Decorate a Personalised Baby Cake with Silicone Moulds

• Renshaw Extra fondant (or similar)
• Cornflour or vegetable fat (such as Trex or Crisco)
• Edible glue
• Rolling pin
• Fondant smoother
• Oval cutter
• Dresden tool
• Palette knife
• Small brush
• Powder colour and black edible paint for finishing details

Step 1 – Prepare the Moulds
Before using any mould, lightly dust it with cornflour or apply a tiny amount of Trex. The best option depends on the mould design. Cornflour is often quicker for textured or open designs, while Trex is especially useful for extra detailed or deep moulds. Only use a light coating, too much could leave a residue on the moulded piece.

For the fondant, Renshaw Extra is a firm fondant so works particularly well in moulds and gives a clean release with sharp detail. Prepare three shades in advance if possible so the fondant has time to rest and firm up slightly before use. For this cake, the colours are a soft pink, a warm peachy pink, and an off-white or latte shade. Colouring the fondant the day before helps reduce stickiness and allows the shades to fully develop.

Step 2 – Make the Name Plaque
Dust the Button Alphabet Mould with a little cornflour. Roll a small piece of fondant until smooth, then press it firmly into the chosen letter cavity. Remove any excess fondant and make sure it is worked well into all the corners. Turn the mould over and release the letter gently. Repeat until all the letters needed are made. For this cake, the word BABY is used.

For the background panel, roll out the pink fondant and use the Waffle Mould to create a textured background. Dust the mould with cornflour, place the fondant over the top and press it into the texture using either a fondant smoother or rolling pin. Be thorough so all the detail is picked up. Release the fondant, then use an oval cutter large enough to fit the letters, to cut out the plaque. Turning the texture so the square pattern sits on the diagonal creates a more pleasing, more decorative finish.

Brush a very small amount of edible glue (this can be bought, or make your own) onto the back of each letter. Start with the centre letter to help keep the word evenly spaced and centred. Once all the letters are positioned, check they are straight using a palette knife or ruler if needed, then press them down very gently with a fingertip. Attaching the letters to the plaque before adding the plaque to the cake makes placement much easier and gives more control. Apply a light coating of edible glue to the back of the plaque and position it on the cake. Avoid using too much glue, as this can cause the plaque to slide or leave visible residue around the edges. Press the plaque gently into place around the edge until secure.

Step 3 – Add a Decorative Border Around the Plaque
Use the Rope and Pearl Border Mould to frame the name plaque. Roll the fondant into a long sausage and feed it into the mould from one end, pressing it down as you go. If a longer length is needed, release the fondant carefully without cutting the end, then feed that end back into the start of the mould and continue. This creates one long continuous border with no obvious join.

Once the strip is released, apply a small amount of edible glue directly onto the cake around the plaque rather than onto the fondant. This helps keep the border clean and avoids sticky handling. Stretch the border gently around the oval plaque and trim where the ends meet. Any small join can be hidden later with one of the baby accessories.

Step 4 – Make the Teddy Bear Topper
The Baby Bear Mould is used to create the topper for this cake. This design uses two fondant colours: one for the bear and one for the nappy. Prepare the mould with Trex, making sure it is rubbed into all the small details. Start by filling the nappy section with the contrast fondant. A Dresden tool is useful here for guiding the fondant neatly into place without letting it spill into the surrounding areas. Once the nappy is in place, add the pink fondant over the rest of the bear, pressing firmly so all the facial features and paws are picked up. Smooth the back with the palm of the hand, then turn the mould over and gently release the figure.

Allow the bear to dry slightly before finishing. Add a little edible powder colour to the cheeks, paws and nose for extra depth, then use black edible paint to dot in the eyes. Using the end of a paintbrush rather than the bristles helps create a neat, round eye shape. Fix the finished teddy to the top of the cake with a little edible glue. For extra stability, a cocktail stick can be used.

Step 5 – Make the Baby Accessories
The Baby Accessories Mould is used to create the extra details that tie the design together. Prepare the mould with a little Trex, then press in the fondant and release each shape carefully. It often helps to make several decorations at once and then decide which ones look best on the cake before attaching them.

The baby feet are placed over the join in the rope border around the plaque, which neatly disguises the connection point. The bottle is added to the top corner of the plaque, and the buttons are scattered randomly around the sides of the cake. Let smaller pieces such as the buttons firm up slightly before handling, as this helps prevent fingerprints and squashing.

Step 6 – Finish the Bottom Edge
To complete the design and give the cake a more polished finish, use another length of the Rope and Pearl Border around the base of the cake. Make the border in the same way as before, then attach it with edible glue, wrapping it neatly around the bottom edge. This small addition helps frame the whole cake and makes the design feel 'finished'.

Final Styling
Once all the moulded elements are in place, stand back and check the balance of the design. The scattered buttons add interest to the plain sides, while the plaque and teddy create a clear focal point. The finished look is soft, sweet and ideal for a baby shower, christening or first birthday.

If matching bakes are needed, the Button Alphabet Mould and baby-themed moulds can also be used on cookies and cupcakes to coordinate perfectly with the main cake.