Here is a tutorial on how you can make a sweet teddy bear cake topper. If you want you can place it on a fondant disc for easy removal before cutting the cake. I hope that you will enjoy my teddy bear tutorial. Let’s start with part 1.
This is what I use:
Rolled fondant, alternative use gum paste
Tylo powder (CMC)
1 cocktail stick
Quilting tool (PME)
Ball or bone tool
Bulbous cone (PME) or another tool with a pointy end
Edible glue + small brush
Food gel paste
Tiny amount of black rolled fondant
White petal dust + a few drops of either clear alcohol or lemon extract
Super fine brush
Cornstarch (to prevent sticky hands while working with the fondant)
A little bit of Crisco, if the fondant starts to dry
(Small non stick knife)
Step 1:
Color your fondant in your chosen color for the teddy bear. Take the amount of fondant you want for the teddy’s body and knead it with some Tylo powder (I use about 1/4 to 1/2 tsp maybe more or less depending on the size of fondant that i’m using) When you start to knead in the powder, you can feel, when the Tylo starts to thicken/harden the fondant as you knead it. You want the piece of fondant for the body to be firm enough to hold up it’s shape. Roll the fondant into a smooth ball. Next shape the fondant ball into a cone shape.
Step 2:
Take the cone and make an indentation with your fingers to just form the top of the teddy’s belly. The body should have a pear shape at the front but try and keep it as straight as you can at the back.
Step 3:
Make a stitch with the quilting tool from the back to the front. Brush some edible glue on a cocktail stick and push it down into the body.
Step 4:
Take some more fondant for the legs and again add some Tylo powder, only not as much as you used for the body. Knead and roll the fondant into a smooth ball. Next roll it into a sausage. Decide how thick/thin you want the teddy’s legs to be. Take a knife and cut a diagonal cut in the center of the sausage. Place the two pieces on each side of the teddy to see if if looks OK. I always end up cutting off more before I am happy with the legs.
Step 5:
Now it’s time to mold and shape the two legs pieces. Start by smoothing the cutting end with your fingers. Then form the feet by gently pinching the end.
Step 6:
Place the legs on the teddy to see if they need more adjusting. Then brush a little glue and attach the legs to the body. Make a stitch down on the outside of the legs with the quilting tool.
Step 7:
If you like you can with a non stick knife make indentations on the feet. You can also glue on a little round circle of fondant in another color under the feet. Small cut out hearts looks cute too. Don’t forget to give the teddy a little belly button as well.
Step 8:
Next, it’s time to make the arms. Use fondant, with only a small amount of Tylo powder. Use the same technique for the arms like you did for the legs. Only make the arms slightly thinner. I like to test the length and thickness before I cut the “sausage” in two.
Step 9:
Smooth the cut end and slightly flatten it at the pointy end. Shape the arms and form the paws. Make a stitch down the arm with the quilting tool. If you like, you can cut a little thumb?
Step 10:
Brush a little edible glue on the arms and place them in the position you want. Now, let the almost finished teddy dry overnight.
Part 2 will be up on Monday!
– Update: Here is the Teddy Bear Cake Topper Part 2!
Happy Caking!
Louise
Hi, What does the tylo powder do sorry? Im an amateur!
Hi Gemma,
Tylose powder acts as a hardening agent for Fondant, so it dries quicker and harder like gumpaste. It’s usually only a few dollars at cake decorating stores, I use CakeArt.com. Happy baking peeps! This tutorial is fantastic by the way, thank you so much for sharing!!!
Thank you for the post, is very cute, awesome!
hey Hi Louise ,
Can you show us how to do shark with gumpaste .. My friend’s son’s bday is coming up .. i want to do one ..
I have so many other things that I want to show at the moment, sorry. It can be really helpful to look at a shark toy. Often I use one of my kids toys when I want to make it in gumpaste.
Thanks Louise for your quick respond 🙂 i couldnt wait till i buy tylo powder to do my own teddy bear, so i started right away to mimic your model on play dough… ha..and i was extremely happy with the results 🙂 & my children where surprised by their mother’s new hobby of playing with play dough, coz i started making bumble bee, winnie the pooh & roses. Hahaha…thanks to you 🙂 you are a great help…mwahhhh its great to have you around for advise <3
Ahh, by the way, what about making my own fondant with marshmallow, i have seen few videos on youtube and i think i will try it, maybe it will solve my problem :S i will tell you the results next time. And when i make roses or any model should i leave them out to dry at room temp in hot & humid weather or is it better to put them uncovered in the fridge? Thanks Louise 🙂 Mwahhhh <3
GiGi
You should always store your creations at a dry/dark place. NOT in the refrigerator. When you use Tylo is holds better when it’s humid.
Hi Louise, what about using marzipan instead of fondant. they are less stick y for me. Should i also add to it tylo powder to hold its shape coz it melts down too, but not as much as the fondant that i have here! i searched on several on line sites for tylo powder but i dont find it! From which site do you order it? Thanks a lot Louise, you are always there for us 🙂
GiGi
I buy mine from the UK
http://www.sugaricing.com/ProductPage.aspx?productGuid=4b310924-f897-464b-a2b7-260f294ec9df&allowAddToBasket=True
Thanks, so helpful! Just one question: which fondant do you use? Thanks!
I use a Danish brand.
How adorable! Teddys are one of the first figures I learned to do with sugarcraft,theyre so easy everyone should give them a go!
Thanks for a great tutorial !!!!!!
looks so easy with your techniques..will definitely give it a try.
Fantastic tutorial Louise, you make it look oh so easy. My daughter has a birthday coming up in June and she’d love this on her cake. The great thing about this is you can scale and make matching cupcake teddies too.
Thanks for sharing.
Indeed you can Lisa 🙂 They would be cute as miniature teddy’s for cupcakes.
just lovely!!
Fabulous! I really like how you make it all look so pretty! When I try, there are edges and folds… I guess practice is the solution. But until then, thank you for your tutorials!
One thing important when making figurines is that you always start out with a smooth ball. The only time I have problems is if the fondant is too dry.
Lovely, Thanks for sharing… will try this at home, for sure… 😉
Great tutorial. Can’t wait for part 2. 🙂 Have a nice day!
Tu trabajo es preciosoooo.
When will you be posting part 2 of this cute bear tutorial?
There are some problems posting new content. I will post the part 2 as soon as I can.
Hi Louise, i love this teddy bear and i will definitely try it on my next cake. I daily visit your tutorial site to learn from it! You are the greatest! 🙂 But I have one problem, I think we do not have tylo powder (does it have another name?) & the fondant sold out here where i live is a bit soft and sticky, it does not keep its shape and melts down, should i add more confectionery sugar instead of tylo powder when i knead the fondant? Gigi 🙂
You could try and see if you can find Gum tragacanth. Adding more confectionery sugar will not harden the fondant.
So cute Louise! Thank’s for sharing!