Easy Fondant Penguin Cake Decoration

These fun fondant (sugar paste) penguin cake decorations make great toppers for cakes, large and small. They are quick and easy to make if you follow my step by step guide and require no special equipment to make them.

I know you shouldn't have favourites but I have to say this is my favourite of my festive fondant figures to make, not least because these are the easiest. They can easily be made in various sizes too, so I just couldn't resist making baby penguins as well.

They are ideal to use as a single topper on Mini Christmas cakes but will also work well if you use several to decorate larger cakes.

I found that I needed to re-ball the initial black 'skittle' shape a
few times until I was happy with the general shape and the position of
the penguin's wings.  After that, the fondant penguin was easy to create. They look great arranged with some fondant snowballs ready for a snowball fight. With a snowball under his flipper, Mischief in action!

The Ingredients and Equipment 

These sugar paste penguins require no special tools or equipment to make as they are mostly shaped by hand.   You will only need things that you likely already have.

White fondant (sugar paste)

You can buy fondant icing from most large supermarkets and food stores as well as from specialist cake decorating suppliers and online.

Coloured fondant (sugar paste)

Black fondant - I recommend you buy this ready coloured.

Orange fondant - either colour your own or mix a little ready-coloured red and yellow fondant together

If you are making a selection of Christmas figures look out for multi-packs of coloured fondant, such as Dr Oetker coloured fondant icing, which I purchased from our local supermarket. It comes in a pack of 5 x 100g of coloured fondant : red, black, yellow, blue and green

You will also need

Scissors - to make the flippers

Cocktail Stick Or Fondant Modelling Tool - to make feet and nostrils.

Small paint brush -  Keep one to use specifically for food preparation only.

Clear alcohol - For 'gluing' parts. Boiled water can also be used if you prefer.

Edible glitter or dusting powders (optional) -  These are optional. I use them as a little extra shimmer and sparkle to add to the festive look.

How to make a Fondant Penguin Step by Step

Step 1

Shape the body- Roll a ball of black fondant icing for the penguin's body into a then shape into a pointed egg shape.

Step 2

Snip down the sides of the body to form the flippers, then smooth the edges with your finger tips to complete the shaping.

Step 3

Make the front of the body from a piece of white fondant shaped into a flattened pointed egg shape and roll two small discs of white icing for the eyes.

Step 4

Fix the white front onto the body smoothing down the edges.

Step 5

Make the feet - Roll two small balls of orange fondant, flatten slightly and pinch to a point at one. Use a skewer or cocktail stick to mark the webbed feet.

Step 6

Fix the feet to the penguin.

Step 7

Make the beak. Take another small piece of orange fondant, roll it into a ball, and then flatten and pinch it into a triangular shape.

Step 8

Fix the beak onto the penguin at the top of the white body, then press a skewer or cocktail to make the nostrils.

Step 9

Now press the eyes that you shaped earlier into place on top if the beak.

Step 10

Finally fix two tiny pieces of black fondant on top of the white to form the pupils. Roll some small pieces of white fondant to make snowballs and tuck one under a flipper if liked.

If you enjoy making these fondant penguins, you might like to try making my fun snowmen too.

You could make a fun cake with snowmen on one side and penguins on the other having a snowball fight! Just let your imagination run free.

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