Round Cake Dummy - Height 15cm - (Diameter of your choice)

Made from high-quality dense polystyrene, this cake dummy offers maximum stability for your complex structures. Unlike low-grade polystyrene that crumbles when smoothed, our high-density polystyrene maintains its sharp shape. This allows for perfectly straight angles and a professional finish under the fondant.

The clean cut guarantees perfect angles when applying your fondant, royal icing, or ganache covering. The top and bottom edges are perfectly perpendicular to the vertical faces — essential for mastering smoothing techniques like "sharp edges" that define modern cake design. These clean edges distinguish a professional dummy from recycled polystyrene.

Each dummy is individually wrapped in shrink film to ensure total cleanliness upon receipt. No contact with other products during transport, no dust, no foreign particles. You can use it directly after unwrapping, with no prior cleaning needed — a valuable time saver for professionals.

The 15 cm height is the standard in contemporary cake design: neither too low (tiers would look squashed) nor too tall (hard to cover neatly with fondant). This dimension is found on wedding cakes by the top international cake designers (Sideserf Cakes, Joshua John Russell, Yolanda Gampp). Provides a modern, slender visual typical of current Pinterest and Instagram trends.

Unlike a real cake that is used only once, a cake dummy is infinitely reusable. A simple wash with warm soapy water removes fondant or icing residues between uses. For cake designers who practice regularly or need display supports, it’s a highly cost-effective long-term investment.

Available diameters: from 10 cm to 30 cm, to fit all your cake assemblies. Build your tiered cake layer by layer: a 30 cm base tier + 25 cm + 20 cm + 15 cm + 10 cm top tier for example = visually spectacular 5-tier wedding cake. All diameters keep the same 15 cm height for harmonious and consistent proportions.

Create eternal wedding cake dummies for your pastry shop display. Unlike a real cake that must be remade every day, a decorated dummy stays in place for months (even years) without damage. Ideal for: shop windows, wedding fairs, portfolio photo sessions, trade shows (Salon du Chocolat, Cake International, Sirha). Attracts the attention of future brides without wasting raw materials.

Perfect your techniques in fondant smoothing, ganache covering, edible painting, or royal piping without wasting kilos of cake. Beginners can practice for hours on the same dummy (just scrape off the fondant and start again). Saving raw materials + accelerated technical progress = the best tool to quickly improve your skills.

For catalog photo shoots or marketing materials, a decorated dummy holds up for the hours needed for the shoot without melting or collapsing (unlike a real cake under studio lights). Wedding photographers always use dummies for shots requiring multiple angles, lighting setups, and takes.

Very common use: create a polystyrene base into which you insert cake pops, lollipops, candy skewers, artificial flowers, chocolates... This is THE solution for making candy centerpieces or candy bars for weddings, birthdays, or baby showers. High-density polystyrene firmly holds the sticks so they don’t move, even after hours of display.

For weddings with a main ceremony cake + cake to be cut in the kitchen: the decorated dummy will adorn the venue throughout the reception for official photos, while simpler real cakes will be cut in the kitchen for actual service. This pro technique allows for visually spectacular cakes (multiple ultra-decorated tiers) without the stress of transport or storage.

Polystyrene is naturally smooth: fondant does not stick directly to it. You must apply an intermediate adhesive layer:

Solution 1 — Piping gel: thin layer applied with a brush, maximum effectiveness. Transparent, dries quickly.

Solution 2 — Vegetable shortening like Crisco: thin layer spread by hand. Classic American method used by all international cake designers.

Solution 3 — Melted butter: practical French alternative if you don't have Crisco or piping gel on hand.

Roll out your fondant to 3-4 mm thickness on a surface dusted with powdered sugar. Gently lift it with the rolling pin, then place it on the dummy pre-coated with adhesive. Smooth from top to bottom with a fondant smoother. Cut the excess with a fine cutter following the base of the dummy. For very sharp edges, use the double smoother technique: one on the vertical face, one on the horizontal face, pressed together at the corner.

Almond paste: more flexible, pronounced flavor, ideal for certain traditional themes.

Modeling paste: stiffer, for architectural effects (textured panels, 3D patterns).

Royal icing: applied directly on the dummy, classic British wedding cake effect with piped lace.

"Semi-naked" ganache coating: thin layer of tempered chocolate ganache directly on the dummy (yes, it holds very well when applied).

Once covered, your dummy decorates exactly like a real cake: fondant flowers, sugar pearls, satin ribbons, edible lettering, colored velvet spray, decorative mirror glaze, food paint. All classic edible accessories work — the dummy just serves as a durable base. For displays, you can even use NON-edible decorations (artificial flowers, standard ribbons) since the product will never be eaten.

To stack multiple dummies in a tower: 1/ Cover each dummy separately, 2/ Drill through the center of the lower dummy to pass a central support rod (PME wooden rods 30 cm or hollow Wilton rods 32 cm are perfect), 3/ Stack the dummies on the rod, 4/ Decorate the whole. Advantage over a real cake: no risk of collapse, no weight limit, no storage issues. You can build spectacular 5-6 tier towers without any structural stress.

If you use the dummy as a base to stick cake pops, lollipops, chocolates, or candies: no need to cover with fondant. Simply wrap the dummy with decorative paper (colored tissue paper, aluminum, kraft paper depending on the theme) with ribbon to hide the polystyrene. Then stick your picks directly into the dummy — the high density ensures good hold without the picks pulling out. Guaranteed spectacular effect for a candy bar.

Material: high-density expanded polystyrene

Single height: 15 cm (modern standard cake design)

Available diameters: from 10 cm to 30 cm (sold individually)

Shape: round cylinder with straight edges

Color: natural white polystyrene

Packaging: individual shrink wrap for hygiene

Care: washable with warm soapy water, reusable indefinitely

Use: cake design, fakes, practice, candy tiered cakes, exhibitions

With careful use (cleaning between each decoration, storage away from humidity), a quality polystyrene cake dummy can last several years and withstand dozens of successive decorations. For professional cake designers who practice regularly, it’s an investment paid off within the first weeks of use.

Store dummies in a dry place (avoid damp cellars where polystyrene can deteriorate over time) and temperate (no direct heat above 40°C, which could slightly soften the polystyrene). Ideally flat on top of each other, or on a dedicated shelf. You can stack them multiple times without risk of deformation as long as storage remains horizontal.

To cover your cake dummies, Patissland offers a wide range of professional quality sugar pastes (Saracino, Azucren Elite, Massa Ticino). Choose the one that fits your technique: Saracino Pasta Model for complex modeling, Azucren Elite for a smooth and shiny finish in covering.

To stack several dummies in a vertical tiered cake, use a central through rod: PME 30 cm wooden rods pack of 12, 32 cm hollow Wilton rods, or 30 cm Décora sticks. Pre-drill the dummies and thread them. Ultra-stable method to create 4-5 tier fake wedding cakes that never move.

Place your decorated dummy on a 12 mm white cake drum or a 4 mm rectangular silver base for a premium final presentation. The drum gives a "set" look, the silver base gives a "chic event" look. Choose according to the theme of your display.

To decorate your dummies realistically, Patissland offers 5 mm white sugar pearls, gold pearls, edible glitter, sugar paste flowers, 24K gold leaf Azucren. The full cake designer arsenal to compose according to your project. On a dummy, you can also use non-edible decorations (artificial flowers) without restriction since the piece will never be eaten.

To get those famous sharp edges on your dummies, invest in quality smoothing tools: Azucren fondant smoother, acrylic angled smoothers, flexible scrapers. A well-covered dummy requires good tools — and your final result will show it immediately.

A cake dummy (or "fake cake", "dummy cake") is a rigid polystyrene base shaped like a cake. It is covered with fondant, icing, or ganache like a real cake but is not edible. Main uses: display in shop windows, technical cake design training, wedding cake dummies, candy towers, photo shoots. It is an essential tool for any professional or advanced cake designer enthusiast.

NO, and this is very important. Polystyrene is NOT edible — it is an inert material used only as a support. You must always clearly indicate that it is a dummy if the cake is displayed where someone might mistake it for a real cake (display window, buffet). For wedding cakes with dummy + separate cutting cake, explain the distinction to the maître d'hôtel to avoid any confusion during service.

It depends on your project:

Technical training: a single dummy Ø 15-20 cm is enough to learn smoothing.

Shop display (single piece): a dummy Ø 25-30 cm for visual impact.

Fake 3-tier wedding cake: dummies Ø 10 + 20 + 30 cm (3 graduated sizes).

Fake 5-tier wedding cake: dummies Ø 10 + 15 + 20 + 25 + 30 cm (spectacular tiered cake).

Candy tower: a dummy Ø 20-25 cm to hold 30-40 picks is usually enough.

Yes, provided you apply a layer of adhesion (piping gel, Crisco, or melted butter) between the polystyrene and the fondant. Without this intermediate layer, the fondant would slip. With the adhesion properly applied, the fondant sticks perfectly to the dummy for months — this is why bakery displays can showcase decorated dummies for long periods.

1/ Scrape off the fondant or icing with a blunt knife (a flexible spatula works well). 2/ Wash with warm soapy water using a soft sponge. 3/ Rinse thoroughly. 4/ Let dry completely in the open air before next use (wet polystyrene = poor adhesion for the next covering).

Avoid harsh chemical solvents that could attack the polystyrene (acetone, strong alcohol).

Yes, high-density polystyrene can be cut with a hot blade knife (thermal cutter) or a fine saw. Technique: mark the outline with a marker, then cut slowly while rotating. For complex cuts (non-round shapes, sculptures), use an electric heated wire. This is how some cake designers create dummies with unusual shapes (hearts, numbers, 3D logos).

Well decorated (fondant with proper adhesion) and protected from direct sunlight, a dummy can stay on display several months to 1-2 years without losing its appearance. Enemies to avoid: direct UV (which yellows fondant), excessive humidity, shocks. To prolong: spray a food-grade shine spray every 3-6 months to refresh the look.

High-density polystyrene (our product): clean edges, does not crumble to the touch, holds pressure from a smoother perfectly, accepts sticks without breaking, withstands multiple cleanings.

Low-grade polystyrene (recycled packaging polystyrene): crumbles, irregular edges, deforms under pressure, cracks. Absolutely unusable for professional cake design.

The difference is immediately visible and tangible — a professional dummy is much heavier in hand than hollow polystyrene.

Yes, it's actually one of the most common uses. Wrap the dummy in decorative paper (kraft paper, metallic paper, themed fabric) with ribbon for visual decor, then stick your candy sticks, cake pops, lollipops, or chocolates directly into it. The polystyrene density holds the sticks firmly without moving, even after hours of display. Ideal solution for wedding candy bars, baby showers, kids' birthdays.

4 dummies, one for each tier. Graduated diameters like 30 + 25 + 20 + 15 cm (or 25 + 20 + 15 + 10 cm for a cuter style). Each dummy is 15 cm tall: final assembled cake = 60 cm total height, very visually impressive. Assemble with a central rod for stability. Decorate each tier separately before stacking for easier handling.