Let's face it, miniature dollhouse food is downright adorable. Even the most cranky among us have got to fall in love with these little cuties. Making miniature fake food is fun and requires minimal supplies. They don't take up much space and they make everyone happy? What else could you want?

As far as hobbies go, I've been making tiny doll props now for 30 years and I've learned a thing or two. Here’s a step-by-step guide to get you started on this fun craft.

Making miniature fake food is so much fun!

Materials You'll Need

Before diving into your mini food creations, gather the necessary materials:

acrylic roller
leveling guides (you can buy official ones or you can simply use popsicle sticks. Leveling guides are especially helpful for making miniature cakes. If making cakes is something you're interested in, check out this post to learn how.
box cutters: This is the single most used tool in my clay tool box. It gives you precise cuts. As always, be careful when using sharp objects.
small circular cookie cutters
dotting tools
ceramic tile
clay
liquid clay
chalk pastels
toothpicks
Foil

Material Tips

Polymer Clay: I prefer to use Polymer clay because it doesn't dry out and you can keep working on it until it is done. In addition, you can coat it with resin if you want, paint them with acrylic and you can incorporate other materials into the clay. I prefer to use either Sculpey or Fimo, but try out different brands. If you are first getting started with polymer clay, you will want to choose the softer clays like the souffle. However, the more firm professional clays have the best results but take a lot of patience. To learn more about polymer clay, check out this blog post.
Clay Tools: When just starting out, do not go too crazy with tools. You might notice there are a bunch of clay tools available at the art supply store. However, you might have many of these items at home, so check this list before going on a shopping spree.
Paints: Acrylic paints are great for adding realistic colors. You can use acrylic paint either before or after baking which is a nice benefit. I would not recommend oil paints before baking, but after baking, you can use paint pens or sharpie oill paint pens.
Paint brush: Use these to apply paint, liquid sculpey and more. You can even use mica powders on polymer clay! I use brushes mostly to apply chalk pastels to the outside of my polymer clay sculptures. I like adding color this way because it makes fruit look more realistic.
Chalk pastel: these do not need to be expensive. Basic chalk pastels will do the job! Like I mentioned earlier, adding chalk pastels to polymer clay is a great way to layer on colors and to make a realistic fruit finish.
Work surface: My preferred work surface is a ceramic tile. You can also use acrylic or melamine surfaces. Do not cut clay directly on a wooden table. The reason I like to use the ceramic tile is because you can both work on the tile and it can safely go inside the oven. You can head to any tile outlet and easily pick up some old tiles.
Oven: You will want your oven set to 240 degrees or whatever the manufacturer recommends. Remember, this is 240 and NOT 340. I made this mistake once and my family had to sleep at a friends' house because the smell was so bad. Many people say you should have a dedicated clay oven. I bought a convection toaster oven at the thrift store for ten bucks. Do not go crazy spending a lot when first starting out. Trust me!
Sealer: A clear acrylic sealer will give your food a finished look and protect your creations.This is completely optional. You do not need to purchase this when just starting out. When I do use a sealer, I like the end result of UV resin. However, I rarely use UV resin because of the strong odor. If you want to quickly coat your sweets cabachon or add a glossy finish to your dollhouse miniatures, this is a quick and easy way to do that. I find that my miniatures look just fine on their own without any shine. But you are the artist! Resin or sealer will make it stronger.
Base Material: Small plates, trays, or even cardboard can serve as a base for your food displays. Have you ever seen the little plastic white tables inside a pizza box? I like to use those as little tables for my miniatures. However, most art supply stores now sell miniature furniture items to display your miniature kitchen. I've even purchased miniature tables at the dollar store.
Reference Images: Look up photos of real food for inspiration. I have also found a wealth of step-by step instructions with photos on Pinterest. Another little insider tip is that when you go to many art supplies, they have free tearaways to grab with very detailed instructions and images. I collect these every time I go. Look at places like Clare's and check out their charm necklaces for more ideas. I also like to study dollhouse magazine to see how different artists approach making miniatures look like the real thing.

Step-by-Step instructions for making fake food

Step 1: Choose Your Food

Once you decide what food to make, you will know what colors are needed. I make miniature layer cakes the most and these require many colors so I like to stick with the Sculpey multipack. This gives you a good amount to choose from. I also purchased a nice, large brick of white clay. When making fruits like apples and citrus fruits, it is good to have some transparent clay on hand because it makes the fruit look more realistic.

Step 2: Condition the clay

Polymer clay comes in a firm brick and it doesn't feel easy to use at first.

Knead the Clay: The only way to warm up polymer clay is to condition it. You can condition clay by warming it up in your hands. This will not work well if your hands are very cold. Keep conditioning the clay until it can be pulled apart without breaking. Similar to salt water taffy!
Create the Base Shape: If you are making a layer cake, you will want to make sure each layer is the same exact size. To do this, you will use your leveling guides and roll out a uniform slab. Next, use your small round cookie cutter to cut out small circles. When making a rainbow cake, you will want to layer the colors and then the frosting. I typically do 3-5 colored layers and then a layer of white Sculpey in between.
Add Details: Use tools to carve textures or add smaller pieces for details, such as seeds on a strawberry or sprinkles on a donut. Toothpicks can help create small indentations for added realism. If you want to get a realistic cake texture, I like to start by using some foil and then I like to use a toothpick to rough up the texture. If I am making realistic apples, for example, I like to coat the outside of the apple with some powdered chalk pastels. I use my blade to shave bits of dust and then a paintbrush to apply it. There are loads of videos on youtube as well. I made this video for youtube and it shows step by step how to make realistic apples.

Step 3: Bake

Once you know that you are completely finished with your creation, it is time to get started with the baking process. Every oven is different, so always refer to the baking instructions on your polymer clay packaging. Just remember, if you heat the oven too hot, the smell is horrible! So you are better off starting small and conservative than trying to do make it too hot. Typically, you’ll bake the clay in an oven at a low temperature (around 275°F or 130°C) for about 15-30 minutes, depending on the thickness. Make sure to monitor the baking to avoid burning.

Step 4: Finish

After your mini food has cooled, it’s time to paint. Use acrylic paints to add realistic colors. You can mix shades to get the perfect hue. For example, a mix of brown and yellow can create the perfect shade for a crust.

Once the paint dries, apply a clear acrylic sealer to protect your work and give it a glossy finish. This step enhances the realism, making your miniature food look more appealing.

Step 5: Make something with it

Now that your miniature food is complete, you get to decide how to showcase it. In my experience, simply arranging a miniature scene is deeply satisfying! You can arrange them on a small plate, create a miniature bakery scene, or even gift them in cute boxes to friends and family. Kids also love making charm necklaces or using the sweets cabachon to do decoden.

Final Thoughts

DIY miniature fake food is a wonderful way to spark your creativity and make personalized decorations or gifts. With just a few materials and some patience, you can create stunning miniature pieces that look good enough to eat (but definitely shouldn’t be!). So gather your supplies, unleash your creativity, and start crafting your tiny fake foods today! Happy crafting!
If you love making miniature clay food you’ll enjoy this mini layer cake tutorial!

How to DIY Realistic Miniature Fake Dollhouse Food

Materials You'll Need

Material Tips