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Updated on December 7, 2021 by · This post may contain affiliate links ·

Topsy Turvy Tea Party Birthday Cake Tutorial

Skill level: Intermediate

For Avalon's birthday party this year, the theme was cats and tea parties, or a "kit-tea" party. Avalon didn't want cats on the cake (because why would cats eat cats?) so we went with mice, teapots and lots and lots of bubbles.

In this tutorial, you'll learn how to create a beautiful tea party cake with a classic gravity-defying topsy turvy design with a twist, there's a floating element to each tier allowing bubbles or flowers to be put between the tiers. You'll learn how to create this structure which opens up possibilities for all sorts of interesting designs.

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

1:14:52 Minutes of Instruction

What You Will Learn

  • Learn how to create a gravity-defying topsy turvy cake
  • How to sculpt and create mice, teapots and bubbles
  • Learn how to make a floating teapot stream and wafer paper sails

Tutorial Chapters

  1. Overview of the materials 0:42
  2. Making the structure 3:16
  3. Covering in fondant 16:25
  4. Stacking the cakes 24:01
  5. Making the chocolate bubbles 25:25
  6. Making the wafer paper sails 28:44
  7. Making the teacups 33:37
  8. Making the teapot base & spout 41:38
  9. Adding the teapot 46:30
  10. Making the water ganache 56:38
  11. Adding the water ganache drip 57:14
  12. Adding the teacups & mice: part 1 58:34
  13. Making the water spout 1:03:55
  14. Adding the teacups & mice: part 2 1:06:10
  15. Painting the decorations 1:09:29
  16. Adding the chocolate bubbles 1:11:46
  17. Attaching the wafer paper fan 1:15:05

More Course Preview

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.