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    Home » Recipes » Cake Decorating Tutorials

    Trick or Treat! How to Make a Ghost Topper

    September 26, 2011 By Melissa Diamond 68 Comments

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    Today I'm going to show you how to make the CUTEST Halloween Cake featuring a sweet ghost cake topper and easy pumpkin patch border! This cake is perfect for kids' Halloween parties!

     

    Learn how to make this cute and easy Ghost Cake Topper in our free tutorial!

     

     

    This cake design is perfect for any skill level of cake decorating! Even if you've never created a cake topper before, this is a great place to start. This is one of our favorite festive Halloween cakes, and was one of the first Halloween cakes that we added to our site. So much fun!

    How to Make a Halloween Ghost Cake Topper

    For the ghost's head, I compressed/molded a (22g.) Rice Krispie Treat into a ball approximately 1 ¼ inches wide.  Then, I dipped the end of a lollipop stick into a little melted candy melts and drove the stick into my rice cereal ball.

    Doing this just helps to keep everything where it belongs. (If you would rather, you could do the same thing with a ball of gum paste or fondant and allow to dry firm.

    I just love how quickly rice cereal treats can be molded to create a firm shape. Plus, it's an excuse to keep rice cereal treats around the house!).

    Learn how to make an adorable ghost cake topper in this free Halloween Cake Tutorial by MyCakeSchool.com!

    Next, I snipped a piece of 20 gauge floral wire in half and wrapped it around the lollipop stick  until secure.  I hooked the ends so that my ghosty could hold onto her candy bucket.

    You do not have to use 20 gauge wire....just choose something that will be stiff enough to hold it's shape.  The wire serves as "ghost arms"...and also will help to give a little movement to our ghost costume.

    Learn to make a CUTE Ghost Cake Topper in this free step by step cake decorating tutorial by MyCakeSchool.com! PERFECT for Halloween!

    I smoothed a little fondant over the rice cereal treat ball.  This is optional, but helps if you feel that your cereal ball is a bit lumpy.

     

    Learn how to make a ghost cake topper in this free Halloween Cake Tutorial by MyCakeSchool.com!

    Next, I took fondant with some tylose mixed in (gum paste would be great too, as well as a 50/50 mix of fondant and gum paste) and I rolled it nice and thin....I then draped it over the "lollipop body" we've made.

    This Ghost Cake Topper Tutorial by MyCakeSchool.com is SO cute and simple! Free Cake Tutorial!

    Do a little trimming until your fondant drapes just how you like.This Ghost Cake Topper Tutorial by MyCakeSchool.com is SO cute and simple! Free Cake Tutorial!

    Now, for the candy bucket!  I had some candy pumpkins that we'll talk about a little later.  I just lopped off the top, brushed with a little piping gel so that my sprinkle "candy" would stick, and then pushed a "u" shaped wire (ends dipped in candy melts) into it.

    Free Halloween Cake Tutorial for this easy and ADORABLE Ghost Cake Topper!! MyCakeSchool.com

    The handle of the bucket easily hangs from the hooked hands that we made earlier.  Then, for a little something extra, I added fondant shoes and a bow.  The shoes make our ghost look more like a little girl dressed up in a costume rather than an actual ghost that's hungry for candy!

    The eyes are drawn on with a food coloring pen....and I decided to draw a face on our pumpkin bucket too!

    I used my ghost within a few hours of making her, but for best results...allow to dry for a couple of days.  She'll be less fragile.

     

    Learn to make an adorable Ghost Cake Topper in this FREE Cake Tutorial by MyCakeSchool.com! Perfect for Halloween parties!

    Now our sweet ghost topper topper is finished!

    One of the most important things about the topper is the anchor.  I like an extra long anchor, and so I snipped a drinking straw to the approximate height of the cake or so, and slid the lollipop stick anchor right into it.  Easy!  Now our little trick or treater can stand up straight.  ;0)

     

    Free Ghost Cake Topper Tutorial by MyCakeSchool.com! PERFECT for Halloween parties!

     

    How to Make an Easy Pumpkin Patch Cake Design

    Now that our ghost is ready, let's add some personality to the sides!  Today, I did this with a bag of Mellocreme Pumpkins.  They remind me a little of Candy Corns as far as texture, in case you haven't seen them.  Anyway, these made for a super quick pumpkin patch scene.

    I simply sliced the candy pumpkin in half..

    Learn to make an adorable Ghost Cake Topper in this free tutorial by MyCakeSchool.com!

     

    Then, I pressed the pumpkins into the sides of my buttercream-frosted cake.  (Use a little buttercream as glue if your frosting has crusted over.)  *Use any buttercream that you'd like. We used our delicious Classic Vanilla Buttercream Recipe. 

    After frosting the cake, we allowed it to crust for a few minutes and then smoothed over it with a simple Viva brand paper towel. (We use Viva brand because it has no quilting or impressions.) You can smooth however you'd like!

    Kids will love this sweet Ghost Cake Topper! Free and easy tutorial by MyCakeSchool.com!

    For the buttercream leaves we used a Wilton 352 leaf tip, and then for the vines we used a small round Wilton 2. (Any small round tip will do!)

    Our pumpkin stems are simple brown jimmies.

    Learn to make an adorable Ghost Cake Topper and Pumpkin Patch Design in this easy and FREE cake tutorial by MyCakeSchool.com!

    This  pumpkin border was so much fun... it only took a few minutes!  That's my kind of decoration.

    CUTE Ghost Themed Cake with Pumpkin Patch Border! Free Tutorial by MyCakeSchool.com!

    Now let's take a look at the big picture!!!

    Adorable Ghost Topper and Pumpkin Patch Border! Free Cake Tutorial by MyCakeSchool.com

     

     

    More Halloween Cake Decorating and Recipe Ideas to Share!

    Update 10/20: We have SO many more Halloween Cake tutorials and videos to share! Don't miss our roundup of the BEST Halloween Cakes HERE!: Best Halloween Cake Designs and Ideas

    We would also love for you to check out our collection of favorite FALL RECIPES! We have everything from pumpkin and spice cakes to caramel cakes, gingerbread cake, and more! You can find them all here: Sharing the BEST Cake Recipes for Fall!

     

    Favorite Halloween Cake Tutorials and Design Ideas by MyCakeSchool.com!

     

    I hope that you enjoyed this tutorial-- be sure to whip up a ghost trick or treater topper or pumpkin patch sometime soon!! (Or at least, go buy a bag of Halloween candy to celebrate the fact that you have something new to put in your Halloween file!)

     

     

     

    Related posts:

    1. How to Make Number & Letter Cake Toppers-Video
    « Halloween Cupcake Tutorial!
    Chocolate Cake~A Doctored Mix Recipe »

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    1. jen October 10, 2013 at 6:02 pm

      Melissa,

      Thanks! I hadn't thought of propping up the fondant with paper towels to see if it would dry that way. Great idea.

      I've decided to try to make your chocolate spider invasion cake for a halloween party.

      I made a variation on your birdcage cake for mother's day and it was a huge hit. We took it to a restaurant for our brunch and our waiter loved it and kept going on about it. I posted it in your gallery in case you're interested in seeing it. https://www.mycakeschool.com/gallery/gum-paste-fondant/custom-toppers-figure-modeling-gallery/animals/jens-mothers-day-birdcage-cake/

      Love the blog!

      Reply
    2. Melissa Diamond October 10, 2013 at 11:19 pm

      Hi Jen--I'm so glad that you are making the spider invasion cake--it's a fun one! ;0) -- Just checked out your birdcage cake and LOVE it!! Just precious--no wonder the waiter went on and on. The birds are the cutest!

      Reply
    3. Paula M. October 27, 2014 at 12:59 am

      Melissa; wondering what color green you used for the vines/leaves. Thank you.

      Reply
    4. Paula May 2, 2015 at 10:03 pm

      I was wondering if orange frosting was buttercream frosting?

      Reply
    5. BeBe May 2, 2015 at 10:11 pm

      Hi Paula, The orange on the top of the cake is orange sprinkles.

      Reply
    6. Jeanie Goff October 12, 2017 at 8:34 pm

      Love the little ghost with the trick or treat pumpkin bucket.

      Reply
    7. Brenda Holland June 24, 2022 at 4:07 pm

      Before my Mom passed away I saw this and made one for my Momma....my boo-ti-ful girl. She absolutely loved it and giggled when she saw it. It is one of my favorite memories! Thank you for sharing this tutorial!

      Reply
      • Melissa Diamond June 24, 2022 at 4:13 pm

        That is so nice, love this sweet picture and am so glad that you made this cake for her! What a special memory.

        Reply
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