Terry Monk, owner of Chez Ru Rene Bakery, says one of their most popular finishing touches is placing a “sculpted petit four” on top of an iced and decorated layer cake. The sculpted petit four is made from almond cake that is molded into a special shape (according to the customer’s request) and covered in fondant, then adorned with embellishments.

Finally, the sculpture is placed on top of a cake. Some of its most popular designs have been ketchup bottles (perfect for picnic occasions) and golf balls (for Father’s Day). The baby shoes featured here are a perfect addition to a baby shower cake.


“First, we cut a cardboard pattern for the design,” Monk says. “Then we build the structure with the petit fours, rounding it and shaping it and then pouring the fondant over the sculpture,” she says. “It adds dimension to the cake. Customers love it.”