Vans Shoe Cake topper Tutorial

Tools & Materials Required ~
Print and cut out Templates
Fondant in White and another colour of your choice
Corn Flour with sponge for dusting
Exacto Knife or sharp Blade
Edible Glue with brush
Stitch tool
2 width sizes of straws
Edible paint and fine paint brush

Preparation of medium ~
Print out the templates and cut out the soles and the insole out of card paper. Also cut out the toe tops and heel back if you want to use them in your shoe design. Preferably laminate the templates so you have them for future use. Depending on your shoe design, ensure that you have a paler colour of fondant for the in-sole.
You will need to prepare your medium to work with. Gumpaste is best. If using Fondant, ensure that the fondant is nice and strong and will hold up and harden. It should not too moist and sticky. Add Tylose / Gum powder and knead well. You may also add icing sugar or corn flour to make the fondant pliable and not too sticky. Add approximately 1 tsp to 200g of fondant.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Making a Cake ~
You can use these templates as a guide if you are going to make a Van’s/shoe cake. The templates can be enlarged. Use the shoe sole as the guide to the size of the cake you want to make. If you want to make a cake that is around 10 inches to fit on a 12 inch board, then enlarge the template till the sole size is 9½ inches. Note that when making a cake with templates – the cake will turn out larger than the templates as you will be cutting out the cake from the initial templates but then will be adding a layer of ‘crumb coat’ and a layer of fondant. So be ready to adjust to the size of your cake. So it’s always best to make the templates slightly smaller.

Roll out your fondant about ¼ inch thick. Use the template and cut out the sole. If making a pair, make sure you turn the template over and cut a second sole. By turning the template over you will get soles for the left and right foot.

Roll out your darker coloured fondant about 2 – 3mm thick. (It shoe be thin). Use the template for the shoe top and cut out 2 sides for the shoe. Make sure to turn the template over and cut a second piece for the other side.

Run the stitch tool along the edges of the top of the shoe sides. Also make two markings for the heel on both sides.

Using a small section of straw, cut out some white dots for the lace holes – cut 5 for each side of the shoe. Apply a little edible glue and attach the dots where the lace holes will be.

Using an even smaller straw (or circle cutter) cut out the centres of the lace holes.

Apply a little edible glue to the outer edges of the sole and also along the bottom of the inner side of the shoe sides. Attach / stick the sides to the sole. Make sure to place the first piece in the centre of the heel and attach the rest of the top. Stick on the other side. Put a little edible glue where the two pieces meet at the back of the heel and stick them together. Make sure the toe bit has a nice shape and slope.

Another view using the single template – which I found much easier.

- Cut out the full piece top.
- Run the stitch tool to create markings.
- Make the lace holes.
- Attach the top to the sole. Use a bit of rolled up tissue covered in cling film and insert into the shoe to provide support.
- Cut out the toe top.
- Apply edible glue to the entire bottom.
- Attach to the front of the shoe.


Roll out some white fondant (thinly) in a long strip/ribbon. Run the stitch tool down one edge. Apply some edible glue to the bottom of the shoe and attach the ribbon, stitch side up. Start from the back.



Cut out the toe tip from some white fondant. I have used a mini waffle texture mat to give texture to this bit for the front of the shoe. If you don’t have a texture mat, you can create the same effect with a blade and just make criss-cross marks.

Apply a little edible glue and attach the toe bit.

Cut out the tongue and attach to the inside of the shoe just under the lace holes.


Attach the laces starting from the top.


Using edible liquid colous and a fine brush, paint a line on the ‘rubber’ strip of the shoe.

Attach a small label to the side and the back of the shoe.

And there you have it!!!

For the complete downloadable pdf, head to my website http://www.sugarandspicecakes.co.nz/tutorials.php