Hello everyone! After a short break our Tutorial Tuesdays are back! We asked what you would like to see featured in upcoming tutorials via our Facebook and we had lots of lovely responses. It would seem that sugarpaste characters and animals proved to be a popular choice and the Juniper Cakery office gardens have proven to be a popular destination for foxes so we though we would create this cheeky little fox for you to re-create! As we made this cute little critter we thought it’d be hilarious and fun to add a bucket of ‘Urban Fried Chicken’ in its arm and a food bib around its neck!
What you will need:
White sugarpaste/modelling paste
Red, brown and orange gel paste (to make a burnt orange colour for the fox)
Set of modelling tools
Red and brown food colour paste (to create the bucket of ‘chicken’)
Black ready to roll icing (for the fox’s eyes, nose and mouth)
Sugarpaste/fondant roller
Edible glue
Cocktail sticks
Tutorial Tuesday: How to make a cheeky little fox!
Step one: Using some of the sugarpaste you custom coloured for your fox roll out a ball ensuring there are no cracks. Begin to ‘flatten’ either side of your ball until you have fanned out ‘cheeks’. Repeat this in the middle of your cheeks but this time taper towards the end and work the sugarpaste upwards with your fingers to create a pointy snout for your little fox.
Step two: Now you have the general shape of your fox’s head use the shell end of you blade and shell tool to add some fur detailing.
Step three: Using the smaller end of your ball tool indent two ‘eye sockets’. Make two small slits with the blade end of your blade and shell tool to add further detail to your fox’s eyes. Now roll out two very small balls using the black sugarpaste and secure them in place with edible glue.
Step four: Make an indentation in your fox’s snout with the non-tapered end of the bulbous cone tool, roll a small amount of black sugarpaste into an oval and fix into place with edible glue. If you would like to add ‘whiskers’ cut six pieces of florist wire approximately 1 1/2 cm long and push in to snout.
Step five: For ears, roll out a small amount of your burnt orange sugarpaste, cut two triangles out approximately 1cm x 1cm and fold in two corners until they’re touching. Make two indentations on top of your fox’s head using the ball tool and fix into place with edible glue.
Step six: Roll out a small amount of white sugarpaste using your fondant roller until it approximately 1mm thick. With your blade tool cut a triangle approximately 1cm x 1cm x 1cm and place it under you fox’s chin. Use the non-tapered end of your bulbous cone tool and gently work the white fondant into the burnt orange fondant until it appears seamless. Now you have your given your fox some traditional markings! For the mouth simply make an indentation using your ball tool and paint black with Wilton’s black food colour paste.
Step seven: To create a body for your fox begin rolling out a thick ‘sausage’ shape and make sure you slightly taper one end as this will be the neck. Add further markings to your fox by rolling out a small amount of white fondant and cutting out a ‘raindrop’ shape which will fit on to your fox’s stomach. Attach with edible glue and add fur detailing with your blade tool.
Step eight: To attach your fox’s head to the body push in a cocktail stick, paint the ‘neck’ with edible glue and gently push the head in to place.
Step nine: To make a tail roll another ‘sausage’ shape between your fingers only this time make it much smaller. Taper one end and curve it so it will fit around your fox’s body. Add a white tip by moulding a triangle shape with your fingers attach with edible glue and work with in the non-tapered end of your bulbous cone tool.
Step ten: Your fox’s tail will ‘hide’ the left foot so only one foot needs to be made. Mould a circle with your fingers, press one end down with the ball tool and apply edible glue to stick in to place.
Step eleven: How you make arms for your fox with depend on if you include the bucket of chicken and bib. If you’re making your fox without the extra novelty details roll out two small ‘sausages’, make a small cut about halfway down each ‘sausage’ and bend both ends in at this point. Taper one end to form a ‘paw’ and attach both arms with a small piece of cocktail stick and edible glue. To make and put together the fox’s arms, bucket of chicken and bib see below.
How to Make the Bucket of Chicken
Step one: Mould a ‘marshmallow’ shape out of your white sugarpaste and push in the larger end of the ball tool to create the inside of your bucket. If this forces your bucket out of shape simply work it once again until it regains the appropriate shape.
Step two: For the chicken; using your custom coloured sugarpaste roll out a very small ‘sausage’ shape and round one end but cutting and shaping the fondant to look like a traditional cartoon-like bone.
Step three: Roll ovals of brown fondant and push them down on top of the bone until they cover one end. Fix in to place with edible glue and mottle using the end of the bulbous cone tool.
Step four: Paint your bucket of chicken with red stripes and add a logo of your choice (we chose ‘Urban Fried Chicken’). Glue your chicken pieces in place.
Step five: Roll three small balls of your burnt orange fondant and stick them next to one another on the left side of your bucket. These will be your fox’s ‘fingers’.
Note: Only one arm is needed if you’re adding the bucket of chicken. The ‘fingers’ will give the illusion of the bucket being held by your fox.
How to Make the Sugarpaste Bib
Step one: Roll out the remainder of your white sugarpaste and cut out a large ‘U’ shape with a thick bottom.
Step two: Use up the cut offs of rolled icing and cut out two small petal shapes and roll one small ball. Once your fox’s bib is in place glue the two petal shapes where the bib meets and glue the ball in the middle. Now you have a knot where your fox tied the bib!
Step three: Customise the bib by painting a chicken leg or ‘drumstick’ in the centre. Simply use different tones of brown food colour paste and a small paint brush to pain the design.
Note: Once the bib is in place the arm can be fixed on top.
If you’ve followed this tutorial step-by-step you now have your very own cheeky little fox! Sugarpaste characters like this are perfect for creating silly, novelty cakes for loved ones. Why not be inventive and turn this little fox into any character you like! If a relative loves music add some headphones, if they love sports swap the bucket of chicken for a basketball or football or if they love movies turn the bucket of chicken into a bucket of popcorn; the options are endless!
