- Medium
- 30–45 minutes
- 3D shape
- about 2.0 × 1.7 in (5.2 × 4.4 cm)
With layers of golden sponge, sweet berry slices, piped cream swirls, and a tiny blushing face on the frosting, this strawberry shortcake slice looks good enough to eat. Grab our free printable cake paper squishy template to fold your own 3D dessert wedge in about 30 to 45 minutes. The PDF download includes 3 versions—pre-colored, a coloring page, and a blank net—in both US Letter and A4 formats. Pair it with our chocolate cake squishy for a full bakery display!
What you need
How to make it, step by step
1Print the template
Print your strawberry shortcake net at 100% scale on plain printer paper, making sure “fit to page” is turned off. Check the scale bar at the top right so it measures exactly 2 inches (50 mm on A4). If you picked the coloring page version, color the sponge layers, red berries, and rosy cheeks now before adding any tape.
2Tape the motif
Lay strips of wide clear packing tape across the entire cake slice design, covering all the yellow and blue tabs too. Smooth each strip down from the center outward without stretching the tape. A smooth coat gives the white frosting and juicy strawberry topping a glossy bakery shine while making the paper strong enough to squeeze.
3Cut it out
Use your scissors to cut neatly along the solid black outer border of the cake net, keeping all the yellow glue tabs and blue tape tabs attached. Take your time turning the corners between the triangular top and the rectangular side walls, and never cut the dashed fold lines.
4Pre-fold every tab
Line up your ruler along each dashed line and score it firmly with an empty pen. Fold every wall line and tab inward toward the blank white back once, then open it again. Pre-folding now makes the taped paper and the sharp tip of the cake wedge much easier to assemble cleanly later.
5Make the walls
Fold the 3 rectangular side panels around into a triangular ring with the layered strawberry and sponge artwork facing out. Put glue on the yellow side tab, press it inside to hold the wall ring together, and tape that vertical corner seam from the outside with a strip of regular clear tape along its whole length.
6Close the bottom
Put glue on the yellow bottom tabs attached to the golden sponge base. Fold the triangular bottom panel in and reach inside the open cake slice to press those tabs against the walls. Leave the top panel with the kawaii face and blue tabs open so you can fill the slice through it.
7Tape the bottom
Because craft glue alone doesn’t hold on slick packing tape, you need to secure the base of your shortcake from the outside. Tape every bottom edge of the wedge from the outside, running regular clear tape all along each edge so no stuffing can push through the sponge crust.
8Stuff it
Push loose scrunches of plastic bag or soft fiberfill in through the open top of the slice. Tuck a gentle bit into the narrow front point of the wedge first, then fill the wider frosted back. Stuff lightly so the cake box stays crisp and the flat walls don’t bow outward.
9Close it
Fold the blue tabs in and close the triangular top lid with the smiling strawberry frosting over the filling. Hold the lid flush with the piped cream walls and tape every top edge from the outside with regular clear tape, running the tape all along each edge from the narrow tip to the back corners.
10Squish!
Done! Your 3D strawberry shortcake paper squishy is ready to squeeze—press the slice and watch the whipped cream and berry layers puff right back up. For a slow-rising squishy, prick one tiny pinhole along a seam so the air escapes gently.
Free Strawberry Shortcake 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 neat. If the folds along the pointed cake front look messy, score every dashed line with an empty pen and a ruler before you fold. Tuck just a light bit of filling into the tip so it holds its crisp wedge shape.
- Keep frosting tape wrinkle-free. Wrinkled tape shows up across the white whipped cream and cute face. Use shorter strips of packing tape and lay them down smoothly from the center without pulling.
- Fix a popping corner seam. Glue doesn’t hold on tape and only keeps the yellow tabs in place while you build. If an angled wedge edge pops open, put a fresh strip of clear tape along the whole seam.
- Prevent bulging cake sides. If the flat sliced walls bulge out of shape, there is too much stuffing inside. Take some fiberfill out before taping the lid so the shortcake sides stay flat.
Questions
How do you make a paper squishy cake step by step?
Print the one-piece cake net on plain printer paper, cover the motif with clear packing tape, cut along the solid outer line, and score all dashed lines. Fold the walls into a ring, glue the yellow tabs inside, tape every seam from the outside, stuff lightly through the open top, and tape the blue-tabbed lid shut.
What paper works best for a 3D paper squishy template cake?
Plain printer paper (80–100 gsm / 20–24 lb) works best. Cardstock is hard to fold once it is taped and makes the pointed cake wedge too stiff to squish.
Can I assemble the strawberry shortcake with only glue?
No. Glue only holds the yellow tabs in place while you build and doesn’t stick to tape-covered paper for long, so every glued seam needs a strip of clear tape from the outside.
What can I use to stuff my cake slice paper squishy?
Use plastic grocery bags for a light, crinkly feel or fiberfill for a soft plush squish. Stuff the wedge lightly so the flat cake sides keep their neat shape.
Can I make a paper cake squishy with a class or group?
Yes! Print one sheet per person, cut tape strips in advance, and plan about 45 minutes so kids can color the coloring page while you help with scoring and taping. You can also pair their slices with our confetti cake squishy for a classroom bakery display.
More paper squishies to make
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