How to make a modeling chocolate tree cake topper

When my little cousin asked for a colorful cake with trees, flowers and birds for her birthday, I was more than happy to oblige 🙂

But, I wanted to keep the design cute and I really didn’t want it to start looking like a wedding cake…lol.

I used modeling chocolate to make the tree because I wanted it to be rough and have a lot of texture. To be honest, getting this effect would have been slightly difficult if I had used fondant or gum paste since they tear so easily.

You will need the following supplies:

Brown modeling chocolate
Red fondant
Blue fondant
Green fondant
Yellow fondant
Corn syrup
Melted chocolate
Black edible marker
Water
Paintbrush
Big and small leaf cutter
Small flower cutter
Knife
Rolling pin
Wooden skewers
Toothpicks
Leaf veiner
Pattern tool
Foam

These are the instructions:

Step 1:
Roll out brown modeling chocolate on a sheet of wax paper.

Step 2:
Draw a template of a tree on a sheet of cardboard paper and cut it out.
Place it on top on the modeling chocolate.
Use a sharp knife to cut around the template.

Step 3:
Remove the excess modeling chocolate.
Use a toothpick to roughen up the tree.
I dragged the toothpick vertically first and then I kept dragging it in random directions.

Step 4:
Allow the trees to dry and firm up and you will end up with something cool and rough like this…

Step 5:
Let’s make the birds now…
Roll out blue fondant.
Use the big and small leaf cutter to cut out pieces.

Step 6:
Press the pattern tool onto the small leaf pieces to transfer the design.
These will be the bird’s wings.

Step 7:
Stick the wings onto the big leaf pieces with some water.

Step 8:
Cut a small yellow triangle fondant piece and stick it near the tip of the leaf piece.
Make a small horizontal cut with a knife and your bird now has a beak.
Draw a dot with a black edible marker and your bird now has eyes!

Step 9:
Let’s make the leaves now…
Roll out green fondant.

Step 10:
Use a small leaf cutter to cut out some pieces.

Step 11:
Press the pattern tool onto the small leaf pieces to transfer the design.
And now you have simple and easy leaves!

Step 12:
Let’s make the flowers now…
Roll out red fondant.
Use a small flower cutter to cut out some pieces.

Step  13:
Place the flowers on a piece of foam.
Press the leaf veining tool in the center of each flower.

Step 14:
Your flowers should have indentations in the center, just like the flowers in this picture…

Step 15:
Roll out small balls of blue fondant.
Stick them in the center of each flower, by brushing some water.

Step 16:
Stick all the flowers, leaves and birds on the tree, using corn syrup or melted chocolate.
Stick a wooden skewer behind the tree with some melted chocolate.
Once the chocolate has hardened, push the tree into your cake.
And you are done!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial!

Happy caking everyone 🙂