Olaf Frozen Cake. Carved Cake Tutorial with real cake, ganache and fondant decorations

The first 2020 tutorial is certainly cold!

In spite of climate change and its soft winters, the cold arrived in Barcelona a while ago. So, this tutorial had to be winter themed and, if we’re talking about a cold, iced tutorial, Frozen is the best candidate. 

When I first saw the film, I felt a special connection with Olaf, this snowman who really looks forward to summer. So naive! So innocent! Today I’m bringing you a tutorial with step-by-step pictures that will help you learn how to easily make a Frozen themed cake. I did it in small format, but you can do it as big as you want. 

Before you begin

Like I said in other posts, it’s very important to get a reference image; just print it with the desired size. This step is essential if you want to reproduce known characters. Remember: proportion is the most important thing.

In order to make an Olaf carved cake, you’ll need:

• 1 wood base for the base, with 2 holes. 
• 2 wood bases for the body
• 3 threaded rods, nuts and washers
• 7 cakes (10cm diameter x 4cm height)
• Ganache for covering and filling (you can check my post on how to make ganache)
• White, orange and black fondant (I always use Renshaw Extra, it’s great for carved cakes)
• Crisco
• Cornstarch (Maizena)
• Cutting template
• Small knife
• Ganache spatula
• Fondant rolling pin
• Some brushes
• Basic modelling tools
• Cutter
• 18 gauge wire and brown floral tape
• Floral pliers

Step by step

1. Assemble the structure and cover it with Candy Melt in order to isolate it. Put the cakes one by one, alternating with filling layers. You can use the filling you like the most, as long as it has a good consistency. Let it cool before shaping it.

2. In order to shape it correctly and with the right proportions, you need to stick to your template. Cut it and mark the silhouette on the cakes. Then, you can cut without problems. Don’t forget that you will have to add the final thickness of ganache and fondant to the shape you’re carving. So don’t worry if you cut too much. On the contrary, your Olaf will be disproportioned and with a few extra pounds!

3. After the carving, it’s time to apply the ganache. I like to take my time on this step. The smoother the ganache, the smoother the fondant and the prettier your figure. Crumble the extra cake and mix it with some ganache in order to make cake pop dough. Make both legs with this dough and cover them with ganache. 

4. In order to glue fondant on carved cakes, I always use Crisco. Apply some Crisco with your finger.

5. Stretch some black fondant and glue it to the mouth area. With the help of a dresden tool (Sugar Shapers by Innovative Sugarworks are great), press on the corners to adapt the fondant to the mouth shape. Cut with a cutter the excess of black fondant.

6. The next step consists in spreading Crisco on the whole body and face. If don’t like Crisco, you can use edible glue. I don’t recommend piping gel, as it’s too strong and, in case you go wrong, you would be pulling the ganache out, as well as the fondant.

7. Stretch the white fondant with a big rolling pin. It must be 4mm thick. Cover Olaf’s entire body and face and make sure the fondant sticks securely.

8. Next, work the fondant to eliminate possible wrinkles and to cover the cake entirely. Then, you can start cutting the extra fondant. I usually use scissors to remove the excess and to join two pieces of fondant at the same time. Press with your finger in order to adapt the fondant to the gaps in Olaf’s body.

9. Cut the excess of fondant from the mouth. Remember that it is already covered with black fondant. To be on the safe side, make a cut on the centre and crop slowly piece by piece until completing the shape of the mouth. 

10. Stretch two stripes of white fondant and cover the legs with it. Cut the extra fondant with the help of an X-acto knife.

11. Make a fondant rectangle and glue it to the mouth to make the teeth. For the eyes, make two small balls and press them in order to flatten them. Glue them together on the upper part of the face. Make the eyebrows with two slim strings of fondant. 

12. To finish with the eyes, cut two small circles of black fondant and glue them in such a manner that they’re looking inwardly. In order to make the buttons, make 3 balls of black fondant of the same size. Then, glue them with a bit of edible glue and deform them slightly to make them irregular.

13. In order to give Olaf some nuances, mix some Petrol Blue colorant from Rainbow Dust with some cornstarch (Maizena). Shade all of the profound parts, like the joints between the balls of the body, the cheek wrinkles, the zone under the legs, etc.

14. In order to make the hair and the arms I used white wires (gauge 18) and brown floral tape. Put some wires together, cover them with the tape and cut them irregularly to make the hair. Poke them on the top of the cake.

15. To make the arms, tape the tip of the wire. Put 4 wires together per arm and tape 4cm down. This way, you will create the four fingers and the arm easily. Fold the wire downwards and poke it to the cake. With some orange fondant make a carrot (which is the nose) and put it on his hands.

16. In order to make the base, I opted to imitate the softness of fallen snow. Stretch some pieces of fondant (don’t make them too thick) and glue them to the base making some waves.

You can add all the details that you want, like snowflakes, glitter for imitating sun sparkles on the snow, dandelions and much more! Just let your imagination fly. 

I hope this tutorial helped you learn a bit more about carved cakes with structure and its manufacturing process, as well as some useful cake decorating tricks. 

See you in two weeks with a tutorial… really romantic!

Marc