How to Decorate a Tractor Cake

You can decorate your own tractor cake to coordinate with a tractor-themed party.

A tractor-themed birthday party is not complete without a tractor cake. You could buy a decorated cake from the grocery store, but your options are limited to sheet cakes with tractors drawn on. You can purchase a tractor cake pan that will allow you to bake the cake in the shape of a tractor. There are a few different companies that sell these pans that include all the tractor details to serve as a guide for decorating. Make white frosting and bake the cake one day ahead so the cake cools completely.

Things You'll Need

• Tractor-shaped cake, completely cooled
• Box cake mix
• Cake board
• 3 to 4 cups white frosting
• Small mixing bowls
• Icing knife
• Gel food coloring in desired colors
• Cake decorating tips
• Cake decorating frosting bags
• Crushed chocolate cookies

Instructions

1. Lay the cake board on top of the cake pan, hold the pan and board together and flip them over to release the cake from the pan. The designs on the cake should now be facing up with the cake in the proper position on the cake board.

2. Decide on a color scheme for your tractor, then divide the frosting into separate mixing bowls with the amount of frosting you think you'll need for each color, leaving about ½-cup of white icing. Although the color scheme is your choice, you should use black frosting for the tires and outline.

3. Add gel food coloring to each bowl and mix to create the colors.

4. Spread a thin layer of white frosting over the cake with an icing knife to seal in the crumbs. Make sure you can still see the outline of the details through the frosting.

5. Prepare a clean decorating bag with a star decorating tip and the color you chose for the main body of the tractor.

6. Gently squeeze and release slowly form small stars to fill in the entire body of the tractor. The stars should be spaced close together.

7. Prepare a decorating bag with a round #5 tip and the color for the headlights, such as white or yellow. Squeeze the bag slowly and make a circular motion to fill in the circle.

8. Prepare a clean decorating bag with a star decorating tip and half of the black frosting.

9. Fill in the rear tires with black stars like you did with the body of the tractor.

10. Fill in the center of all the tires with a round #5 tip and your choice of color.

11. Put a round #5 decorating tip into a frosting bag and add the rest of the black frosting.

12. Fill in the front tires and steering wheel with the black, outline the rear tire and then squeeze vertical lines onto the front grill of the tractor. You can also squeeze lines onto parts of the rear tires to make them appear to have thicker tread.

13. Outline the body of the tractor and any other details with the decorating bag of black frosting that you used for the front tires and grill.

14. Spread a thin layer of white frosting onto the background areas of the cake and on the sides. This will make these surfaces sticky.

15. Cover the sides and background with the crushed chocolate cookies to give them the appearance of dirt.

Tips & Warnings

• Do as much work as you can with one color at a time, especially if you only have one of each type of tip.

• Allow the frosting to harden a little before moving on to a new color in case you accidentally drop some frosting on an area you already decorated. If the decorating section is hardened, you have a better chance of removing the fresh frosting with a toothpick.

References

• Coolest Birthday Cakes: Coolest Farming Tractor Cakes and Preparation Tips
• Bad Girls Kitchen: Step-By-Step Cake Decorating: Red Tractor
• Easy Birthday Cakes: How to Make A Tractor Cake