Standing Number Cake Topper

A standing number cake topper can be a cake decoration on its own. Most of the time, the numbers are used to indicate the age of a birthday person or if it's used on an anniversary cake, then it would be to represent the anniversary years.

I made this standing number cake topper for a birthday cake. It was an eighth birthday for a girl and cake theme was butterflies and flowers. It was a 2 tier cake and the 3d number topper covered in glitter dust added a very strikingly pretty finishing to the cake.

How to Make Standing Number Cake Topper

These were the main supplies I used to make the upright standing 3D number cake topper:

Fondant - I used Satin Ice white fondant to form the number "8".
CMC powder - This powder is added to fondant to help it dry harder. The effect of this powder is similar to tylose powder. I used approximately ¼ teaspoon for this number topper project.
Number template - since I was making a number "8" topper, I used a number "8" template. It was a Microsoft Word font which I enlarged on my computer to fit the size I wanted and then I printed it out on a piece of paper.
Wooden picks - I used 2 picks for this number. Both were attached to the bottom of the number to help it stand upright on the cake.
Gel paste color - I used Americolor gel color in Electric Purple. The paint was diluted in water before being applied on the topper.
Glitter dust - I used Purple glitter for this project.

And this was how I made the topper from start to end:

The template

First of all, I prepared the template. Since I was doing number "8", I printed it from Microsoft Word (used the outline mode so that I don't waste the printer ink) on a piece of paper and made sure the template is of the size that I wanted for the cake.

A white paper with number 8 printed on it

I then cut the template out following its outline.

Once the template was ready, I prepared my fondant. I added CMC powder to it and kneaded it well. Then I rolled it to the thickness I wanted the number to be.

A number 8 paper template on a piece of white rolled fondant. Next to it is a white rolling pin

I placed my template on the rolled fondant and cut the fondant out following the shape of the number.

A number 8 fondant cut out and a paper template next to it

I used my modelling tool to smooth the edges all around the cutout.

Using a small silver rolling pin to smooth the sides of a number 8 fondant cut out

A number 8 shaped fondant cut out in white

Next, I inserted the wooden picks to the bottom of the topper as shown:

A number 8 shaped fondant cut out in white, attached to 2 long picks

Painting the topper

And then I painted the topper. I used Americolor "electric purple" diluted slightly in water and painted it all over the number. At this point, the paint need not be very even as it will be eventually covered with glitter dust.

A number 8 fondant cut out next to a painting palette with purple food coloring and a paint brush. Next to it is the purple food color bottle

A number 8 fondant cut out painted in purple

Once the number was painted on the front, back and sides, I sprinkled the glitter dust all over the top. To do this, I placed the number on a piece of paper and sprinkled the dust all over the topper generously.

Pouring out purple glitter from a small container onto a number 8 fondant cut out

I then use a spatula to disperse the dust to make sure the entire surface of the fondant number is covered with the dust. I then repeated the process on the back on the number topper.

Number 8 topper on a piece of white paper with purple glitter on it and the paper

As for the sides, I used a spatula, lifted the excess dust around the topper and spread it on the sides until there is an even coating of the dust all over and no fondant spots are visible.

Using a palette knife to attach purple glitter onto a number 8 shape

I then left the topper to dry completely overnight. It is very important for the fondant to completely set and dry or else the topper will not hold shape once it is put upright on the cake.

Number 8 topper on a piece of white paper with purple glitter all over it and the paper

When it was completely dry, I lightly tapped it on the paper to remove any loose and excess dust and then poked the topper on my cake. And I re-bottled the excess to be reused for other cake decorating projects.