Creating A Fire-Breathing Dragon Wedding Cake

Creating a dragon wedding cake can be a fun and impressive project, even if you're not a professional baker. While it can be time-consuming, it is not a difficult process and can be a great way to add a unique touch to your wedding. In this guide, we will walk you through the steps to make a dragon wedding cake, from preparing the cake layers to assembling and decorating your dragon. Whether you choose to make a full-size dragon cake or place a dragon figurine on top of an iced cake, the end result is sure to be a show-stopper. Let's get started!

Baking the cake

To make a dragon wedding cake, you'll need to bake two 9-inch round cakes. One cake will form the body of the dragon, and the other will serve as the base cake. Here's a step-by-step guide to baking the dragon cake:

Step 1: Prepare the Cake Mixture

Start by preparing the cake mixture according to the instructions on the box. You can use a cake mix or make your cake from scratch. For a dragon cake, it is recommended to use a lighter-coloured cake, such as white or yellow cake. Red velvet cake can also be used, but a lighter colour may be preferable for the dragon's body.

Step 2: Bake the Cakes

Preheat your oven to the temperature specified in your cake recipe. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and dust them with flour or use baking spray. Divide your cake batter evenly between the two pans. Bake the cakes according to your recipe's instructions, ensuring they are baked through and golden brown. Once baked, allow the cakes to cool completely before proceeding to the next step.

Step 3: Crumble and Mix the Cake for the Dragon's Body

Take one of the 9-inch cakes and crumble it into a large bowl. This cake will be used to form the body, head, legs, and tail of the dragon. Add several large spoonfuls of icing or frosting to the crumbled cake and mix until well combined. The mixture should have a soft and moldable consistency similar to cake balls. You may need to adjust the amount of icing to achieve the desired texture.

Step 4: Prepare the Base Cake

If you have baked your own base cake, you can now ice it. Cut the second 9-inch cake in half horizontally to create two layers. Spread a layer of icing on one half and place the other half on top. You can use any flavour of icing you prefer, such as cream cheese frosting or buttercream.

Step 5: Assemble the Dragon Cake

Now, it's time to assemble the dragon cake! Cut the remaining cake (the crumbled and mixed cake) into pieces to form the head, legs, and tail of the dragon. You can refer to diagrams or templates online for guidance on how to cut and shape the cake pieces. Place the dragon cake pieces around the body on the base cake. Don't worry if the pieces are not perfect—you can use icing to smooth out any imperfections and fill in gaps.

Step 6: Frost the Dragon Cake

After assembling the dragon cake, it's time to frost it. Use a flat icing tip in your icing bag to cover the difficult, moist, and crumbly parts first. Once the crumbs are covered, use a spatula to smooth out the icing and create a uniform surface. This technique will ensure that crumbs don't show up in your final frosting layer.

Preparing the dragon's skull

To prepare the dragon's skull, you will need to build a base shape for the head and then cover it with fondant. This is because fondant does not hold shapes very well. For the base shape, you can use modelling chocolate or a pastel-coloured sweet such as tootsie rolls, which you will shape into an approximate skull shape. Think of a skull when shaping it, leaving indentations where the eyes will be and bumps for the nostrils.

If the material you are using is a little soft, you can refrigerate it to make it easier to work with. This step can be done ahead of time. However, it may not be necessary, and you could potentially skip it and use a similar technique to the following steps with cake under the fondant.

Once you have your skull shape, cover it with a small circle of rolled fondant, draping it over the head and wrapping and trimming off any excess fondant. Leave the area where the head will connect with the neck untucked for now. Press lightly so that any details and ridges from your skull shape are visible.

Laying out and constructing the dragon

Mark a sheet of parchment paper with a circle about the size of the top of your cake. You'll use this to lay out the dragon before placing it on the cake. Take a paper plate or cardboard and cut out a shape for the dragon's body. This will serve as a temporary base to support the dragon's body while you cover it with icing and fondant. Place the body base on the circle you've drawn to ensure it fits well.

Now for the fun part! Take a good handful of cake and lightly pack it into an oblong ball, using your base shape as a guide. Note that the pictured example is of a smaller dragon. The larger dragon will require a larger circle.

Since fondant doesn't hold shapes very well, it's best to build a base shape for the head and cover it with fondant. For the head base, you can use modelling chocolate or pastel tootsie rolls kneaded together into a ball. Shape it into an approximate skull shape, leaving indentations for the eyes and bumps for the nostrils.

Now, let's move on to the dragon's body. On parchment paper or a silicone mat, roll out a ball of orange fondant to about 1/4 inch thick. You want to create an oblong shape that is large enough to drape over the body with several inches to spare.

Place the cake body (on its base) on top of an upturned cup to use gravity to help you get a nice drape. Drape the fondant circle over the cake ball and smooth it out. Lift the body, turn it over, and remove the base. Tuck the sides of the body under, but leave the neck and tail areas untucked.

Since you already have your skull shape, the head will be easy. Drape a small circle of rolled fondant over the head and wrap it under, trimming off any excess. Leave the area where the head will connect with the neck untucked for now. Press lightly so that any details and ridges from your skull are visible.

Building the neck and tail

Now, figure out what you'll need for the neck and tail. For a larger dragon, you may want to repeat the previous steps to create a neck and tail filled with cake. For a smaller dragon, you can shape excess fondant from the body and head into a neck and add a rolled-up piece of fondant for the tail. Remember, the joints don't have to be super neat as they will be covered with strips of a different colour.

Cut strips of different coloured fondant and cover the joints. Drape them over, trim off any excess, and tuck the ends under. Save the scraps from the strips, as you can use them for decorating later.

Preparing the dragon's skin

The outside of the dragon is made of rolled fondant. You will need to prepare the fondant in advance and colour it. Wear gloves or be prepared to get your hands dirty, as you will need to knead the colour into the fondant by hand. This process will take a while, but the fondant needs to be kneaded before it is rolled out.

On a sheet of parchment paper or a silicone mat, take a ball of the kneaded fondant and roll it out to about 1/4 inch thick. Your fondant should be in an oblong shape, large enough to drape over the body section with several inches to spare.

Place your cake body on top of an upturned cup or something similar that will hold it up in the air. You will use gravity to help you get a nice drape. Drape the fondant circle over your cake ball and smooth it. Lift the body, turn it over, and remove the base. Tuck the sides of the body under, but leave the neck and tail untucked. Place it back on your layout circle.

Since you already have your skull shape, the head is easy. With a small circle of rolled fondant, drape it over the head and wrap it under, trimming off any excess. Leave the area where the head will connect with the neck untucked for now. Press lightly so any details and ridges from your skull are visible. Lay it back out on your circle with the body, and plan your neck and tail.

Final decorating

Now for the final touches! If you're going for the dragon egg look, place malted milk eggs in the centre of the cake. I also did a ring of pastel candy corns around the bottom for a spiky look. But use your imagination!

If you've added wings, make sure not to stick them into the cake until right before serving, as they are heavy and will sag over time.

Cover the cake and place it in a cool room, but do not refrigerate it, as fondant doesn't look good after refrigeration.

If you've added smoking nostrils, you'll need to prepare the dry ice chamber right before the party. Put a few walnut-sized pieces of dry ice in your container, along with some warm water. Seal the opening as much as you can. For example, if you're using a washed-out pill bottle, stuff the opening with a few cotton balls after you put the straws in. If you're using a small dish, cover it in plastic wrap or aluminium foil and slice out two small holes for the straws. Remember, you want the majority of the vapour to escape through the straws.

Lift the cake, cake board, and base up to slide the dry ice chamber underneath and direct the straws in. You might need to trim the straws a bit to fit them in the chamber, so keep a pair of scissors on hand. Once you've settled the cake over the chamber, your fire-breathing dragon should have smoking nostrils.

Frequently asked questions