The Ultimate Guide to Polystyrene Cake Dummies (And How to Fake It Flawlessly)

Cake Dummies in a nutshell:

• Cake dummies are multipurpose - they can be used for practicing designs, creating display cakes or adding extra “non-cake” tiers to elaborate celebration cakes!

• This makes them a great money saver for cake artists and their customers.

• Dummies can be decorated with fondant for a long lasting display cake, or buttercream for practise/short term use.

Cake dummies are an essential part of any cake artist’s kit. From creating extra tiers for a wedding cake to practising designs, they have so many uses! They are available in a wide range of shapes and sizes and can be a huge money saver as well as a decorating secret weapon. If you haven’t used a cake dummy yet and are curious about what makes them such an essential, keep reading…

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What is the point of a cake dummy? Will people know I used a cake dummy? How do I get fondant to stick to a dummy? Can I use buttercream on a cake dummy? Can you reuse a cake dummy?

What is the Point of a Dummy Cake?

The main point of a dummy cake is to save money on expensive ingredients, create permanent display cakes for businesses, and allow cake artists to safely practise intricate decorating techniques without wasting real cake.

Benefit 1 - Cost Savings

We all know that over the last few years, the cost of ingredients has gone up. So, making a four-tier masterpiece is not only time-consuming these days - it’s expensive. But they look so incredible, and the trend for tall cakes isn’t going anywhere.

Professional cake artists love polystyrene cake dummies because they allow them to create a stunning work of art using far less cake. In some cases, only the tier that is to be cut at the wedding is “real cake” while the other tiers are dummies. Depending on the number of guests who are to get a slice of the cake, you can work out how much actual cake you require, and decorate dummies for the rest.

This is then cheaper for the cake artist making the cake and for the customer.

Genius Kitchen Cake Hack! Make a grand, elaborate cake for display entirely using cake dummies, and when it comes to serving up a slice, have a simpler cake in the kitchen to cut up and serve to guests!

Benefit 2 - Permanent Display Cakes

If you’ve turned your baking into a side hustle or a business, you’ll need to create display cakes to show your work to potential customers. Whether you are photographing them for social media, placing them in a shop window or taking them to local markets or trade fairs, you’ll find yourself in need of display cakes regularly. And that’s where a cake dummy comes in!

Rather than baking a cake that will begin to go off over the course of a few days every time you need something to show customers, create some display cakes using your cake dummies! These will last you months or even years when properly looked after.

Our talented friend Suzanne Esper says: “You don’t need to wait for an order to make a beautiful cake. You can decorate dummy cakes to show clients what you can do, and, more importantly, your creative style. No need to bake cakes, these beauties can stay on display for years - just keep the dust off them!”

Benefit 3 - Early & Elaborate Decorating

The long-lasting element of dummy cakes also means that if you have a lot of elaborate decorating to do, you have lots of time to do it! The foam won’t rot like a cake will, meaning you can start piping your decorations months (or even a year) in advance.

If you’re creating a masterpiece for a wedding or a birthday, a couple of dummy tiers that can be decorated in advance really takes the pressure off in the days leading up to the big event.

Benefit 4 - Logistics and Transport

It’s natural to be nervous about transporting a cake you’ve spent hours of your life perfecting! The beauty of a dummy cake, however, is that it’s both sturdy and lightweight.

This means whether you’re driving the cake around the corner or taking it to its destination via plane or ferry, the anxiety of getting it there in one piece is massively reduced! No more worrying about the tiers collapsing.

Benefit 5 - Practice makes perfect

And finally, remember that a dummy cake is a great option for practising your decorating! If you have an elaborate design in mind that you’ve never tried before, starting on the day of the event and working on your actual cake is nerve-wracking!

Instead, use cake dummies to practice that piping or modelling, to try out different colour palettes and test new products. Future you will be so thankful for the trial run!

Will People Know I’ve Used a Cake Dummy?

Not at all! If your cake dummy is decorated in exactly the same way as an actual cake would be, no one will be able to tell the difference. Once covered in icing, cake dummies look just like real cakes. Whether they are round, square, heart-shaped or oblong, they give the perfect illusion of a “just baked” cake.

If you’re working across multiple tiers, no one will be able to guess which is the dummy tier and which is the real cake. Unless they see you lifting it, of course! A dummy tier is much more lightweight and sturdy!

We spoke to the amazing Kerry Hemms from Angel’s Kitchen who said: “If you have a very intricately decorated tier on a wedding cake you can get ahead by substituting a dummy tier for a kitchen cake - as long as your couple know where not to cut, no one is any the wiser!”

Spot the dummy...

How Do I Get Fondant to Stick to a Dummy?

Step One: Prepare the cake dummy

Start by cleaning the surface of the cake dummy with a damp cloth to remove any dust or debris, and let it completely dry. Then, you need to secure it. Attach it to a cake board using a small amount of royal icing, buttercream or double-sided tape to keep it stable.

Step Two: Apply your adhesive

For a gentler hold, spritz some water on the cake dummy or brush on a little vegetable shortening. These options do not offer quite such a secure hold, but make it easier to remove the fondant and reuse the dummy!

For a firmer hold, brush on a little piping gel or edible glue. This will offer a more secure hold, keeping the fondant in place for as long as you need!

Simply Making Round Cake Dummy

Simply Making Square Cake Dummy

FunCakes Piping Gel

Wilton Edible Glue

Couture White Sugarpaste

Colour Mill Gloss Frost

Can You Reuse a Cake Dummy?

Yes, absolutely, polystyrene cake dummies are reusable. Simply remove your decorations, being sure to carefully scrape off any remaining icing before washing it.

A cake dummy can actually go in the dishwasher on an ordinary cycle, as long as it is secured carefully and unable to move around. Once washed, make sure the dummy is totally dry before packing it away, and you can reuse it over and over again.

Shop our range of cake dummies now!

We hope this post has helped you discover the endless possibilities cake dummies bring to your cake journey! Whether you’re a beginner looking to practice new designs, or a pro in need of some long lasting display cakes, cake dummies are your answer.

So, add a range of shapes and sizes to your cake decorating kit now and get creative! You can share your photos and videos with us at @the_cake_decorating_co, we can’t wait to see them.

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The Ultimate Guide to Fondant Decorating for Beginners

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