Creating Beautiful Fake Cakes For Your Wedding Day

Creating a fake cake for a wedding can be a great way to save money and still have a beautiful display. A fake wedding cake, also known as a dummy or faux cake, is made from styrofoam discs decorated with materials like fondant, spackling, joint compound, and other embellishments to resemble a real cake. This option is perfect for those who want to display a large, stunning cake but have a smaller guest list or want to save time during the reception by serving a sheet cake to guests while displaying a faux cake. While there may be little cost savings in choosing a faux cake, it eliminates waste and allows for uniform slice sizes. With some creativity and a few supplies, you can easily make your own faux cake for your special day!

Using styrofoam discs as a base

To make a fake wedding cake with styrofoam discs, you'll need the following materials:

• Styrofoam discs in various sizes
• Hot glue
• Lightweight spackling
• Acrylic paint in your chosen colour
• Assorted faux florals and greenery
• A mixing bowl and disposable spatula
• Plastic knife

Here's a step-by-step guide to creating your fake wedding cake:

• Start by laying one of your styrofoam discs flat on your work surface.
• Apply a small amount of hot glue to the middle of the disc.
• Place another styrofoam disc on top and press firmly to secure it in place.
• Repeat this process until you reach your desired cake height.
• In a mixing bowl, combine lightweight spackling with 3-4 tablespoons of your chosen paint colour. Stir well.
• Using a plastic knife, cover the styrofoam discs with the coloured spackling. Don't worry about getting a smooth finish, as the texture will make it look more like real frosting.
• Let the "frosting" dry for 24-48 hours in a warm area.
• Once dry, decorate your cake with faux florals and greenery. You can use hot glue or wire to secure the decorations to the cake.

Your fake wedding cake is now ready to be displayed! You can also add fresh flowers to the cake just before your wedding for a more natural look.

Decorating with fondant, spackling, and joint compound

To decorate a fake cake with fondant, spackling, and joint compound, you can follow these steps:

Preparing the Styrofoam Discs

First, decide on the size and shape of your cake and cut your styrofoam discs accordingly. If you want a tiered cake, cut different sizes of styrofoam rounds or blocks to create the desired cake shape. You can also use other materials as your base, such as paper mâché boxes, cardboard, or wood jewellery boxes.

Applying the Joint Compound or Spackling

Use a spackling knife to apply a layer of joint compound or spackling to the styrofoam forms. This will create a base for your frosting. You can also mix lightweight spackling with acrylic paint to create coloured "frosting". Let the base layer dry completely before moving on to the next step.

Decorating the Cake

Now it's time to decorate your faux cake! You can use a variety of tools and techniques to create different textures and designs. Use a disposable piping bag with different piping tips to pipe on vintage or modern designs. You can also add decorative elements like faux flowers, sprinkles, or other embellishments. If you're using real flowers, add them before the spackling completely dries.

Finishing Touches

Add some final touches to your cake, such as faux fruit, sprinkles, or other cute shapes. You can also use paperclay modelling clay to create custom decorations. Let the cake dry completely before handling it.

Adding embellishments like flowers and ribbon

Flowers

Flowers are a popular choice for decorating wedding cakes, and you can easily find artificial flowers that will work perfectly for your fake cake. You can choose from a variety of options, such as silk flowers, paper flowers, or even dried flowers. If you're using artificial flowers, look for ones that have a wire stem. This will make it easier to secure the flowers to your cake by punching the wire through the styrofoam. You can create a beautiful floral arrangement on the top tier or scatter flowers across multiple tiers for a more whimsical look.

Ribbon

Ribbon is another elegant way to embellish your fake wedding cake. Silk ribbon, in particular, has been an emerging trend in wedding cake design. You can use it to adorn a single tier or add a delicate touch to the entire cake. Consider wrapping ribbon around each tier, tying it in a simple knot or a decorative bow. If you want to add a pop of colour, you can even have the ribbon custom-dyed to match your wedding colour palette. Just remember to glide a pair of hair straighteners down the length of the ribbon to get rid of any unsightly creases.

Combining Flowers and Ribbon

Combining flowers and ribbon can create a stunning effect. For example, you can tie a bow with the ribbon and then attach a few flower blooms to it, creating a beautiful focal point for your cake. Another idea is to create a floral arrangement at the base of each tier and then wrap a ribbon around it, securing it with a dainty knot or a brooch. Play around with different textures and colours of ribbon and flowers to find a combination that complements your wedding theme.

Other Embellishments

In addition to flowers and ribbon, there are endless possibilities for embellishments. You can add pearls, rhinestones, or other decorative accents to your cake. Etsy also offers a wide range of unique cake toppers, from personalised initials to rustic wooden toppers. Get creative and browse through craft stores or online shops to find the perfect finishing touches for your fake wedding cake.

Creating a mixture for the 'icing'

Creating a mixture for the icing of a fake cake involves a few different options and steps.

One option is to use spackle, which is typically used to repair holes in walls. You can purchase spackle from a hardware store and apply it to your cake dummy with a putty knife. It is important to let the spackle dry completely before decorating the cake, as this will ensure that your decorations adhere properly. If you are using fondant, you will need to smooth out any holes or dents in the spackle with a spatula before applying the fondant. This can be done by applying a second coat of spackle and using an icing scraper to smooth it out.

Another option for creating icing is to use royal icing, which can be purchased or made at home. Royal icing dries hard and firm, making it easier to handle than buttercream or ganache. If you are using royal icing, you will need to pipe it onto any lines or dents in the cake dummy and let it dry before applying your final coat of icing. This will create a seamless base for your fondant or buttercream.

Additionally, if you are using buttercream or another type of frosting, you can simply apply it directly to the cake dummy, as there is no need to crumb coat.

For a more decorative look, you can add colour to your spackle or royal icing by mixing in acrylic paint. This will give you the freedom to create icing in any colour you desire.

Overall, creating the icing for a fake wedding cake requires some time and preparation, but the end result will be a beautiful and realistic-looking cake.

Using a combination of real and fake layers

Planning Your Cake Design

Start by deciding on the overall design of your cake. Remember, it's your special day, so make it your way! Consider the number of tiers you want, the colours, and any decorations you wish to include. You can use pre-cut cake dummies or even recycle foam to save money. If you want to include real cake layers, decide which tiers will be real and which will be fake.

Gathering Your Supplies

For the cake structure, you'll need foam discs or pre-cut cake forms in various sizes. These can be made from materials like EPS, recycled foam, or sheet foam. You can often find these online or at craft stores. Additionally, you'll need supplies to create the "icing" and decorations. This can include fake icing made from plaster, joint compound, spackle, or fondant. Fresh or silk flowers, ribbons, trims, and other embellishments can also be used to decorate your cake.

Creating the Cake Layers

To assemble your cake, start by attaching the foam discs together using hot glue to achieve the desired height for each tier. Repeat this process for all the layers. If you're using pre-cut cake dummies, you may need to apply a base icing using a spatula. You can use joint compound, spackle, or a harder plaster material for this step. Smooth out the icing using a straight edge and a scraper, turning the cake as you work. Let the layers dry completely before moving on to the next step.

Decorating Your Cake

Once your layers are dry, it's time to decorate! You can paint the layers with acrylic paint in your chosen colour, adding texture if desired. Using a disposable pastry bag and tips, you can create ruffles, swags, and other decorative elements, just like you would with a real cake. Fresh or silk flowers, ribbons, trims, and other embellishments can be added to enhance the design. Remember to use hot glue or similar adhesives to secure your decorations.

Combining Real and Fake Layers

If you've chosen to include real cake layers, carefully cut out a small piece of foam from the back of the corresponding fake layer. This will create a space for the real cake. You can then line this area with butcher paper to keep the fake layer clean. Present and cut the real cake tier during the cake-cutting ceremony, while the faux layers remain on display, creating a stunning visual impact.

By combining real and fake layers, you can have the best of both worlds—a beautiful display cake and delicious servings for your guests. Enjoy creating your dream wedding cake!

Frequently asked questions