How to Decorate Truck Cakes

A truck cake is a great addition to any child's birthday party, but it doesn't have to break the bank. If your child wants a truck cake for his birthday, consider making it yourself using a few simple supplies and a basic cake recipe.

Things You'll Need

• Basic cake recipe
• Truck cake pan or a 13-by-9-inch pan and an 8-by-8-inch pan
• Confectioner's sugar
• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons milk
• Food dye
• Cake decorating tip No. 21

Instructions

Creating a Truck Cake

1. The simplest way to make a speciality truck cake is to purchase a truck pan from a craft or cake decorating supply store. They usually cost under $20. Truck cake pans are also available online from Wilton.com, ACMoore.com and Michaels.com. Bake the cake in speciality pan, remove from oven and cool. After two hours, carefully remove cake from pan.

2. To decorate truck-pan cake, combine 6 cups of confectioner's sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, 2 sticks of softened butter and desired color food dye to make buttercream icing. This makes 3 cups of frosting, which is sufficient to cover your cake. Separate two-thirds of frosting and dye red using food coloring. Fill a pastry bag with red icing and apply cake decorating tip No. 21. Frost cake by applying red frosting stars all over cake. To create star, simply place cake tip on cake, squeeze firmly and pull towards you, then release. With remaining frosting, separate into three even portions and dye black, gray and yellow. Use cake decorating tip No. 3 and yellow icing to pipe in headlights and hose valves. Cake decorating tip No. 21 and black frosting can also be used to pipe in tires. Use cake decorating tip No. 3 and gray frosting to draw on bumpers and tire rims.

3. If you cannot find a speciality truck pan, make your own truck cake using a 13-by-9-inch pan and an 8-by-8-inch pan. Bake cake in two pans, cool and remove. Place larger cake on even surface and frost with buttercream icing of any color. Next, place the 8-inch-square cake on top at one end, about one inch in. This will be the truck cab. Frost with remaining icing. Black, blue or yellow frosting can be used to add details.

References

• Wilton Fire Truck Pan
• Decorate A Fire Truck Cake