How to Make a Fondant Cat

Render his likeness in confectionary.

European fondant icing is a gummy confection with a firm enough consistency to be molded like clay. Often used to create edible miniature cake toppers, fondant has revolutionized novelty cake decorating. If you're creating a cake for a confirmed feline lover, use fondant to create a cake topper that's just as delicious as it is cuddly-looking.

Things You'll Need

• Fondant
• Toothpick
• Dish of water

Instructions

1. Set out pieces of the fondant to make the different parts of the cat. Create two equally-sized balls of fondant; set aside one to use for the cat's body and divide the other into four equal pieces for the cat's limbs. Use an additional piece of fondant to make a head ball about one and a half times the size of one of the leg pieces. Make a ball for the tail that's the same size as a leg.

2. Mold the body. Roll the body piece into a ball between your hands using a circular rolling motion. Make the ball oblong by switching to a straight back-and-forth motion of your hands. Pinch one end into a short cylinder, then bend it upwards to form the neck.

3. Build the cat's legs. Roll all four shorter pieces into long, thin shapes, each about as long as the cat's body. Attach the legs to the torso piece and blend them into place by wetting your finger in your water dish then rubbing the fondant at the joint. Roll your finger over the end of each leg to round it into a paw.

4. Make the tail by rolling the last small piece of fondant into a snake a little longer than the cat's body. Attach it to the rump with a little water.

5. Sculpt the head. Pinch and pull a little fondant in the front of the cat's face and round it with your finger to form the nuzzle. Pinch two small, flat pieces on the top of the cat's head, forming their tops into triangle tips for the ears.

6. Add details to the cat using the tip of a toothpick. Carve lines in the ends of the paws to show claws. Carve eyes and lines for whiskers and the cat's nose.

7. Pose the cat on the cake. If any of the limbs or the tail should come loose during this process, pose them then reattach to the body with a little water.

References

• "Cakes to Inspire and Desire"; Lindy Smith; 2007