Personalised Cake Toppers: Order the Right Size and Text

By Little Big Party Co. | Published: 2026-10-14

Category: How-to Guides

Learn how to order a personalised cake topper that fits your cake and reads clearly. Follow six steps covering size, text, font, colour, and proofing.

Quick answer

To order the right personalised cake topper, measure your cake's top diameter and choose a topper that covers about one-third of it. Keep custom cake topper text to one or two short lines, pick a font that stays readable from arm's length, and always review the proof before you buy.

Measure your cake before you shop

Use a ruler across the top of the cake, ignoring the board. A 15 cm round cake takes a topper about 5 cm wide; a 20 cm cake takes about 7 cm. For sheet cakes, measure the shorter side. If your cake has a heavy buttercream or ganache finish, add 1 cm to your measurement so the topper sits on the crust, not in the frosting.

Round cake: topper width = cake diameter ÷ 3
Square or sheet cake: topper width = shorter side ÷ 3
Tall tiers: measure the top tier only

Choose the text and keep it short

Custom cake topper text works best with one or two short lines. A name plus an age, such as 'Leo 7', reads clearly. Longer phrases like 'Happy Birthday Leo, We Love You' force the topper to be wider or the letters to be smaller, which can make the cake look cluttered. If you need a longer message, put it on a banner or a cake card instead.

Line 1: name or occasion (e.g., 'Happy Birthday')
Line 2: age or short message (e.g., '7' or 'Cheer Up')
Avoid punctuation that can look like a smudge at small sizes

Pick a font and colour that stay readable

Script fonts look elegant but can be hard to read on a small topper, especially in thin strokes. A bold sans-serif or rounded font keeps letters distinct. For colour, match the party palette but check contrast against the cake: dark toppers on pale frosting, light toppers on chocolate or dark icing. If your topper is black and green, as with a game controller cake topper, avoid placing it on a dark green cake where it will disappear.

High contrast: dark topper on light cake, light topper on dark cake
Avoid thin, delicate fonts for names with many letters
Test readability by holding a printed sample at arm's length

Check the proof and order early

Before you pay, review the digital proof or the sticker sheet layout. Check spelling, spacing, and that the name and age are on separate lines if needed. Personalised items often take longer to ship, so order at least two weeks before the party. If you are buying a topper with sticker sheets, like the Game Controller Cake Topper, you apply the name and age yourself, so leave time to position them straight.

Proofread letter by letter, not just by eye
Confirm the topper arrives before you bake
For DIY sticker toppers, practise placement on a spare sheet

Your six-step ordering checklist

Step 1: Measure your cake top: Use a ruler across the top of the cake, not the board. Write down the diameter or shorter side in centimetres. Common mistake: measuring the cake board and ordering a topper that overhangs. Checkpoint: topper width should be about one-third of your cake's top width.
Step 2: Decide on your text: Write out the exact name, age, or short message you want. Keep it to two lines maximum. Common mistake: adding too many words, which shrinks the font and makes it hard to read. Checkpoint: can you read your text from two metres away on a sample?
Step 3: Choose a readable font: Select a bold or rounded font for names and numbers. Avoid very thin script fonts for long names. Common mistake: choosing a decorative font that looks good on screen but blurs on a small topper. Checkpoint: print your font choice at actual size and view it from arm's length.
Step 4: Match colour to your cake: Pick a topper colour that contrasts with your frosting. Dark toppers on light cakes and light toppers on dark cakes work best. Common mistake: matching the topper to the cake colour so it disappears. Checkpoint: hold a colour swatch against a photo of your cake.
Step 5: Review the proof carefully: If the seller sends a proof or you are using sticker sheets, check every letter, space, and number. Common mistake: skimming the proof and missing a typo. Checkpoint: read the text backwards to catch errors.
Step 6: Order with time to spare: Personalised toppers often need extra production and shipping time. Order at least two weeks before your event. Common mistake: ordering last minute and paying for express shipping. Checkpoint: confirm the delivery date is at least three days before you bake.

Product facts to help you order

Game Controller Cake Topper - Personalised: The Game Controller Cake Topper - Personalised comes with two sticker sheets so you can add a name and age yourself. You control the text placement, but you need to allow time to apply the stickers neatly before the party.