07/08/2025
This dino cake is 100% buttercream & chocolate—zero fondant. Now, not every fondant is a bad fondant, but we don’t prefer it here. Every scale, leaf, and tooth is sculpted by hand, and that bronze Brachiosaurus? He’s solid modeling chocolate! Want to try the technique at home?
Spiced Jasmine’s Modeling Chocolate Recipe (Small batch — enough for a couple of figures or a topper like the one above!)
1️⃣ Pick your chocolate & ratio
Dark / semi-sweet chocolate is roughly a 2 : 1 weight ratio
Milk chocolate is a 2.5 : 1 weight ratio
White / candy melts is a 4 : 1 weight ratio
The lighter the chocolate, the less syrup it needs to stay firm thanks to the higher fat content, the darker chocolate has more cocoa solids and needs extra syrup to stay pliable.
2️⃣ Melt
Microwave the chopped chocolate, mixing in between, until melted.
3️⃣ Mix
Warm the syrup to body-temp, then gently fold it into the chocolate. Stop as soon as the mixture thickens and everything is just combined.
4️⃣ Set & knead
Cover bowl in plastic wrap and rest 4–6 h at room temp (or overnight). Break off what you need, knead until pliable, and tint with gel/oil colors.
Pro tips
▫️ Too soft? Dust in a spoon of powdered sugar or chill 10 min.
▫️ Too greasy? Blot excess cocoa butter, rest 5 min, then re-knead.
▫️ Flavor twist: knead in a pinch of cardamom, cinnamon, or ginger for a South-Asian vibe- yummm!
Stores airtight for ~2 months at cool room temp—even in Denver’s dry climate! 🦕
