What is a cake topper made of?

A flat topper cut from gold mirror acrylic.

Toppers come in two families. Flat toppers are cut from one sheet, often with a laser. Acrylic comes clear or in colors. Wood is often basswood or birch plywood. Paper and cardstock are the low-cost option, and some flat toppers are metal.

If you are choosing between the two flat materials, read acrylic vs wooden cake toppers.

Figures are the second family: a couple you can walk around. Edible toppers come in both kinds, as printed wafer paper or icing sheets, or as shapes made of fondant or sugar paste.

Classic bride and groom figures are moulded porcelain or ceramic, painted by hand. On Etsy, most of them are stock designs, sometimes with a choice of hair color.

Figures made from a photo of the two of you are different. On Etsy in the US, most are sculpted in polymer clay. Fewer are 3D printed in PLA plastic or resin. Some prints are painted by hand, and others come out of the printer in full color. The mass-made vinyl figure we bought shows one person.

Hand-sculpted clay

3D printed, painted by hand

Full-color 3D print

Mass-made vinyl

We bought 8 custom toppers from other makers and weighed each one. The clay figures were by far the heaviest, and most were also taller than the prints. The lightest clay figure weighed about 7 oz (192 g). The lightest print weighed about 1½ oz (43 g).

A heavy topper can sink into a soft cake. Acrylic is light, and metal is heavy. Check the weight before you place a topper on the cake.

A full-color print, up close

On one full-color print, the faces turned into a speckled blur up close. From across the cake, it looked right. Layer lines showed on the print that was painted by hand.

Clay looks smooth, but the clay parts gave a little when we pressed them.

• You want to eat it: fondant or chocolate. Edible toppers are more fragile than the others.
• You want your names: flat acrylic or wood. You can keep it after the wedding.
• You want the two of you: clay or a 3D print. Clay is the most common, and prints are lighter.
• You want a classic figure: moulded porcelain. It is delicate, so pack it with care.

We 3D print our toppers in polymer, in Single-Color or Full-Color, with a matte or glossy finish. A glossy Full-Color print can read as glazed porcelain from across a cake.

Our style names describe a look, not a material. There is no wood or metal in our toppers. Like every topper that is not edible, ours is not food safe.

Are polymer clay cake toppers safe on a cake?

Polymer clay is not food. Some sellers call it non-toxic, but that does not mean it is safe to touch food. Treat a clay figure like any other decor.

Is acrylic food safe?

Some sellers say so, often without naming a test. A laser maker's guide says to check that the acrylic suits food contact, or to let only the stem touch the cake.