Cake Dummies (How to Make Dummy Cakes)

What Are Cake Dummies?

Let me start by showing you what cake dummies look like. There you go:

These are basically Styrofoam blocks that are cut into cake shapes (the most common ones are round and square, but other shapes are also available) in a variety of sizes and heights (again, the most common height that I have seen are 3 inches and 4 inches high).

The Uses

The main intention of styrofoam cake dummies is to replace a real cake. And there are a couple of reasons why anyone would want to use a dummy cake instead of real cake.

These are the most common reasons:

1. Some customers want big cakes but do not have a long guest list

This is often the case for small wedding or other special occasions. Some brides want large tiered cakes but do not necessarily have the crowd to feed all the cake.

In such cases, using a cake dummy is the best option. The bride gets the wedding cake she wants and there is no cake wastage.

2. Cake entries for competitions

Cakes for a competition can be elaborate and may require days of decorating work. Having a real cake in this instance will lead to a spoilt cake by the end of the competition.

Besides, there is a possibility for wastage when using real cake and the cake might not get eaten by all after the competition.

Sometimes, contestants would like to keep their work of art as a collection, and using a dummy instead of real cake makes it a better option.

3. Cakes decorated as display pieces

This is particularly true for bakeries and businesses who want to display cakes in their shops. These cakes are meant to be there for a long time for people to see and admire.

So, it goes without saying that using dummy foam is a great way for a cake decorator to make realistic looking cakes, both in terms of cost and its expiry.

4. Limited budget

Using cake dummies to reduce the overall cost of the cake is another reason why people use dummies instead of real cakes. The cost of the cake can be reduced and replaced with the cost of the dummy (though the decorating charges remain the same since it requires the same amount of frosting and decorating time).

This is particularly true for people who want large cakes but not so much cake and have a limited budget.

Where to Buy?

Cake dummies are generally inexpensive. You can purchase them from your local cake decorating supply shops.

You can even purchase them online on Amazon however, given that these are bulky, you may incur additional shipping charges.

How to Frost?

Covering with Buttercream

To cover the dummies with buttercream or other frostings of similar consistency (like royal icing and ganache), the process is pretty straightforward.

Just cover it in the exact same way as you would a normal cake. The plus point here is that you need not crumb coat the dummies to lock any cake crumbs or level the sides. You can go ahead and apply the final coat of buttercream directly on it.

Covering with Fondant

As for fondant, depending on the size of the foam blocks you are using, there might a bit of prep work to do before you can cover the dummies. This is because, most of the time, there are tiny holes or lines or dents on the styrofoam which if not smoothened, can show on the fondant once it's covered over the dummies. 

Also, if you wish to make double barrel (tall dummy cakes) cakes and need to use 2 or more stacked blocks of styrofoam, you will have to prepare the dummies or rather patch up the joints with royal icing before covering it with fondant.

Let me show you how I normally prepare my cake dummies before covering them with fondant. 

How to Prepare Cake Dummies for Frosting

My cake tiers are normally 6 inches high. If I am unable to find a dummy that is 6 inches tall, I will purchase 2 blocks of 3 inch high foams and stack them together. Here is how to do it:

Step 1: Stack and attach the blocks with hot glue. Let the glue set completely before working on the blocks further. 

Step 2: Cover any holes or dents. Any slight dents or lines on the foam will be clearly visible if not patched up properly, especially if you are covering the block with fondant.

To cover the holes, start by piping some royal icing where the lines or dents are.

And then smooth the icing with a spatula.

The lines and spaces do not quite get covered with the first coat of icing. Let the foams rest for a while after the first coat (about 30 minutes) until the icing sets.

Step 3: Apply second coat of icing. For the second coat of icing, use an icing scraper. Apply more icing to the sections on the Styrofoam that need to be covered. And then smooth the icing with the scraper.

With this second coat, the lines would normally no longer be visible. This will leave you with a seamless block of Styrofoam ready to be covered in fondant.

Note: If there are rough icing patches on the block that has dried, smooth them with a spatula dipped in water. 

Step 4: Cover with fondant or buttercream or any frosting of choice. In covering the dummies with fondant, you need to wet the block with water so that the fondant sticks to it well. You can use a large brush to brush water onto the block. Brush generously to make sure the fondant sticks well.

Note: You can also hold the block under a running tap to wet it all around and shake off excess water lightly before putting it on a cake board for fondant covering. This, however, can only be used if when there is no patch work on the dummy.

After that, roll your fondant and cover the dummy as you would a normal cake.

How to Smooth the Edges for a Rounded Finish

Some cake decorators like to smooth the edges of the dummies before covering with fondant. This will give the fake cakes a slightly rounded edge. 

To smooth the sides, you can use your rolling pin and rub it on the edges to make it rounded before covering with fondant.

How to Make Tiered Dummy Cakes

Making tiered cakes with real cake requires each cake tier to be internally structured with dowel rods or bubble tea straws to support the weight of the cake. See my guide on how to make tiered cakes for full details.

Good news when using dummies for tiered cakes is that dummies do not require doweling/support since they are hard.

If you are stacking a dummy on a real cake, the real cake underneath would require doweling/support (you can use wooden dowel rods or bubble tea straws, see my guide to make tiered cakes here).

But if you are placing a real cake on a dummy, then doweling/support is not required for the dummy.

How to Store

Storing unfrosted or undecorated cake dummies is easy. You can keep them anywhere so long as it’s clean especially if they are to be used with real cake.

Storing decorated dummy cakes, however, can be a little tricky, depending on your environment. I normally have to keep mine covered in large plastic bags. Or else I get tiny holes on the fondant on the cakes when I wake up the next morning (eaten by house lizards!) 

Tips for Reusing the Dummy Blocks

Cake dummies can be reused, meaning you can use them for multiple projects. I have done this for my dummies, especially those that I make for my family since its easier to retrieve the dummies from them.

To reuse, simply scrap off all the icing and wash the dummies thoroughly. Dab them and let them dry in the open air until they are completely dry before storing for future reuse.

It is much easier to wash the dummies when covered in royal icing or fondant. But buttercream can be a lot harder to wash and clean completely due to the grease. 

I have also seen people wrapping their blocks with cling wrap before covering with fondant or buttercream. This is so that they can reuse their blocks again. I have personally not tried working with dummies this way, but this is definitely another option.