Who can resist these cute turtle cake toppers? They are very easy to make and you can even scale the size down if you want to use them as a cupcake topper. You can mix the color combination as you like. Cant wait to get started? Here is my tutorial on how to make a turtle cake topper.

This is what I use:
Gum paste
Gel paste color for the turtle + black paste color for the eyes
Tylo glue
Small paint brush
Cocktail stick
Small knife + plastic bag (not showing on the photo)

Step 1:

Color your gum paste in desired colors for the “body”, the shell and the dots. Place the rest of the gum paste in a plastic bag. Take the color that you have chosen for the “body” and roll it into a sausage. Cut 4 pieces in the same size (feets) and save the rest for the head. Take the “feet” parts and roll them into a ball and shape them like a teardrop.
Note: It is possible that you need to adjust the amount of gum paste for the feets and the head.

Step 2:

Glue all 4 feets together with Tylo glue.

Step 3:

Take the gum paste for the shell and roll it into a ball. Form it into a toadstole shape and make it a little hollow at the bottom.

Step 4:

Brush a little tylo glue at the bottom of the shell and place it over the feets.

Step 5:

Take the “head” part and roll it into a little ball. Shape it so that it looks like a “golf club”.

Step 6:

Use the paint brush to make and indentation where the head will be.

Step 7:

Brush a little tylo glue in the indentation.

Step 8:

Attach the head. I have used my cornstarch duster as support for the head while it dries.

Step 9:

Roll very small balls of gum paste. Flatten them slightly and glue them on randomly over the shell.

Step 10:

All you need now is to make the eyes. Do that with a little black gel paste on a cocktail stick. Your cute little turtle cake topper is now ready to be used.

Happy Caking!

Louise

About Louise :

Louise is the founder and editor of CakeJournal. She's a passionate, self taught, cake artist who has been doing cake decorating since 2002. | View all posts by Louise

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93 comments


  1. turtle momma says:

    Jan 20, 2011

    Reply

    I plan to make these for my daughter’s first birthday, as turtle was her nickname in the womb :)

    I am a little nervous, as I have never done this type of thing…

    You said you can use fondant with water instead of the Tylo glue…are there any other options of things one might have at home or buy for cheap to use for gluing? as the powder is $20, and I won’t be using much, and was not planning to buy fondant…?

    Thanks so much :)

    • Anonymous says:

      Feb 6, 2011

      Reply

      You can soften a little bit of the fondant with some hot water to use as glue.

  2. Lind says:

    Nov 28, 2010

    Reply

    The turtles are cutee!!!

  3. Tante Kage says:

    Nov 13, 2010

    Reply

    I love this tutorial, the turtles are so cute!

  4. Beth says:

    Oct 18, 2010

    Reply

    Thanks so much for these directions!! I made 24 of these little guys for cupcake toppers. They came out so cute! Everyone loved them, especially the mom-to-be!

  5. ton says:

    Aug 2, 2010

    Reply

    Thank you so much for the tutorial on the turtle I have made it and it turned out so cute go see it I have posted it on my website. I just love your directions, ‘Thank you again
    Toni

  6. Sue says:

    Jun 23, 2010

    Reply

    Found your website a few days ago – what an absolute wonderful place!!! Thank you so much for this tutorials. Tried the turtle this afternoon and can’t wait for it to dry. It’s super cool! Your instruction are so clear and easy. (And I’m very new to this whole sugarcraft thing, lol.)

  7. Louise says:

    Jun 5, 2010

    Reply

    Elny: It guess that plastic icing is the same as rolled fondant icing? How much gum did you add? I have never had any problems with gum and the weather. So I think that you may need to add more gum to your icing.

    You can keep the toppers for a long time. go by the expire date on your icing. Just keep the decorations in a air thight box, not freezer.

    I have never seen any expire date on my tylo, now that I think of it. So I will have to get back to you with this one.

  8. Ana says:

    Jun 5, 2010

    Reply

    Ooops I meant it does look super cute! Hehe! Apologies for not spell checking. Great website once again. Cheers :D


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