Do you have an under the sea / mermaid themed cake to make? If so this tutorial is for you! I had so much fun creating and filming how to make this sweet mermaid figure for my latest tutorial. In the tutorial I got through step by step how to model each part of the mermaid and give you the exact weights to use, which makes it so easy, even if your new to modelling figures.
Scroll down to watch the step by step video tutorial!
When creating this mermaid I really wanted her to look like she’d come off of the pages of a children’s book. I really love how she turned out and I hope you do too! Now I made my mermaid with a very pink colour palette, but you can definitely change any of the colours to match the colours of the cake you’re making.
Click below to watch the tutorial showing how to make this sweet mermaid cake topper ⇩
Tools I used
Saracino: https://tidd.ly/3xTILKi (use code LYNZ10 for 10% off)
Saracino Black: https://amzn.to/3UFtyWe
Edible glue: https://tidd.ly/4beLXyD (use code LYNZ10 for 10% off)
Modelling tools: https://amzn.to/2WWfnOR
Wilton Ivory Gel Colour: https://tidd.ly/3UozvFC (use code LYNZ10 for 10% off)
Colour Splash Gel Colours: https://amzn.to/4aUxjNh
Sugarflair Petal Dusts (Dusky Pink): https://amzn.to/3w771s6
Sugarflair Petal Dusts (Blush Pink): https://amzn.to/3QpohQ8
SweetSticks Lustre Dust: https://bit.ly/47h9xbE (use code CAKESBYLYNZ15 for 15% off)
Dummy Cake: https://tidd.ly/3JENh2b (use code LYNZ10 for 10% off)
SweetStamp Paint Brushes: https://bit.ly/3pa6FsR (use code CAKESBYLYNZ for 10% off)
Wooden skewers: https://amzn.to/2R0LOeK
Mini Scales: https://amzn.to/3rbfSDh
~ Please note that the links above are affiliate links. If you click the link and purchase any item through that link, I will receive a small commission from the website but this does NOT add any additional costs to you. Thank you so much for supporting this blog x ~
Using Modelling Paste
For the topper I used the Saracino ‘Pasta Model’ modelling paste. You’ll see in the tutorial that I started with white and coloured this using gel food colours. The reason for using modelling paste, rather than fondant, is it firms up a lot more than fondant which really helps when modelling larger characters and toppers. If you don’t know the differences between fondant and modelling paste you can read more about it in my post: Differences between fondant, modelling paste and gumpaste
If you don’t have any Saracino you can add gumpaste (floral paste) to your fondant creating your own modelling paste. I actually use this method for some of my other cake toppers including a cute elephant topper. The combination of fondant and gumpaste usually dries a little quicker than Saracino, so you need to work a little faster, but it will help your models keep their shape and dry completely firm.
The mermaid was around 16cm when finished and I have her sitting on the edge of a 4inch dummy cake in the photo.
Making the right shade for your skin tone
Now as well as the colour of the mermaid’s hair and tail you might want to also change the colour of her skin tone. For skin tone I always tend to use 3 different colour food gels; ivory, pink and brown. For any skin tone I always like to start with ivory as a base colour, but I do find ivory can be a little yellow on it’s own, so I like to warm this up with a tiny amount of pink. This will give you a lighter skin tone similar to my mermaid on the right. To darken my modelling paste I then add brown, and you can add as little or as much as you need, depending on the shade you are looking to create.
Top Tip When Making Characters
When making your mermaid, or actually any characters for your cakes, the main thing you need to remember is to allow the body and head to dry separately before putting it together. The reason for this is if your body is still soft, when you add on the head, the weight of this can squish down and squash the body. This is especially important with figures with quite large heads, like the mermaid.
I have been wanting to add figures to the channel for a while and I am so happy to share this tutorial with you. I really hope you enjoy it and please let me know if you would like to see more figures on the channel and what you might want to see.
Also don’t forget to checkout some of my other cake topper tutorials including a cute little elephant, a lion, a giraffe, some monkeys and a cute little teddy bear, and if you haven’t already you can subscribe to my YouTube channel for more Free cake decorating video tutorials.
Plus why not save this tutorial for later and pin it to Pinterest