Thanksgiving is almost here, and we have a simple, adorable turkey cake topper tutorial to share! This charming turkey decoration is fun to make and will add a playful touch to your Thanksgiving cake.
How to Make a Turkey Cake Topper
In this tutorial we demonstrate how to model a simple, whimsical turkey cake topper using a rice cereal treat base, gum paste, and a few decorative accents. The finished topper brings height, color, and texture to your cake and is quick to assemble.
For feathers you can use gum paste with anchors, but in this project we used candy coating. Candy coating feathers are fast to make and don’t require separate anchors — just make them a bit longer so part of each feather can be pushed into the cake for stability.
Candy-coated decorations are great when you need speed and clean, bright colors. Keep the feather ends chilled before inserting them into the cake so they hold their shape and secure well.
Over the years we’ve created many turkey-themed cakes and treats. Here are some related ideas and tutorials you might enjoy as inspiration for Thanksgiving decorating projects.
- Easy Turkey Cake
- Chocolate & Almond Turkey Cupcakes
- Turkey Cake Topper
- Turkey Cake with Candy Feathers
- Turkey & Cornucopia Cupcakes
If you’d like more Thanksgiving cake inspiration, check out our roundup of fall cakes and tutorials for additional ideas and techniques. For broader cake-decorating education, explore our full collection of free video tutorials and recipes in the recipes and tutorials section.
Cute Turkey Cake Topper Tutorial- Free Cake Video
Learn to create a sweet turkey decoration that will top your Thanksgiving cakes beautifully.
Materials
- 1 — 22 g rice cereal treat bar
- 2 sugar pearls (eyes)
- Fondant or gum paste (if using fondant, knead in a little tylose powder to firm it)
- Coloring gel: Americolor Chocolate Brown, Red Red, Lemon Yellow, Black
- Candy coating in red, yellow, and orange OR white candy coating with oil-based colors for tinting
- Food coloring pen (for eyes)
- Parchment or waxed paper
- Long lollipop stick
- Piping gel or edible adhesive
- Miscellaneous: lined cookie sheet, disposable piping bags, turntable (optional), bench scraper or spatula for frosting, small paintbrushes
- Cake (we used an 8-inch gingerbread cake frosted with cinnamon buttercream)
Instructions
- Mold the 22 g rice cereal treat into an egg shape, coat lightly with vegetable shortening, and cover with brown gum paste.
- Push the long lollipop stick through the cereal treat. Roll a gum paste ball for the head, create a hole in the bottom to fit the stick, and allow it to set while you prepare other elements.
- Wrap brown gum paste around the top portion of the lollipop stick to form a neck, leaving room for the head. Attach the head and secure eyes and small details with piping gel.
- Add a small top hat made from black gum paste or fondant.
- Melt candy melts or candy coating in red, yellow, and orange to create chocolate feathers. Use yellow coating to pipe legs and feet.
- Frost your cake. We used a three-layer 8-inch gingerbread cake with cinnamon-flavored buttercream.
- Insert the turkey body into the frosted cake and push in chilled candy-coated feathers so they are held securely in place.