How to Make a Football Cake

Die-hard fans will appreciate a football themed cake on their birthday or game day. Whether you tackle an impressive-looking 3D cake or decide to create the playing field, these ideas are sure to score a touchdown with everyone.

3D Football Shaped Cake

While a 3D football cake may look difficult, it really doesn't take much effort once you get it covered in fondant.

Supplies

• 1 football cake pan
• 1 box cake mix with ingredients or homemade cake recipe with ingredients
• 1 cake board
• 1 set alphabet cutters
• 1 ball fondant tool
• 1 fondant knife
• 1 toothpick
• Buttercream frosting
• Brown rolled fondant
• White rolled fondant
• Black rolled fondant
• Thinned royal icing
• Additional fondant decorations, optional

Instructions

1. Mix cake according to recipe or box instructions.
2. Bake in cake pan as directed in cake pan instructions and allow to cool.
3. Place a dab of buttercream frosting in the center of the cake board and position the cake as desired.
4. Crumb coat the cake with buttercream frosting on the cake board.
5. Roll out brown fondant to approximately 1/4-inch thickness.
6. Carefully cover the cake with the brown fondant, trimming excess as needed, curving the ends underneath the cake to create the rounded ball effect instead of leaving the edges straight and perpendicular to the cake board.
7. Lightly draw a line through the horizontal center of the football top with your fondant knife. Press hard enough to make an indentation but not hard enough to cut through.
8. Use the ball tool and make a small hole in the very center of the line.
9. Roll out the white fondant to approximately 1/4-inch thickness.
10. Cut six short, thin white strips to create the leather laces for the football.
11. Use the ball fondant tool to make three pairs of indents across the line on either side of the center hole.
12. Dab royal icing on the bottom and ends of the white fondant strips and affix to the football to resemble laces.
13. Use a toothpick to create a series of closely set dots in an oval shape around the laces.
14. Roll the black fondant out to approximately 1/4-inch thickness.
15. Use the alphabet cutters to cut out a football brand or team name.
16. Affix the lettering to the cake in a curved shape using royal icing adhesive.
17. Add additional fondant decorations, like a person, scarf in team colors or message, to the cake board as desired.

Football Field Cake

A football field cake is easy to make using your everyday 9x13-inch cake pan.

Supplies

• 1 9x13-inch cake pan
• 1 box cake mix with ingredients or homemade cake recipe with ingredients
• 1 cake board
• 2 medium round decorating tips
• 1 grass decorating tip or star decorating tip
• 3 decorating bags with couplers
• 1 ruler that spans the length of the cake
• Green buttercream frosting
• Brown buttercream frosting
• White buttercream frosting
• 1 mini fondant football (instructions below)

Instructions

1. Mix the cake according to the box or recipe.
2. Bake in the cake pan for the time directed by the recipe and allow to cool.
3. Add a dab of buttercream frosting to the cake board and place cake on it.
4. Crumb coat the cake with green frosting.
5. After crumb coat has set, cover the entire cake with green frosting.
6. Smooth the top and sides and allow to the frosting to crust.
7. Place the ruler in front of the cake when the cake is horizontal.
8. Divide the cake into eight equal portions, making light marks at the bottom of the cake.
9. Repeat step 8 at the top of the cake.
10. Using a round tip with white frosting in a decorating bag, connect the marks in a straight line.
11. Write the yardage numbers on both sides of the cake with white frosting.
12. Using a round tip with brown frosting in a decorating bag, add your message to the end zones and center of the cake, leaving room for the football.
13. Place the mini fondant football in the center of your wording.
14. Add green frosting to a decorating bag with coupler and grass or star tip.
15. Angle the tip next to the sides of the cake and draw your hand up and out at a slight angle, so the grass sticks "out" from the sides of the cake. Do this around the entire cake until the sides are covered.

Mini Fondant Football Instructions

Create a mini football for your field cake by following these instructions.

1. Shape brown fondant into an oval with a wide center and thin ends using your hands.
2. Add two small white fondant strips to the ends using royal icing as adhesive.
3. Make center laces or asterisk marks using small white fondant strips and adhere using royal icing.
4. Allow to dry overnight before placing on your cake.

Additional Ideas for Football Cakes

• Bake a cake in a football stadium cake pan and add details using buttercream frosting.
• Top a tiered cake with a football-shaped cake and decorate in team colors.
• Make a helmet using a specialty cake pan and decorate with your team's mascot using fondant.
• Cut a rectangle cake into a pennant shape and decorate in team colors. Add a dowel to the side so it looks like someone could actually grab it and wave it around.
• Create a large cake display and feed a crowd by making a football shaped cake and surrounding it with cupcakes covered in buttercream with the grass tip. Add rectangle cakes that are cut into goalposts and covered in white buttercream to each end of the table. Serve after everyone arrives and has had a chance to admire the set up.

Score With Your Football Fans

Even if you're not sure of the team colors or mascot, you won't fumble by making a cake shaped like the ball or the field. Football fans will love a cake celebrating their favorite sport.