12 Cool Homemade Finding Nemo Picture and 3D Cakes

I made this Nemo cake for my daughter’s 2nd birthday. I took a lot of Finding Nemo picture ideas off this web-site and added a few of my own. Nemo is made from 2 Pampered Chef batter bowls-a large one and a small one. I mixed the cake from a regular cake mix following the directions for making it into a pound cake so that it would be more substantial.

I cut the “tops” of the cakes so that when I placed the two cakes together (widest parts touching) they would form a shape where the bottom of the big batter bowl would begin the formation of Nemo’s face and the bottom of the small bowl would be the beginning of his tail. I “glued” them together with icing.

Nemo is sitting his Nemo cake made from two cake mixes. I mixed them up according to the directions and placed them in a large granite roaster. I baked it until a toothpick inserted in the middle came out clean. This I frosted with blue icing for the ocean. I placed straws in the “ocean” to support Nemo.

Next I put on his fins. These were made out of a packaged sugar cookie mix. I just made it stiffer using the cut-out cookie recipe on the package and then rolled the dough out thicker than you would for cookies. Next I cut his fins making sure to make his ‘lucky’ fin smaller. I made sure to cut the fins longer than needed so that I could place them in slits I cut in the cake. I cut the slits and placed the fins in. All fins but the dorsal fin are resting on the blue cake.

To shape his face I took left over cake from the trimmings and shaped and attached it with wooden skewers and icing. His eyes were scooped out with a small ice cream scoop and filled with white icing.

I also cut a slit for his mouth removing some of the cake. I used black gel icing to outline the stripes then starred him with orange and white icing. I went back over with the black gel again getting the tip of the fin also. I filled his mouth with some white icing and then the black gel to add dimension.

Finally I crushed vanilla wafer cookies and scattered them around the ‘ocean’ cake. Starfish and shells were made from candy molds and used to decorate the ‘beach’ and ocean.

Finding Nemo picture cake by Heather R., Summerfield NB, Canada

I used a Finding Nemo picture from my son’s colouring book, traced it onto the cake and decorated it. It took me 4 hrs from beginning (baking the cake) to end (decorating). He LOVED it!

Finding Nemo picture cake by Julee C., Ogden, UT

I used 2 nine-inch round cake pans. Then I cut a moon shaped piece of the same size off both cakes. One moon is the back tail. The other moon is cut in half. Half the second moon is for the top fin. The other half is cut horizontally and placed on either side of the base for the side fins.

Once the pieces are cut, put icing and toothpicks in the middle of the 2 largest pieces (this helps it stick together). Secure back and top fin with icing and toothpicks. Both side fins are just placed on the pan and do not need to be secured to the fish. I also froze the cake for 1-2 hours before I put on the icing. I just made orange and white stripes and used a small hard tube of black icing to add the lines eyes and mouth.

Finding Nemo picture cake by Cindy T., Brick, NJ

My husband and I found the idea on this website, from a finding Nemo picture. We bought a 12X18-inch sheet cake pan for the ‘water’ and used the football cake pan for Nemo’s body and placed it on top.

We iced the big cake with frosting (with blue food coloring) and placed the football cake on top. Then we traced the fins and tail of Nemo with black piping gel. We then started filling his stripes in with the #18 tip! Some good tips we found useful were to buy the disposable frosting bags (if you don’t already own some) and the plastic coupling pieces. That made it a lot easier to go back and forth between the white and orange frosting.

We really had fun making this for my son’s 2nd birthday, and my husband had fun trying to make this Nemo cake look just like the real Nemo! It was the hit of his party!

Finding Nemo picture cake by Allison W., DeKalb, IL

I decided to make this cake as a “practice cake” for my daughter Madelyn’s 2nd birthday. I originally planned on making a sheet cake and tracing a design, but my husband was very excited about the 3-D cake, so I thought I would give it a try. I looked at a Finding Nemo picture to help me. I used the suggestions from other Nemo cakes, and purchased the Wilton Football pan.

I used three boxed white cake mixes; I made two football halves, and one 9×13 sheet cake. I placed the football mold on a stoneware-baking sheet and used foil balls to stabilize it (I find my cakes bake more evenly). The two football halves served as Nemo’s body, and I made the 9×13 for fins and the tail (you will have a lot of left over cake, so see my tip at the end).

I froze all three cakes overnight on a wax paper lined cookie sheet after they cooled. The next day, I sliced off a thin piece of the bottom of one football cake to create a stable surface. I used store-bought “tub” icing to frost the inside of the football. I then trimmed off the “nose” of the football to make a more rounded end. I also cut a section out of each side of the football to create a fish-shaped body.

I used the frozen 9×13 cake to make a tail, a dorsal fin, and two side fins (one smaller lucky fin!). I attached these with toothpicks and icing. The dorsal fin stayed attached very well, and the tail did too. I rested the side fins on the platter and attached with toothpicks. I did use a wooden skewer to attach the tail; this probably wasn’t necessary, but I had some skewers waiting to be used up. I then cut out small scraps of cake to make bulges for the eyes, and a “nose.”

I frosted the entire cake with white Wilton’s icing to fill in any gaps or holes, and placed it back into the freezer to make decorating easier. At this point, the cake looked more like a puffer fish than Nemo, but took shape after the colored icing. I used Wilton’s icing gel to make black and orange icing.

After the thin layer of icing was frozen, I used a butter knife to freehand Nemo’s black stripes. I piped black icing onto these lines. I then used the 18 star-tip to fill in the orange and white. For Nemo’s eyes, I piped them onto wax paper, froze them, and applied to the cake (it’s easier than freehand for me). I used a brown M&M for each eye. M&Ms don’t freeze well, so I frosted over them with chocolate frosting. I did this before icing the rest of the cake so I could ice around the edges. To save time, the cake looks fine without the white piping stars if you frost smoothly for the initial layer.

Tip: With all of the leftover cake, I cut rectangles of cake and put them into ice cream cones for party guests that may not want “fish”. I used my left over icing to frost. This eliminates baking the cones, which can result in the loss of crispiness.

I hope that my directions and Finding Nemo picture of my cake, helps you out!

Finding Nemo picture cake by Swart B., Seabrook, NH

I made this cake for my niece for her birthday. It’s best to look at a Finding Nemo picture while doing it. It was made with a half sheet 1/2 chocolate 1/2 gold. Nemo was made from the 3d egg pan with the bottom cut off to sit flat. The shells are made from chocolate.

The coral and seaweed and Nemo’s fins were made from fondant made a week ahead of time so they can dry. Frost the cake in blue frosting, put the two halves from the egg pan together and put them on a half sheet. Use the star tip 18 to cover Nemo and then put on the fins. At this point I did my writing and then my boarder. I then added the shells, coral, and seaweed.

Finding Nemo picture cake by Lindsay A., Cary, NC

I used an example of “rainbow fish” I found online to get the idea (I found a Finding Nemo picture); but basically I created this all by myself. I used 1 cake mix and two 9″ round pans. I cut out the shape of a fish (I had to get creative) and pieced it together with icing. I used Wilton icing colors from Michaels and homemade buttercream frosting. I froze the cake for easier frosting… and that was it.

Finding Nemo picture cake by Alyssa P., Billerica, MA

At the time of my son’s second birthday, Finding Nemo was his favorite movie, so we picked Nemo for his party theme. I had two Wilton oval shaped pans I thought would be perfect for the body, but knew they were too small to be “the whole cake”. I also figured it would be too big and heavy to not have a decent sized base.

I used a large wedding size round cake pan for the bottom and must admit that I used Duncan Hines white cake mix (of all the mixes I think they are the best). The second layer I used a smaller round pan and strawberry Duncan Hines.

For icing, I always make a variation of this “made up” recipe: 1 stick butter (the real thing, salted), 1 package cream cheese (full fat), 2 lb. bag of confectioner’s sugar (sifted), water, and flavoring (usually either clear vanilla, or almond extract). I never measure the liquids; I just eyeball it.

Now, this cake was LARGE, so I made several batches of icing. I also used cardboard Wilton cake “plates” as dividers for support, and dowels (sharpened), which I drove through the whole thing cardboard circles and all, for support. I iced the whole base with blue (I use Wilton color paste…it doesn’t thin the icing) to be “water”.

For Nemo, I bought a box of Fondant (also Wilton), which comes white and unflavored. I separated it and turned some of it orange (color paste) and left the rest white. You have to knead confectioner’s sugar into the fondant so it’s not too sticky, and I usually add a little almond extract for flavor.

After icing the oval cakes and turning them sideways, I wrapped them in fondant, which I had rolled in the alternating colors, making sure the seam was on the bottom. I shaped eyes and fins, which took a bit of trial and error, and made the grooves with a sharp knife. If you use a really nice knife and brush it with confectioners sugar, it makes cutting your patterns really easy. The eyeballs were held on with toothpicks and white icing underneath (at point of attachment). The fins had to “rest” on the base a little, and I waited until they were dry and hard before I attempted to attach them, also with icing, and strategically placed toothpicks.

I wasn’t crazy about the bottom of Nemo, so I created blue “waves” to cover the bottom of him and blend him to the “water” base. When he was done I took a little (new) makeup brush, dipped it in water and gently brushed all the places that had traces of confectioners sugar so it would look shiny and not dusty.

My son loved it, and although everyone thinks I’m crazy, they all complimented me on it. It was really fun to do, (though as all cakes, time consuming) and even though it was only my second foray with fondant, I am still proud of it. :)

Finding Nemo picture cake by Hernandez A., Miami, FL

I used the Betty Crocker “Bake and Fill” domed cake pan for Nemo. I used a 9×16 bake pan for the background/base of this Finding Nemo picture cake.

1) Used 1 box of yellow cake mix and made a domed cake per the set’s instructions. I filled the cavity with ice cream (not the best idea) and placed it in the freezer.

2) Used another box of yellow cake mix and baked the “background” cake in the 9×16 pan. The trick though was that I placed the well greased base pan that came with the “bake and fill set” in the middle of the 9×16 cake and somewhat pushed it into the batter and lightly pushed out on the edges to form a seat to place the domed cake when done. I left the base pan there about 15 minutes before I carefully removed it.

3) I frosted the 9×16 cake with white “whipped” frosting, careful to not place any frosting inside the seat or outline I imagined would be Nemo’s body and fins. Once “selectively” frosted, I sprayed the 9X16 cake’s frosting with blue decorating spray. Then, working in the areas not frosted, and using orange Betty Crocker icing tubes and the “leaf” tip, I made Nemo’s fins and tail.

4) Removed dome cake from freezer and placed it into the “seat” on the 9×16 cake. Using more orange Betty Crocker icing tubes (4 in total) and the “star” tip, I basically “stippled” an outline for Nemo’s eyes and then stipple covered the whole dome in orange icing starting from the top/center and keeping a circular/spiral pattern all the way around and down the dome.

5) Next, with icing tubes of white and black I “stipple” filled-in the eyes, Nemo’s side stripe, and the edges of his fins.

6) Lastly I made a little custom icing from white, orange, a “pea” of black and red food coloring and used that “mix” to stipple Nemo’s mouth, eyebrows, and fin lines. Next time I don’t think I’ll use ice cream as a filler; it looked pretty but the taste wasn’t great. The ice cream had crystals because of the several times I had to take out and put back in freezer while decorating. I don’t think the freezer helped the cake’s texture and “moistness” either.

Finding Nemo picture cake by Sueanne E., Darwin, NT

I baked two basic butter cakes (from the box). I found a Finding Nemo picture on the internet, enlarged it, printed it and cut it out. I left cake no.1 whole and cut a section out of cake no.2 so it fit onto cake no.1.

I laid the Finding Nemo picture on top and cut cakes to shape. I cut each section of Nemo off as I iced, to get clean lines and used licorice strips between the colours.

The frosting was just a basic butter icing with food colouring. I made it for our sons first birthday because he absolutely adores Nemo. I threatened at the party that it was for “display purposes only” as it had taken me so long to ice that there was NO WAY we were going to cut it up and eat it!!

Finding Nemo picture cake by Judi H., Union, IL

I designed this Finding Nemo picture cake for my great nephew’s 1st birthday. He loves “fishies”, especially clown fish. My niece did not want your typical sheet cake with a flat picture of a fish on it. She said she has the best childhood memories of my special cakes I’d make for all the children in our family. So she came to me for her son’s 1st cake.

I decided to make Nemo (a famous clown fish amongst children). And he had to be a 3-D stand-up cake. I found a Finding Nemo picture and used that as my blueprint (I no longer have the exact Finding Nemo picture, but any one will due).

I chose the Wilton large sports ball pan for his body. I sliced a small circle off the ball cake making a flat area on the cake to set on a covered cake board (this prevents the cake from rolling). For the tapered area down to his tail I used the Wilton ice-cream cone pan, baking only 2 and sandwiching them together with frosting to make 1 whole ice-cream cone. I then cut 1/3 off of the narrow end.

Using frosting on the top flat area of the ice-cream cone I attached it to the back of the ball cake. For the dorsal, side, and tail fins I piped melted white chocolate from a plastic bag that I cut the tip corner off of, on to waxed paper. After the chocolate hardened I carefully peeled the fins and tail off the waxed paper, turned them over, and carefully positioned popsicle sticks that I cut in half on top of the fins and tail.

Make sure that half the stick will lie on the chocolate, the other half will stick out and be used to insert in cake to attach the fins and tail. Using more melted colored white chocolate pipe over the fins and tail to make the other side of them (so that they look like fins when viewed from both sides). Let them harden completely.

Frost the ball cake using the Finding Nemo picture as a reference. You will have to use your artistic talents in molding his face (cheeks, mouth, nose and eyes) using a spatula and frosting as your molding medium.

Once you have the base form you fill in all areas of his face using a star tip #16, 17 or 18. Do not attach the fins until the cake is positioned where it will permanently stay until it is served (they are too heavy and will break the cake).

Finding Nemo picture cake by Susan P., Eagle Point, OR

I purchased a pre-made cake from a warehouse store for a larger cake and cut out the Nemo shape by freehand (looking at a finding Nemo picture). I then decorated the fins with a star tip to give it some texture.

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