Turn your Pokemon figures into the best cake decoration at the party, no baking skills required.
- A simple way to decorate any cake using Pokemon figures you already own
- Quick DIY party hats for Pikachu, Charmander, Bulbasaur, and Squirtle
- Step-by-step guide using just a few basic craft supplies
- Works on any cake from a flat frosted sheet cake to a full Pokeball dome
Planning a Pokemon birthday party and need a cake that actually looks the part? These DIY Pokemon cake toppers are exactly what you need. The idea is simple: take the figures your kid already plays with, make them tiny party hats, and stick them on the cake. The result looks custom and thoughtful. The process takes about 20 minutes.
We made these for Liam’s 8th birthday party alongside a homemade Pokeball cake, and the figures were the first thing every kid pointed at. Pikachu, Charmander, Bulbasaur, and Squirtle (the original crew) all wearing their own little party hats. It was a hit.
Why These Pokemon Cake Toppers Work So Well
- No special skills needed. If you can roll paper into a cone and use a hot glue gun, you can make these.
- Uses what you already have. Most Pokemon fans have figures around the house. Give them a rinse and they’re party-ready.
- Works on any cake. A plain vanilla sheet cake with these toppers looks completely intentional. A Pokeball dome cake with them looks extraordinary.
- The original Pokemon are universally recognizable. Pikachu, Charmander, Bulbasaur, and Squirtle are known by every kid at the party, regardless of how deep into the franchise they are.
- It’s personal. Store-bought cake decorations are fine. Cake toppers made from your kid’s actual toys feel like something you actually made for them, because you did.
What You’ll Need
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- Pokemon figures (Pikachu, Charmander, Bulbasaur, Squirtle — give them a good wash first)
- Construction paper or cardstock
- Mini pom-poms
- Tape
- Hot glue gun
- Scissors
That’s it. Everything can be found at a craft store (except figures) or ordered on Amazon for a few dollars (links above).
A note on figure size: Standard Pokemon figures (the 2–3 inch variety) work perfectly. Larger figures can overpower the cake. If you’re using the small blind-bag style figures, make sure to scale your hat stencil down accordingly.
How to Make the Pokemon Party Hats
Step 1: Make Your Stencil: Cut a stencil from paper or cardstock. The shape should look like a wide triangle with a curved bottom edge and a small inward notch at the very top. That notch is what creates the point of the hat when you roll it into a cone. Getting this right once means you can trace it for every hat, so take a minute to get the shape the way you want it.
Step 2: Trace and Cut: Trace your stencil onto construction paper and cut out one hat per figure. This is a great step to let a kid help with if they want to be involved in the prep.
Step 3: Roll and Tape: Roll each hat shape into a cone. The notch at the top comes together to form the point. Tape the seam along the side to hold the shape. The hat should be snug enough to sit on the figure’s head without falling, but you’ll adjust the fit in the next step before you commit.
Step 4: Add the Pom-Pom: Hot glue a mini pom-pom to the tip of each hat. This is the detail that makes them read as party hats immediately. Match the pom-pom color to the character if you want: yellow for Pikachu, orange for Charmander, or just use whatever colors you have.
Step 5: Test the Fit: Before gluing anything to your figures, place each hat on its character and check how it sits. Adjust the cone tightness or trim the base if needed. Charmander and Bulbasaur tend to have rounder heads than Pikachu, so small sizing differences are normal.
Step 6: Glue the Hats On: Once you’re happy with the fit, use a small dot of hot glue to secure each hat to the figure. You don’t need much, just enough to hold it in place through the party. Let everything cool completely before placing the figures on the cake.
Placing Them on the Cake
How you arrange the figures is up to you, but here’s what worked well for Liam’s Pokeball cake:
- Cluster them toward the front so they’re visible in photos from the table.
- Vary the heights slightly if your cake has any dimension: a figure on a frosting “hill” or sitting at the base of the dome reads more like a scene than a lineup.
- Let the birthday kid choose who goes where. Liam had very specific opinions about Squirtle’s position. Let them have it.
If you’re doing a flat sheet cake, you can create more of a scene: have the Pokemon “gathered” around the number candle, or arranged in a semicircle facing the front of the cake.
Tips and Variations
- Color-code the hats or pompoms to each character. Yellow for Pikachu, red for Charmander, green for Bulbasaur, blue for Squirtle. Or match with complimentary colors.
- Add glitter or stickers to the hats for extra personality. Liam is not a glitter kid, but if yours is, go for it.
- This works for any Pokemon, not just the original four. If your kid has a Mewtwo phase or is weirdly passionate about Snorlax, same exact process.
- The hats work for other themes too. We’ve done this with Paw Patrol, Cars, Spider-Man, and animal figures. Same process, any characters.
These DIY Pokemon cake toppers are one of those party details that looks like it took real effort and actually takes about 20 minutes. If you’re already making a Pokemon cake, adding the figures is the easiest upgrade you can do. If you’re not planning to make a big cake, these toppers are exactly what makes a simple grocery store cake look like it belonged at this party.
Now the figures are part of Liam’s collection. Hats might be gone, but the fun hasn’t stopped.
