- Medium
- 30–45 minutes
- 3D shape
- about 2.0 × 1.7 in (5.2 × 4.4 cm)
Treat yourself to a sweet paper craft with this rich chocolate cake slice, complete with cocoa sponge layers, glossy fudge drips, piped frosting swirls, chocolate curls, a bright red cherry, and a blushing kawaii face. This free printable cake paper squishy template comes in US Letter and A4 formats with 3 versions: full color, a coloring page, and a blank net. Pair your finished wedge with our strawberry shortcake squishy to build an adorable paper bakery display!
What you need
How to make it, step by step
1Print the template
Print your chocolate cake template at 100% on plain printer paper (make sure “fit to page” is turned off). Check the scale bar at the top right: it should measure exactly 2 inches (50 mm on A4). Using the coloring page or blank version? Grab your rich browns and cherry red to color the frosting drips, sponge layers, and cute face right now before adding any tape.
2Tape the motif
Lay strips of wide clear packing tape across the entire printed chocolate cake motif, making sure to cover all the yellow and blue tabs too. Smooth each strip outward from the center without stretching it. This gives the dark fudge frosting and red cherry a glossy bakery shine while making the paper strong enough to squish.
3Cut it out
Cut out the cake net along the solid black outer line, keeping all the yellow glue tabs and blue tape tabs attached. Take your time around the angled corners of the triangular top and bottom wedges and the narrow side tabs. Do not cut any of the dashed interior lines—those are your folds.
4Pre-fold every tab
Use your ruler and an empty pen to score firmly along every dashed line on the cake slice, including the lines between the striped sponge sides and the drip-covered back wall. Fold every tab and wall line inward toward the unprinted white side once, then open the net back up. Pre-folding now makes assembling the taped wedge much easier.
5Make the walls
Fold the 3 rectangular cake walls into a triangular ring with the chocolate layers and fudge drips facing outside. Dab glue onto the yellow side tab at the bottom of the strip and press it inside to hold the ring closed, then seal that vertical corner seam from the outside with regular clear tape along its whole length.
6Close the bottom
Apply glue to the 2 yellow tabs on the speckled brown bottom triangle. Fold the triangular base inward and press the tabs firmly against the inside of the cake walls so the slice sits flat. Leave the decorated kawaii cherry top completely open—you will stuff the wedge through there.
7Tape the bottom
Because glue alone will not hold onto slick tape for long, reinforce the base right away. Place strips of regular clear tape along the outside of all 3 bottom triangle edges, running the tape along the full length of each seam so no stuffing can push through.
8Stuff it
Push loose scrunches of plastic bag or small tufts of fiberfill in through the open top of the slice. Tuck a dainty bit into the narrow front tip of the wedge first, then fill toward the back frostings. Stuff lightly so the cake walls stay flat and crisp rather than bulging.
9Close it
Fold the 2 blue tabs on the cherry-topped lid inward and swing the triangle shut over the stuffing. Hold the lid flush with the piped frosting walls and seal every top edge from the outside with regular clear tape, covering the whole length of each seam.
10Squish!
Your chocolate cake squishy is ready! Give the slice a gentle squeeze and watch the cocoa layers puff right back into shape. If you want a slower rise when you press it, prick one tiny pinhole in an inconspicuous spot so the air escapes gradually.
Free Chocolate Cake Squishy Template
- Color
- Coloring page
- Blank, design your own
- Step-by-step guide
One free PDF: the template in three versions (pages 1–3) and the step-by-step guide (pages 4–6). Print the template at 100% on plain printer paper.
Tips for the perfect squish
- Keep the front tip sharp. The narrow front point of the cake wedge is where the two layered sponge walls meet at the glued seam. Score the dashed line on the yellow side tab with a ruler and empty pen before folding, then pull the corner snug when taping the seam.
- Stop the slice from rounding. If the flat chocolate sponge sides puff out like a pillow, there is too much filling inside. Pull a little stuffing out before taping the lid shut so the wedge keeps its crisp bakery angles.
- Seal the angled corners. Glue does not stick to taped paper for long, especially along the slanted triangle base and lid. Cover every seam along its entire length with fresh strips of clear tape from the outside.
- Bubble-free dark chocolate. Air bubbles show up easily against dark cocoa colors. Use shorter strips of packing tape and smooth them from the center outward without pulling.
Questions
How do you make a paper squishy cake?
Print the chocolate cake wedge template on plain paper, cover the front with clear packing tape, cut along the solid outer line, and score every dashed fold line. Fold the walls and bottom into a 3D slice using glue to hold the yellow tabs, tape every seam from the outside, stuff lightly through the top, and tape the lid shut.
What paper works best for this cake paper squishy template?
Plain printer paper (80–100 gsm / 20–24 lb) is ideal. Heavy cardstock becomes too stiff once covered in packing tape and makes the 2.0 × 1.7 in (5.2 × 4.4 cm) wedge hard to fold and squish.
Can I build the cake slice with only glue?
No, glue only holds the yellow tabs in place while you assemble the walls and base. Because glue does not stay stuck to slick tape, you must seal every seam from the outside with clear tape.
What can I use to stuff my paper cake squishy?
You can use loose scrunches of plastic grocery bags for a light, crinkly feel or soft fiberfill for a plush bounce. Put just a tiny piece into the narrow front point of the slice and stuff the rest lightly so the sides stay flat.
Can I make a whole paper cake with a group or class?
Yes! Plan about 45 minutes, print one sheet per person, and pre-cut tape strips while kids color the coloring page; you can even combine several slices with our confetti cake squishy to form a full party platter.
More paper squishies to make
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