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Hiya, I’m making a 50th anniversary cake. I am making a 50 number topper that will be about 4″ tall. I have fixed numbers with royal icing before but I have never made on this big (other than a number 4, which I was able to stake) so a bit worried that the royal icing won’t hold it. Any suggestions on how to secure it?

Hello Sue

The easiest way is to thread cocktail sticks into the number to support it in the cake. If you search either in google or in youtube ‘how to support number cake toppers’ you’ll find loads of tutorials.

EDIT forget the above!

coctail sticks won’t be big enough I’ve just realised! Try ice lolly sticks. Sandwich the stick between two cut numbers secure with royal icing. I think there is a big numbers tutorial in youtube.

Hmm, I don’t think that will work as the numbers are 5 and 0 so the sticks won’t be able to go very far into the numbers (without coming out the other side). To create the numbers I’m shaping them from long rolls (sausage style) bits of gum paste, if that makes sense. I will google it tho, and see what comes up x

Hi Sue

Just been looking through some of my bought tutorials and I found one from Nicholas Lodge on monograms and large numbers. I’ll try my best to explain what he does:

He made tall number 20. Cut out two thick plaques or thickly cover a small topper board. Embed the number into the sugarpaste to make a deep dent. Allow the plaque or board to dry. Once completely dry, with royal icing secure the numbers into the dents. Support the numbers from both sides with sponge blocks until very firm.
Any good?? please let me know if that helps. I can’t let you have the tutorial because it’s non transferable. I bought it on the craftsy site, if you want to have a look here’s the link:
http://www.craftsy.com/classes/search?query=Nicholas%20Lodge%20letters%20and%20monograms%20class

I think I understand. Do you mean the end result would be the number standing on a plaque, on top of the cake?

I think she is referring to something inside the fondant numbers for stability.
I found one on youtube that has the readymade numbers covered in fondant
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48hEBYI_MmY ready made numbers covered with fondant on youtube

there were also a couple others- one as she started to explain in the beginning

how to make tall numbers for a cake topper by EHOW

and a photo tutorial that is self explanatory also, of someone that I know

How to Make Fondant Number Cake Toppers

photo tutorial with fondant and tylose
I hope they help. Morgana

Hi Sue

Yes, that’s basically what the Nick Lodge tutorial shows. He uses the very large patchwork number/letter cutters. The dry number or letter is used to make deep indents into soft sugarpaste. The indent is deep enough to cradle the shape, it’s a slot. Once the plaque/board dries completely he makes royal icing from a little sugarpaste and water and fills the indents with the paste then slots the dry number/letter into the indent. The paste acts as the glue on which the piece stand on. The piece is supported with foam on both sides until dry and secure. He doesn’t use any internal supports as shown in the video link given by morgana. You may prefer the method shown in the above video, I just think Nick Lodge’s method is quite straighforward. He trims the board with a little ribbon but leaves the plaque plain. I suppose it could easily be trimmed with some sugarpaste through a fancy sugar gun plate. I hope this is clearer than my original answer. x