How To Make Graduation Cupcake Toppers
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Last Updated on 30th April 2022 by Vicki
Hi everyone, this week I’ve been busy making these graduation cupcake toppers and I’m so excited to show you how to make them. With summer on the horizon, it reminds me of my last days of university and my graduation. I thought I would get in early with these graduation cupcakes, so anyone who would like to make them will have time to be fully prepared! As usual, I’ve added a list of all the items used in these tutorials, at the bottom of the page. Since writing these tutorials, I have also made video tutorials too. I’ve included them in this post. You will find them after the written ones.
There are five cake topper tutorials in this post. As there are so many, I’ve created links to each tutorial if you would like to skip to a particular one.
- Graduation Cap Cake Topper Tutorial
- Graduation Gown Cake Topper Tutorial
- Scroll Cake Topper Tutorial
- Rosette Cake Topper Tutorial
- Graduation Book Cake Topper Tutorial
I used the same four modelling paste colours to make these toppers because I wanted a uniformed colour to flow throughout. I’ve included the colour of the modelling pastes at the bottom of the page. You can obviously use any colour you would like.
How To Make A Graduation Cap Cake Topper
Take about 10g of black modelling paste and form it into an egg shape.
Make sure the bottom is flat and also flatten the top slightly. This will be the main part of the cap.
Roll out some black modelling paste and cut out a square that is slightly bigger than your cap. Allow both the cap and the square piece to set.
Once the pieces are set, use a little edible glue to stick the square on top of the hat. You may need to hold it in place for a few seconds to adhere.
Form a small piece of yellow modelling paste into a tadpole shape.
Use a knife modelling tool to mark the tassels on the wider end of the piece. Ensure to mark both the top and sides.
Stick the tassels onto the hat as can be seen above.
Finish off the graduation cap by sticking a small ball of black modelling paste in the middle of the square.
How To Make A Graduation Gown Cake Topper
Roll out some black modelling paste and cut out a rectangle about 5.5cm by 4cm.
Using a circle cutter that is bigger that your shape, cut a curve along the bottom.
Your shape should now look like the image above.
Begin cutting the paste into a gown shape. Make two cuts about 2.5cm in length as can be seen above. Then cut outwards to make the bottom of the sleeves.
Next, make two diagonal cuts upwards on both sides to make the sleeves. You can see how this is done in the image above. Lastly, use the larger end of a piping tip to cut out the neck part of the gown.
Next, cut two strips of yellow modelling paste with pointed ends.
Stick these strips onto the gown as can be seen above.
Trim the strips to fit and neaten with your fingers.
How To Make A Graduation Scroll Cupcake Topper
To make the colour of the scroll, I added a tiny amount of PME Old Gold food colouring to some white modelling paste. You could of course leave it white, but I was going for an old traditional scroll vibe!
Roll out the modelling paste and cut out a rectangle about 6cm by 9cm.
Use something like a straw or cake dowel to help you roll up the scroll. I used a cake dowel.
Secure the scroll with a tiny bit of glue. Only glue in the middle, so you can shape the ends of the scroll.
Pull the cake dowel out. Gently squeeze the middle of the scroll with your fingers so it impresses slightly.
Flick the ends up with your fingers so it looks like paper.
Roll out a very thin tube of red modelling paste.
Use a rolling pin to gently flatten the tube.
Apply a small amount of glue along the red modelling paste and then place the scroll in the middle.
Wrap both ends of the red paste around the scroll and trim with scissors.
Stick a small ball of yellow modelling paste on the join, as can be seen above.
Flatten with your fingers or a ball tool.
Your finished graduation scroll cupcake topper!
How To Make A Rosette Cupcake Topper For Graduation Cupcakes
To make the shape of the rosette I used a wavy edge circle cutter by PME. They come in a set of 3 different sizes. I used the smallest one from the set, but you can make any sized rosette that you wish!
Roll out some yellow modelling paste and then cut out a wavy edge circle.
Cut out two strips of yellow modelling paste. Make sure they are the right size for your circle and then cut out a triangle shape from one end of each strip.
Next, you need to cut out a circle of white modelling paste. Note : The circle needs to be smaller than your yellow circle. Cut out a star and stick it in the middle of your white circle.
Stick the ribbon tails on the back of the rosette, as can be seen above.
Turn the rosette over and stick the white circle in the middle. Leave the rosette to harden.
How To Make a Book Cupcake Topper
To make the pages, I again used my modelling paste that was coloured with PME Old Gold. Again, you can just use white, I just wanted my book to look old.
Form about 15g of modelling paste into a small but thick rectangle.
Use a knife modelling tool to mark pages on one side and both the top and bottom.
If you cut into the corners slightly you give the book more of a weathered look.
Leave this to dry. Note, I wanted a weathered looking book, but if you wanted more of a modern look you could flatten the part that will be the spine of the book.
I left the pages to harden for a few hours. I did this so it would be easier to add the front cover without damaging the pages.
Making The Books Cover
Roll out some red modelling paste that is larger that the pages of your book. Apply a little glue to the back of the pages and place it on top of the red paste.
Trim around your book, making sure the cover will overhang slightly.
TIP : To make the front cover, bring the paste over gently and make a small mark where you need to trim it.
Place the paste back down and cut where you have marked.
Apply a little glue on the top pages before covering them with the front cover. Cut two small strips of yellow modelling paste and stick them on the top and bottom of the spine.
Finish off the book by sticking a tube of red modelling paste where the spine begins. Lastly, stick a small star in the middle.
I hope you liked reading about how to make these graduation cupcake decorations. I really loved making them! Below is a list of all the items that I used.
Items Used To Make The Graduation Cake Toppers
- Dahlia Black Renshaw Flower and Modelling Paste : https://tidd.ly/3jcIhUF
- Carnation Red Renshaw Flower and Modelling Paste : https://tidd.ly/3xqtKd7
- White Renshaw Flower and Modelling Paste : https://tidd.ly/3flCE5y
- Daffodil Yellow Renshaw Flower and Modelling Paste : https://tidd.ly/3Ca28N8
- PME Old Gold Food Colouring Paste : https://tidd.ly/2TMVf2H
- FMM Knife and Scriber Tool : https://amzn.to/2Rthyce
- PME Ball Tool : https://tidd.ly/3rNtDqQ
- PME Wavy Edged Cutter (I used the small one in this tutorial) : https://tidd.ly/3rU1LRZ
- Cake Star Edible Glue : https://amzn.to/3nSNAuA
- Small Circle Cutter (Smaller than the smallest wavy circle cutter)
- Star Plunger Cutter : https://tidd.ly/3ftOx9k
- Knife : https://tidd.ly/3C8BZy8
- Clean Paintbrush : https://tidd.ly/3xtrKRz
- Cake Dowel (A straw or something similar would do here) : https://tidd.ly/3Cd6Ut2
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A Cake On Life is an affiliate for The Cake Decorating Company and an Amazon Associate. I may earn a small commission if you purchase products via my links. This is at no extra cost to you, but allows me to keep writing these tutorials. I only suggest products that I like and use myself.
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