Mermaid cake - icing help

[BreakHerOffAKitKat]

My 3 year old DD has requested a mermaid cake for her birthday. Not one to disappoint I thought I'd give it a go although I'm not the best baker. I was thinking of something along the lines of the bottom tier of this cake (hopefully pic works) - can anyone give me an idea on how to do it? Is it fondant wrapped around or is it thick ribbon piped icing? I am a total novice so am under no illusion it will look anything like the picture but I have to give it a go!!

That's fondant & will be very difficult for someone with no experience 😬.

I can use fondant just to cover a cake but that's beyond my capabilities

I thought i may have bitten off more than i can chew with that!! I may have a rethink or just go with some blobby buttercream!

I’d say the top tier would be easier if she’d like the mermaid scales effect instead. I did something similar (but for an owl cake). You roll the fondant out thin then cut out lots of circles and just layer them all up row by row.

Thank you theclockticksslowly i think she would be just as happy with the scales it does look easier and I have seen some scale cutters on ebay that would make it even easier. A mermaid cake is the only thing she has asked for (other than triangle food but that's another thread) so I need to make some kind of attempt

I get cake moulds from here and they do some mermaid/seaside ones that might be of interest.

trulymadlysweetlycupcakes.com/

I'd also search in YouTube as there are lots of ideas posted showing you how to make them.

How about either of these? Might be bit easier.

What I done for lots of cakes is just use food colouring like paint and paint onto flat white fondant icing. You could pop a doll into the cake and paint the tail on. Paint on some coral and flowers and get some brown sugar for sand and some shell icing decorations.

Love the second one you posted lucylugs thank you - i've bought lots of edible shells and fondant mermaid tail already was just a bit stuck on what to do with the base of the cake but I think that second one could be doable with some smearing of buttercream!

I think you could just roll out fondant and the cut the shapes and layer them on...so the same as the scales but actually easier as the wave effect doesn't have to be so neat?

You can get some lovely and easy to use silicone moulds for shells etc online, for less than a tenner.

I think it will be ok op!

Yes definitely doable with those.

The graduated colour is important IMO, and also a bit of sparkle.

Not perfect but she loved it - thank you all for the tips!

Lovely! Well done!

I love a beautiful home made cake. I'm not so keen on fondant perfection.