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Published on March 1, 2021 by · This post may contain affiliate links ·

Squirrel Cake

Skill level: Advanced

I got a opportunity to work with Disney making this squirrel cake holding a giant donut. This project turned out amazing. In this tutorial, you will learn how to create a standing squirrel holding a giant donut. If you've ever wondered how to create a vertical donut shape, let me tell you, it's not easy, but I break down the process step-by-step.

You will also learn how to create the squirrel's fur, how to paint the donut and squirrel to look life-like, and how to add the expressive eyes and donut frosting.

There's a lot to cover in this tutorial, so let's get our tools together, and let's get started!

2:07:53 Minutes of Instruction

What You Will Learn

  • How to create a gravity-defying squirrel cake holding a giant donut
  • Learn how to make a vertically-standing giant donut
  • How to sculpt and paint fur on an animal
  • Learn how to make expressive eyes and facial features on a squirrel without looking too much like a person

Tutorial Chapters

  1. Cutting Wooden Pieces 0:25
  2. The lower body structure 8:24
  3. The upper body structure 15:35
  4. The donut base structure 19:26
  5. Making it food safe 22:03
  6. The tail structure 23:32
  7. The donut structure 26:14
  8. Modeling chocolate - the base 30:19
  9. Modeling chocolate - the top 38:25
  10. Stacking the cakes - squirrel 41:46
  11. Stacking the cakes - donut 46:31
  12. Crumb coating the cake 57:19
  13. Shaping the donut cake 1:03:34
  14. Shaping the squirrel 1:04:36
  15. Adding the ears 1:12:57
  16. Shaping facial features 1:15:18
  17. Covering the donut in fondant 1:19:38
  18. Texturing the donut 1:26:54
  19. Covering the squirrel in fondant 1:29:24
  20. Making squirrel hands 1:35:12
  21. Making squirrel toes 1:39:32
  22. Texturing the squirrel 1:40:28
  23. Airbrushing the cake 1:45:22
  24. Adding the eyes and eyelids 1:57:59
  25. Making the donut frosting 2:00:20
  26. Decorating the board 2:04:30

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About Liz Marek

Liz Marek is a professional cake artist, sweet and savory recipe developer, and the founder of Sugar Geek Show, where she teaches cooking, baking and cake decorating through detailed tutorials, food science explanations, and kitchen-tested recipes. She has been creating recipes and teaching baking techniques since 2008, helping bakers of all skill levels gain the confidence to make professional-quality desserts at home.

Liz is known for breaking down complex cooking and baking concepts into simple, approachable methods. Her work focuses on helping people understand not just how a recipe works, but why it works. Through Sugar Geek Show, she shares step-by-step recipes, cake decorating tutorials, and practical baking guides designed to make professional techniques accessible to everyone.

Over the years, Liz has taught thousands of students through online tutorials, classes, and educational content focused on real kitchen results. Her recipes are carefully tested and written to help people succeed the first time they make them.

When she’s not developing recipes or teaching baking techniques, Liz also hosts curated travel experiences for women through her travel brand Soul Sisters.

You can find Liz’s latest recipes, baking tutorials, and food science tips at Sugar Geek Show.