How To Make Succulent Cupcake Toppers

Roll out some green modelling paste to about 5mm thick. This is much thicker than if you were making flower petals, but succulents are much thicker.

Cut out a shape using the largest sunflower cutter. TOP TIP! To help you get clean edges, gently brush around the edges with a food graded brush.

Use a ball tool to gently flatten the centre of the shape. This helps the shape to curve. A foam pad is helpful here, as you can shape the modelling paste without ripping it.

Using a smaller ball tool, apply a gentle pressure to each leaf so you make a long indent. As can be seen above.

Smooth off any bumps in the middle with your larger ball tool.

Gently pinch the ends of each leaf with your fingers to create a point.

You should now have something that looks similar to the image above.

Place the shape in the largest celformer.

The smallest one may need to be pushed into the smallest celformer with a tool.

Above you can see all my separate layers, drying in their celformers. I left them overnight to dry.

Gently apply the dust to the pointed edges of the succulent with a food graded brush.

Carry on until all the sizes have been dusted.

Stick a small amount of modelling paste in the middle of the largest shape as can be seen above. Doing this helps the next layer to stick and also raising it slightly, making it look more realistic.

Secure the second layer in place with a little edible glue or vodka. Try to place the second layer so the leaves are in between the first layer.

Repeat the process again, by applying a tiny ball modelling paste in the middle and then sticking on the next layer.

Repeat the process again for the final layer.

Take one leaf off your extra piece, apply some burgundy dust to the tip.

As with the previous layers, stick a tiny ball of modelling paste in the centre.

Now, stick you extra leaf in the very middle of the plant to fill the hole.

Roll 6 pieces of modelling paste into equal balls. Mine were about the size of marbles.

Next, roll them into tear shapes.

Repeat the process again, but with slightly smaller balls.

You should now have something resembling the image above.

Next, take a piece of green modelling paste and flatten it into a disc shape. Make sure it isn’t stuck to the surface, before applying a little vodka or edible glue all over the top.

Now, stick the larger tear shapes on the disc shape as can be seen above.

Keep going until all the 6 shapes are on the disc. If needed, you can also apply a little glue to either side of the tear shapes, so they stick to each other.

Now, stick a ball of green modelling paste in the middle, as can be seen above. Apply a little vodka or edible glue to the top.

Apply vodka or edible glue to the flat side of the remaining tear shapes and stick them on top of the first layer. Try to arrange them in between the first layer of shapes.

Keep going until the second layer is complete. Make sure you leave a small hole in the middle.

Form one last tear shape and stick it the remaining hole. Place the topper in a safe place and it leave overnight to set.

Once set, you can enhance your cupcake topper with some edible dust. For this tutorial I used Sugarflair’s Apple Green edible dust.

I trimmed off the top of my chocolate cupcake until it was about 1cm down the pot.

Next, I piped some chocolate buttercream on top. You could just spoon it on if you preferred.

I blitzed some Oreos in my blender until they resembled soil. I then carefully spooned the Oreo crumbs on top of the buttercream. It’s a good idea to place the cupcake on a small plate while you do this, as the crumbs do tend to go everywhere!

Make a sausage shape with your modelling paste. Mine was about 1cm thick.

Cut this into 6 equal parts.

Form each part into a flat tear shape.

Use a ball tool to shape each leaf.

Make a flat circle using a piece of purple modelling paste.

Stick the edges of your leaves on the flat circle.

Place the leaves in the largest celformer and leave overnight to dry.

Continue the leaf making process to make 5 slightly smaller leaves and 4 even smaller leaves.

Repeat again to make 6 tiny leaves.

Take two of the smallest leaves and stick a ball of modelling paste in one, as can be seen above.

Now stick the other leaf on top, pinching it at one end.

Squeeze the pinched end together to create a diamond shape. These will be your middle leaves.

Once dry you can shade the edge of the leaves. I used Sugarflair Blush Pink dust to shade mine.

Dust the edges of all the leaves.

Place a piece of purple modelling paste in the middle, as can be seen above. This will help to secure your next layer.

Stick your next largest leaves on your topper. Try to place them in the middle of the leaves below if you can. Next, place another blob of purple modelling paste in the middle.

Now repeat with the next size down.

Repeat with you final four leaves.

Finally, stick the middle leaves on your topper.

Place a flat disc of green modelling paste in a large celformer. TOP TIP : Use cornflour underneath the paste to ensure it doesn’t stick to the celformer.

Take a piece of green modelling paste and form it into cone shape. Mine was about 5cm long and 1cm at its widest.

TOP TIP : Using a cake soother to form the cone, will ensure a smooth finish.

Next, form a triangle shape along the top of the cone and press the base flat. Then, flatten the wide end.

Now stick your leaf on the disc, letting it overlap the sides of the celformer.

Repeat this process to make three other similar sized leaves. Stick them together as can be seen above.

If you can still see some of the disc below the leaves, then neaten with your brush.

To make your leaves more realistic, you could dry them at different heights. To do this, just prop them up slightly with a food graded product.

Repeat the leaf making process to make four more leaves. Make them roughly the same length as before but slimmer. Place the leaves to dry on something curved. I used my rolling pin.

Lastly, make four more slimmer leaves about 4cm long. Then make one smaller leaf.

Stick the four leaves around the smallest one, as can be seen above.

This is the middle of the plant and needs to dry upright. I used some tin foil in an eggcup to help keep it vertical.

Once the leaves have hardened, paint white dots all over them. I used my white Fractal Colours Calligra Edible Ink Brush Pen to do this.

Stick a circle of green modelling paste in the middle and brush some vodka over it. Leave it for a few seconds to go tacky.

Now stick a curved leaf onto the tacky modelling paste. Position it in between two leaves on the first layer.

Repeat with the other three curved leaves. Position them as can be seen above.

Now stick another disc of green modelling paste in the middle. This will help to secure the second layer and support the final layer. Brush this again with vodka and allow to go tacky.

Stick the middle of the plant in position. Use a brush to neaten any excess and reinforce the join between the fresh modelling paste and the middle the plant.