I am making a puff the magic dragon cake, and the plan is to have a mini birthday cake in the curl of his tail, but I want the top of the cake/candles to look as if they have been burned, like he blew the candles out a little too hard Does anyone have any ideas of what I could dust on to the fondant that would make it look like soot?? THanks!!

You can melt some marshmallows around the intended "burnt" area then take a small blow torch (like the kind in creme brulee kits) and toast the marshmallows until they get that dark brown color.

But...that might work best on a cake covered in white fondant or white buttercream so the white marshmallows can blend in.

You can also pre-melt the candles so some of the wax dribbles on the cake. I'd be curious to see what other folks come up with. I'm a total novice, but that's all I could come up with.

they did something similar on Ace of Cakes recently -- only it was the bride and groom topper --- dragon had "eaten" half of the topper and left burnt stump of the legs.

do as Ingo said --- make it out of what ever. The bring on the blow torch and burn it until you're happy with the look.

I would however, burn the cake separately and then place it into the crook.

I would use a torch... then again I look for any reason to whip out the mapp gas lol