out of it later without it becoming too small. I made two smaller teardrop shapes for the feet using the same technique as the body, and rolled two smaller log shapes for the arms. |
Shaping the limbs. I've seen a few tutorials for toppers where the limbs are attached with toothpicks, but I prefer to use water and an edge blending method. In my art classes when I was younger I was taught to attach two different pieces of clay by scoring them with a toothpick (drawing a pound symbol), wetting them with a drop of water, gently pressing them into each other and blending the edges with my finger. I do the same with fondant so that the pieces naturally blend together. You only need one drop of water, any more will make a sticky mess that takes forever to dry.
We’re almost there! For the ears, I took two smaller circles and flattened them out in my palm. I used by index finger and thumb to pull the bottom out slightly, making an elephant ear shape. I used the same method as above to attach the ears to the head, blending the edges over the back of the head with the pad of my finger.
I attached the head to the body with one half of a toothpick and laid the entire elephant on its back. I did this so that he would sit up straight on top of the cake, and so that his ears would not fold or curl too far forward. For the trunk, I started pinching the front of the head forward and out until it was long and even enough to bend down and slightly curl around itself.
I attached the head to the body with one half of a toothpick and laid the entire elephant on its back. I did this so that he would sit up straight on top of the cake, and so that his ears would not fold or curl too far forward. For the trunk, I started pinching the front of the head forward and out until it was long and even enough to bend down and slightly curl around itself.
Limb and ear shapes. Once the sculpture has dried a bit – meaning it’s no longer shiny or sticky – I used the above-mentioned gel icing color and a small bit of vodka in a bowl to paint on the elephant’s features. These included the eyes, some wrinkles and lines on the nose, ears and feet. Using any type of alcohol instead of water will allow for a quick-drying paint that doesn’t soak the fondant, since alcohol evaporates much faster than water. And don’t worry, it doesn’t leave a taste! Since this piece will be topping a cake that is completely covered in fondant, I’m going to attach it with a slight dab of water. If you're a little bit more worried about a large sculpture holding its own, you could always use toothpicks or a mini dowel to stick it into the top of the cake. Just insert the support of your choice into the body about halfway through the drying process and allow an inch or two to remain visible.
One thing to be careful of when working with fondant is unwanted nail marks. If your nails are very long, please be cautious about leaving marks in the dough. To prevent this, use your knuckles or pads of your fingers. The heel of your palms work very well for things to; use everything you’ve got!
One thing to be careful of when working with fondant is unwanted nail marks. If your nails are very long, please be cautious about leaving marks in the dough. To prevent this, use your knuckles or pads of your fingers. The heel of your palms work very well for things to; use everything you’ve got!
Forming the elephant's trunk. The key to reliable cake toppers is to let them dry fully. Depending on the size and thickness, sculptures can take up to two weeks to dry thoroughly. Especially if you plan on the piece not being supported by anything, you want to give it more time than you think is enough time to harden – better to be safe than sorry! This elephant was made two weeks prior to the event.
You can always make a cake topper or sculpture out of gum paste – and some people prefer this medium – but the last time I used it, I found that it was very dry and had to be worked with super quickly. That's not to say though, that the shapes did not dry rock hard and exactly how they wanted them. I just usually like to take my time and not rush, just in case I have to tweak something. I find that gum paste is definitely worth using when you have a pattern laid out or drawn out, or have a mold that you're going to put it in. If you're mixing your gum paste from scratch, you can always decrease the amount of powdered sugar to keep it moister. But more on that at another time.
Just remember, simplifying things into basic shapes will help them seem less intimidating and allow you to create anything you want. Namaste!
You can always make a cake topper or sculpture out of gum paste – and some people prefer this medium – but the last time I used it, I found that it was very dry and had to be worked with super quickly. That's not to say though, that the shapes did not dry rock hard and exactly how they wanted them. I just usually like to take my time and not rush, just in case I have to tweak something. I find that gum paste is definitely worth using when you have a pattern laid out or drawn out, or have a mold that you're going to put it in. If you're mixing your gum paste from scratch, you can always decrease the amount of powdered sugar to keep it moister. But more on that at another time.
Just remember, simplifying things into basic shapes will help them seem less intimidating and allow you to create anything you want. Namaste!
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