My youngest son currently loves anything he sees with Marvel Superheroes. So when birthday time came around I offered to make him a cake with superheroes on it. He picked out the four (since he was turning four) specific characters he wanted and I made them with a cake!

In this instructable I will show you step-by-step how to make three of the four fondant characters: Spider-Man, Wolverine and Iron Man. I left out The Hulk because he was by far the easiest and if you can make the others you won't need any instructions to make The Hulk!!

I don't want to discourage anyone who wants a Marvel Superheroes cake and I do encourage you to try......but if you have never worked with fondant before I would suggest trying something a bit easier. These were a challenge for me, in fact, the most difficult fondant characters I have ever made. However, when I saw the look on my son's face when he saw his cake it made every second worth it! He loved it!

I will simplify the process as much as possible!

Step 1: Inspiration

When I offered to make a Marvel Superheroes cake I found myself wanting something cartoonish and something on the simple side. I didn't want to mimic designs of the actual characters. That would just be too hard.

I searched google images and finally thought about looking at toys and came up with these Marvel plush toys. I figured it would be easiest to model my characters from these toys.

**This image is not mine nor do I support the website I found the picture on. Just used it to make my characters. Here is the link to the site I found them on http://www.lostateminor.com/2011/01/15/marvel-superhero-plush-dolls/

Step 2: Iron Man

The only ingredients in these characters are fondant and food coloring. I have made my own fondant in the past but prefer store bought. I always buy white and color it myself with Wilton Icing Colors.

For Iron Man you will need the following colors of fondant:
-red - or as red as you can get it!
-yellow
-black
-light gray

Okay, let's get to work on Iron Man. Of the three characters I highlight in this instructable Iron Man was the least difficult. A good place to start!

Tips before we get started:
-Working on waxed paper keeps pieces from sticking to your work surface
-Adhere fondant pieces together with very small dabs of water
-When ever a cut is made with a knife round and smooth the cut edges for a more polished look

Iron Man Head - Approximately two inches tall
1. Roll a red circle of fondant in your hands and press it down to about a 1/2 inch thickness about two inches high and two inches wide with rounded edges.
2. Using your fingers stretch out a bit of fondant on either side of the circle to make small bumps. Not sure if they are ears or part of the suit.
3. Press (or roll) a piece of yellow fondant flat to about 1/16 of an inch. Cut it into a circle(ish) shape almost as large as the head. Keep the bottom rounded and cut the top like a heart. Stick to the head piece.
4. Roll two small black circles for eyes and make one small rectangle for the mouth. Stick in appropriate places and set aside!

Iron Man Body - Approximately three inches tall
1. Roll an egg shape of red fondant in your palms and flatten it to about 1/2 inch.
2. Using a table knife cut out a shape like in picture 2. You are making the upper body and the arm stubs. Round off the cut edges with your fingers to give the piece dimension.
3. Make a line with your table knife for the waist without cutting all the way through.

Iron Man Arms
1. Roll out two thick red snakes about one inch long with bulbous ends for the arms. Slightly press for a flat bottom.
2. Cut a thumb shape on each end of each arm in opposite directions (to make a right and left hand) and make dents for the fingers - as in picture three. We are making two arms at the same time!
3. Make two small yellow triangles about 1/16 inch thick and adhere them to the upper part of each arm where the stub meets the arm.
4. Roll two small thin red snakes and stick them on each edge of the yellow triangles. Repeat with other arm.
5. Using a small dab of water stick the arms on the arm stubs of the body piece.

Iron Man Details
1. Roll a small ball of red fondant and press as flat as possible for the monobeam.
2. Roll a small ball of gray fondant slightly smaller than the red piece and stick to the top of the red piece.
3. Adhere to the center of his chest.
4. Add a belt consisting of a long red snake pressed flat with two indents to make the buckle part.
5. Roll two very tiny round balls of red fondant. Stick them on the upper part of the chest on either side.

Iron Man Legs
1. Roll two yellow snakes about 1/2 inch thick and press slightly to flatten.
2. Cut two boot shapes out of red fondant. One for the right foot and one for the left foot.
3. Stick the boots to the leg pieces and edge the seam with a small snake of red fondant pressed flat.
4. Adhere the legs to the body piece with a small dab of water.
5. Use a toothpick to secure the head to the body if necessary. My head pieces were as heavy as the body pieces and since I wanted the characters standing on the cake I knew I would need a toothpick to make them more sturdy.

Set Iron Man aside to dry and harden slightly. I recommend making characters in advance to avoid any damage to the characters once they are placed on the cake.

Step 3: Spider-Man

For Spider-Man you will need the following colors of fondant:
-red
-black
-blue
-white

Spider-Man is by far the most time consuming character. Not necessarily as difficult as the other just time consuming! He is made in the same was as Iron Man just with different details. Same techniques and tips apply to all characters.

Spider-Man Head - Approximately two inches tall
1. Roll a red circle of fondant in your hands and press it down to about a 1/2 inch thickness about two inches high and two inches wide with rounded edges.
2. Press (or roll) two pieces of black fondant flat to about 1/16 of an inch. Cut out two teardrop shapes for the eyes. Stick to the head piece.
3. Roll two small white circles for eyes. Stick on top of the teardrop shapes.
4. Roll very thin long snakes of black fondant. You will need several pieces to make the webbing on the face. I found it was easiest to roll the snakes in the palm of my hand.
5. Start by making a small circle of the fondant in the center of the face just lower than the eyes.
6. Layer on the webbing with pieces of the thin black fondant as in pictures 3-5 adhering all pieces with a bit of water. Set head aside.

Spider-Man Body - Approximately three inches tall
1. Roll an egg shape of red fondant in your palms and flatten it to about 1/2 inch.
2. Using a table knife cut out the body shape and arms like in picture 6. You are making the upper body and the arms. Round off the cut edges with your fingers to give the piece dimension.
3. Line the armpits and inner sides of the body with blue fondant. This will hold the arms onto the body piece securely.
4. Cut an 'M' shape 1/2 inch thick out of blue fondant for the pants rounding the cut edges.
5. Make two boot shapes for the feet - one for left and one for right.
6. Stick pieces together in appropriate places.

Spider-Man Details
Now that the main body is finished it will need webbing like the face and a spider of course!
1. Pictures 8-11 show the route I took for applying the body webbing and the spider. The photos show better than words can explain!
2. Use a toothpick to secure the head to the body if necessary. My head pieces were as heavy as the body pieces and since I wanted the characters standing on the cake I knew I would need a toothpick to make them more sturdy.

Set Spider-Man aside to dry and harden slightly. I recommend making characters in advance to avoid any damage to the characters once they are placed on the cake.

Step 4: Wolverine

Wolverine was very fun to make! You will need a small piece of card stock or chipboard along with the following fondant colors for Wolverine:
-black
-yellow
-blue
-light gray
-white
-flesh color
-red

I am starting to simplify the instructions and photos by now since we are on the third character. Use that brain! Challenge yourself!

Wolverine Head - Approximately two inches tall
1. Roll a yellow circle of fondant in your hands and press it down to about a 1/2 inch thickness about two inches high and two inches wide with rounded edges.
2. Press (or roll) a piece of flesh colored fondant flat to about 1/16 of an inch. Cut out a half circle the same width as the head and cut a slight 'V' in the top. Stick to the head piece.
3. Roll two small black thin strips for the sideburns. Stick on the very sides of the head from where the eyes will be down to the neck.
4. Cut card stock or chipboard into the eye shapes and cover with a thin layer of black fondant. I found if I didn't use the chipboard the eyes just sort of melted around the head piece. Make sure your guests or child knows not to eat that part. We aren't allowed to eat fondant at my house so it wasn't an issue.
5. Roll two small white circles for the eyes and place on the black fondant chipboard pieces. Adhere eye pieces to the head piece and set aside.

Wolverine Body - Approximately three inches tall
1. Roll an egg shape of yellow fondant in your palms and flatten it to about 1/2 inch.
2. Using a table knife cut out the body shape and arms like in picture 2. You are making the upper body and the arm stubs. Round off the cut edges with your fingers to give the piece dimension.
3. Cut out the pelvic piece in blue fondant and stick to the yellow body piece.
4. Line the seam with a strip of red fondant.

Wolverine Arms
1. Roll out two thick flesh colored snakes about 1/2 inch long. Slightly press for a flat bottom.
2. Cut two mitten shapes out of blue fondant in opposite directions (to make a right and left hand). We are making two arms at the same time!
3. Line the seams with a strip of blue fondant.
4. Stick arms to the arm stubs of the body piece.

Wolverine Legs
1. Roll two yellow snakes about 1/2 inch thick and 1/2 inch long and press slightly to flatten.
2. Cut two boot shapes out of black fondant. One for the right foot and one for the left foot.
3. Stick the boots to the leg pieces with a small dab of water.
4. Top the fronts of the boots with thin pieces of blue fondant. The shape should be the same as the boot only slightly smaller.

Wolverine Details
1. Make a small red rectangle with a black 'X' shape for the belt buckle. Adhere to the red belt.
2. Roll out a piece of black fondant about 1 inch square about 1/16 inch thick.
3. Cut out six small triangle shapes.
4. Stick them on the body piece as in picture 4.
5. Roll out a long thin snake with gray fondant. Cut it into six equal pieces about 1/2 inch long.
6. Make three indents on each hand using a toothpick.
7. With a dab of water stick on the claws!
8. Roll out a piece of blue fondant about 1/16 inch thick and cut two triangles about 3/4 inch long.
9. Adhere them to the seam where the arms meet the body.
10. Use a toothpick to secure the head to the body if necessary. My head pieces were as heavy as the body pieces and since I wanted the characters standing on the cake I knew I would need a toothpick to make them more sturdy.

Set Wolverine aside to dry and harden slightly. I recommend making characters in advance to avoid any damage to the characters once they are placed on the cake.

Step 5: The Final Cake!

Once you have the fondant characters made you will need a good home for them. A cake preferably!!

I made a two tiered dark chocolate fudge cake (maybe I will post that recipe someday), covered it with colored buttercream, added some fun and very simple fondant details. I also added graphic signs drawn with sharpie markers and taped to skewers and stuck on my characters.

I used a toothpick in each foot of each character to stand them upright. Except The Hulk. He is just leaning slightly on the cake.

Watch your birthday boy smile and laugh when he sees the cake and eats it up with delight!