How to Make a Custom Cake Board

You’ve made a beautiful cake and can’t wait to show it off to your family and friends.  But that ugly white cardboard it’s sitting on is kinda killing the vibe.  Ever been in this situation?  Those fancy cake drums are expensive and kinda boring, so that’s not an option.  I can show you a super easy and super cheap way to make a custom cake board.  

 

This page contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission as an Amazon Associate (or other affiliate program) from qualifying purchases. I only recommend products that I use and trust.

This post was originally published on June 25, 2020.  It was republished on October 9, 2025 with updates.

 

Custom Cake Boards Make A Difference

 

There is nothing more distracting than that ugly white and brown edge of a cake board poking out from under your masterpiece.  It’s like the elephant in the room.  Before I learned how to make a custom cake board, all I could see was that ugly board.  Whether you’re selling your masterpieces or just serving them to family and friends, you need to step up your game.

So after reading a few other tutorials by talented cakers, I came up with my own way to jazz up that ugly thing and make my very own custom cake boards.  Seriously, this was a game changer for me.  Once I started selling my cakes, I knew they needed to be presentable right out of the box.

 

 

How To Make A Custom Cake Board

 

I’m serious, this is so easy.  But there are a few steps that are weird to explain.  Check out the video at the end of the post and I’ll walk you through each step.

 

Supplies

 

• Cake boards
• Tissue paper
• Clear contact paper
• Scissors
• Pen
• Scotch tape

 

Step One: Cut The Tissue Paper

 

Place your cake board on a piece of tissue paper that’s been folded in half.  You want the board to be about an inch from the folded edge.  Draw a rough circle about an inch or so larger than the cake board.  

Cut out the circle, but make sure to leave part of the folded tissues paper together.  You can also use a larger cake board to trace the circle, but it’s not necessary.

 

 

Step Two: Wrap The Cake Board

 

Place the cake board face down in the center of the tissue paper circle.  Carefully pull the tissue paper towards the center and tape it down.  Work your way around the board, pleating the tissue paper and taping it down.  The edge of the circle will be a bit pokey now.  Don’t worry!  We’ll take care of that soon.

 

Step Three: Cover With Contact Paper

 

Just like we did in step one, cut out a circle of contact paper that is an inch or two larger than your cake board.  Using a larger board can be very helpful.  With the tissue paper side of the cake board facing up, carefully peel the back of the contact paper off and press it onto the board.  Watch the video below to see how to avoid bubbles.

Place your custom cake board face down and cut the overhanging contact paper into strips about a centimeter apart.  Work your way around the board and you’ll end up with a nice fringe.  Take one strip at a time and pull it towards the center, then press down, and continue around the board.  This will pull in the pokey edges of the tissue paper.

 

Related Reading: FREE Cake Baking Course for Beginners

 

Step Four: Add Cake

 

Congratulations!  You now know how to make a custom cake board!  I suggest attaching a board that is the same size as your cake to your wrapped board with tape or melted chocolate.  Now you can smear a dab of buttercream or ganache in the center of your board and add your first cake layer.  Continue to build up and decorate your cake.

As you decorate, you will get smudges of frosting and crumbs on your brand new custom cake board.  Thanks to the contact paper, it’s super easy to wipe off with a bench scraper or a paper towel.  Even with this bright red frosting, my cake board is clean and spotless!  And if you are making a tiered cake, simply tape two or three cake boards together before you begin making your custom cake board.

 

 

The Possibilities Are Endless

 

Use any soft, pliable material you want to create a custom cake board.  Tissue paper comes in a billion patterns and shades, plus it’s super cheap.  You can also find patterned contact paper if you want to skip the tissue paper step all together!

Check out my YouTube Video to see what other materials I have on hand and to see how I work through each step.  If you like the video or found it helpful, please hit that like button, subscribe, and hit that bell to get notified when I add a new video.

 

Get Crafty

 

Even if you’re not a crafty person, you can totally pull this off.  A custom cake board is going to make your treats look so much more professional and it won’t even cost you an arm and a leg!  So, what color, pattern, or material do you think you’ll use first?  Tell me!!  Check out my photos on Facebook to see the different cake boards I’ve created.