Hi All! 

I have a cake on order for a baby shower. The theme is to go with the invites which say "Our little pumpkin is on her way" 

My plan is to do a pumpkin cake topper with realistic vines climbing down the cake. I'd like to avoid using wire. And for the first time, I can't seem to find any sort of tutorial on making these. 

Does anyone here have any suggestions or experience making these? I'd like them to set on cake dummies so that they are not all flush with the buttercream sides. Really wanting them to be 3D. 

So far I've made the leaves with toothpicks so that I can push them into the vine as I go. 

I'm concerned about the tendrils as well cos I'd love for those to be especially pronounced. I'm planning on doing the pumpkin flowers and maybe even some tiny sprouting pumpkins as well. 

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Why not use gumpaste or even fondant for the vines  making them ahead so they dry    Tendrils should   be gp  wrapped around  something like kabob stick — thin something :)