Chocolate Sombrero Piece

A chocolate sombrero cake topper decorated with colorful fondant and edible paints
Kim Simons
Intermediate
Create a chocolate sombrero cake topper inspired by El Sombrero Restaurant in Rock Hill, NY. This tutorial covers tempering chocolate, shaping a hat brim and crown, and decorating with fondant and edible colors.

Supply List

Melting wafers
Modeling chocolate
Fondant
Rice treats
Royal Icing (Recipe)
Chocolate color black
Edible colors
Metallic colors
Dilution solution
Paint brushes
Silicone mat
Circle cutter
Cake tools
Carving knife
Scissors
Piping gel
Piping bag
Sequin sprinkles
French rolling pin
Upholstery foam

Instructions

  • Temper chocolate wafers.

    • Microwave for 30 seconds.
      Chocolate wafers in a lime green bowl
    • In 15-second intervals, heat until chocolate reaches about 113 degrees F.
    • Temper with more chocolate wafers until temperature comes down to about 88 degrees.
    • Stir.
  • Stir in edible color.
    Stirring melted chocolate with a spatula
  • Pour onto a silicone mat supported by upholstery foam.
  • Shape into brim with spatula.
    Spreading melted chocolate into a brim shape on a silicone mat
  • Let cool until pliable.
  • Trim, then manipulate the silicone mat to shape.
  • Begin the crown by molding and trimming rice treats.
    Shaping rice treats into a crown form in a cake tin
  • Attach crown to brim with melted chocolate.
    Attaching the crown to the brim with chocolate
  • Roll out modeling chocolate, cover crown, and trim.
    Covering the crown with rolled modeling chocolate
  • Using stencils, sketch out decorations.
  • Roll out fondant, trim into decorations, and attach to hat with piping gel.
    Piping decorative icing patterns on the hat
  • Decorate your hat as you choose. Use royal icing, fondant and sequin sprinkles.
    Decorating the hat with green icing and fondant details
  • Paint hat with your choice of edible colors.
    Painted chocolate sombrero with decorative patterns

Notes

• Experiment with different colors and shapes. Make your project your own.

Products Used

• Ghirardelli: Melting wafers
• SmartFlex: Modeling chocolate, Fondant
• SimiCakes: Isomalt
• Artisan Accents: Edible colors, Metallic colors
• Chameleon: Chocolate color black