Cute Scarecrow Cake Topper

A detailed fondant cake topper features a smiling scarecrow with curly blonde hair, a red shirt, and a brown hat with a small black crow perched on it, set against a backdrop of colorful autumn leaves.
Kim Simons
Beginner
Learn how to make a cute scarecrow cake topper out of fondant with this step-by-step tutorial. Perfect for autumn cakes and fall-themed confections.

Supply List

Fondant: blue, red, black, white, yellow, and brown
Cake tools
Scissors
Ball tools (small and large in size)
Small rolling pin
Silicone mat
Small precision knife
A cup of water
Wooden skewer
Cutting wheel
Textured wheel
Powdered colors (navy blue and brown)
Paint brush

Instructions

  • With blue fondant, make a two-inch cone for the scarecrow’s body.
    Blue fondant cone shaped for the scarecrow's body.
  • Roll out blue fondant about 4 ½-inches long and ¼-inch thick; cut in half for the legs. Using a large ball tool, open up the bottom part of the pant legs.
    Rolled blue fondant cut in half for the scarecrow's pant legs.
  • Pinch the other end and attach to the body using a little bit of water and a sculpting tool.
    Blue fondant scarecrow body with legs attached.
  • Make a one-inch circle out of yellow fondant; using scissors, cut all the way around to make the straw.
    Cutting yellow fondant fringe with scissors for the straw.
  • Using a little bit of water and the ball tool, add the straw to the bottom half of the legs.
    Adding yellow fondant straw to the bottom of the legs.
  • Using red fondant, make the top half of the body (about 2-inches high). Add to lower body. Use a wooden skewer that sticks out about a quarter-inch at the top for head.
    Red fondant torso added to the body with a wooden skewer.
  • Roll red fondant thin. Using a wheel cutter and textured wheel, cut jacket to fit. Add to the upper body using a little water to attach.
    Cutting the red fondant jacket shape with a wheel cutter.
  • Roll a thin strip of red fondant to make the collar for the jacket. Cut a V for the front and wrap around the neck area using a little water to attach.
    Adding the red fondant collar around the scarecrow's neck.
  • Using a small textured wheel, add stitches to the jacket up and down both sides and the front.
    Adding textured stitch details to the scarecrow's jacket.
  • Using a large ball tool, open up the bottom part of the arms. Make a 1-inch circle out of yellow fondant; using scissors, cut all the way around to make the straw. Using a little bit of water and the ball tool, add the straw to the bottom half of the arms.
    Shaping fondant arms with yellow straw at the bottom.
  • Pinch the ends of the arms and add to body with a little water.
    Attaching the fondant arms to the scarecrow's body.
  • Roll a thin piece of yellow fondant about a quarter-inch wide and 3 ½-inches long for the bow tie. Fold in half; cut bottom edges at an angle. Using a little water, add to body, then make a little yellow ball for the middle of the bow.
    Yellow fondant bow tie folded and added to the scarecrow.
  • Make patches by using differently colored fondant. Roll tiny squares and then texture to look like stitching; add to jacket with a little water.
    Adding small fondant patches to the scarecrow's jacket.
  • Using a fondant of your choice, roll a ball about 2-inches for the head. Using a small ball tool, make indentations where the eyes will be and start shaping face. Using a clay tool, open up the mouth area; add a little bit of black fondant to the mouth area using clay tool and a little water.
    Shaping the fondant head and making eye indentations with a ball tool.
  • Make two small balls to fit in the eye area out of white fondant; using a little water, add to the face. Using a little bit of deep pink fondant, make a small oval nose and add to the face. Place head onto body.
    White fondant eyes and a pink oval nose added to the scarecrow face.
  • Using some yellow fondant, make a 3-inch circle. Using scissors, cut all the way around with small cuts for the straw hair. Place on the head using a little water.
    Yellow fondant straw hair with scissors placed on the head.
  • Using brown fondant, roll out a 4-inch circle and place on head for hat. Using clay tool, add texture around the head.
    Brown fondant hat being shaped and placed on the scarecrow's head.
  • Add details using fondant for the eyes and dust clothing with blue powdered edible paint, and dust straw and hat with brown.
    Dusting the scarecrow with blue and brown powdered edible colors.
  • Using some black and yellow fondant, make a small crow to sit on the top of the hat.
    Small black fondant crow with a yellow beak on the hat.

Notes

• Fondant can be tricky at first, but once you master the tricks it opens up creative fun
• Be as creative as you like with shapes and colors — this is one way, not the only way

Products Used

• Satin Ice: Fondant
• The Sugar Art: Powdered colors