Train Birthday Cake

My son ABSOLUTELY (it seems from the minute he was born!) loves trains! My brother also loves trains and he loves that his nephew loves trains! Bro doesn't have his own kids so he enjoys taking J to train shows.

So, for J's 3rd birthday I thought it would be a great idea to make him a train cake and i must say that it turned out brilliantly! he was so excited when he saw it.

I thought i would blog some pics to show the process of putting it together.  I hope you get some inspiration!

I got the main idea for the cake from a kids birthday cake cookbook.

Step 1
I baked 1 large cake using 2 x packets butter cake and bought a large jam roll for the engine and assembled them as shown.

Step 2
I made some buttercream icing and tinted it with blue colouring and iced the cake.

Step 3
Then I decorated the cake. As i am not that confident at piping detail, I went to google images to found the face of thomas the tank engine and printed it on photographic paper as it is thicker than normal paper and put it on the front.

Step 4
Reveal the finished cake to the birthday boy!

The lollies i used to decorate the cake were:
Licorice straps
Nestle Smarties
Cadbury Flake
Oreos for the wheels

These are the licorice straps:

A recipe for buttercream icing is here:

250g butter - at room temperature

2 1/2 Cups icing sugar mixture

60ml (1/4C) milk

Beat butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add icing sugar in batches until combined. Gradually add milk. You can also add vanilla essence if you wish.  Add colouring and mix until combined.

I am linking this with these link parties here and here and here.

Hope you enjoyed the tutorial!

N

Luv