From the Maker’s Bench
Insights from our network of 3d print operators and designers.
Yes, you can 3D print a cake topper, and a name or age topper is one of the easiest first prints there is. Print it flat in food-grade PLA, give it two thick stakes, and take it off before the cake is cut. A current printer finishes a simple name topper in about an hour or two, and you get something no party store sells: the right name, the right size and the right colors.
Measure the cake first. These are good starting sizes for a topper that looks right without tipping over:
| Cake | Topper width | Stake length | Thickness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cupcake | 40–50 mm (1.5–2 in) | 40 mm (1.5 in) | 2 mm |
| 6-inch cake | 100–120 mm (4–4.75 in) | 60 mm (2.5 in) | 2.5–3 mm |
| 8-inch cake | 130–160 mm (5–6.25 in) | 70 mm (2.75 in) | 3 mm |
| Tiered wedding cake | 150–180 mm (6–7 in) on the top tier | 70–80 mm (2.75–3 in) | 3 mm |
Two stakes stop the topper from spinning, and stakes about 4–5 mm wide push into buttercream and fondant without snapping. For script names, make sure every letter touches the next one, or the loose letters fall off the print.
Use a spool that is certified food grade. Regular PLA isn’t tested for food contact, and the stakes sit in frosting. Comfy Materials’ CARBON PLA+ is tested against FDA 21 CFR 175.300 and prints at 190–220 °C, so it works on almost any printer. If the topper will travel in a warm car or be reused for years, CARBON PETG handles more heat.
| Pick | Spool | Why | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for most toppers | Comfy Materials CARBON PLA+ | Food-grade tested, easy to print, sharp letters | Check price |
| Best for reuse and heat | Comfy Materials CARBON PETG | Food-grade tested, tougher, softens at a higher temperature | Check price |
Glitter, silk and metallic spools look great on a topper, but they’re rarely food grade. If you want that look, print the decorative part in it and keep it off the cake on a food-grade stake, or paint only the front and keep paint off everything that touches frosting.
Selling toppers? Leave out cartoon and movie characters unless you have the rights. Names, dates and your own designs are safe.
Not a regular one. A filament printer prints the topper, not the frosting. Food printers that pipe chocolate or sugar paste exist, but they’re separate machines, mostly used by professional bakeries.
Wash it by hand in warm, not hot, soapy water before and after use, and let it air dry. No dishwasher: the heat warps PLA. Store it flat, away from a sunny window, and it will be ready for the next party.
Order a custom 3D printed cake topper or a wedding cake topper from a maker near you. Have a file already? Upload your STL. Want a figure of your pet or the couple? Chat with a 3D engineer about designing it.
They are when printed in a certified food-grade filament through a stainless-steel nozzle and washed before use. More in our food-safe filament guide.
About two-thirds the width of the cake: 130–160 mm (5–6.25 in) wide for an 8-inch cake, with 70 mm stakes.
A flat name topper takes about one to two hours on a current printer. Figures take longer.
Food-grade PLA for most toppers. Food-grade PETG if it will be reused often or sit in a warm place.
Yes, but keep paint off the stakes and anything that touches the frosting, since most paints aren’t food safe.
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