Thomas The Tank Engine Birthday Cake
If you have little boys, then sooner or later you are likely to be making a train cake, possibly even a Thomas the Tank Engine. The train itself is fairly simple: slabs of cake, coated in butter cream with biscuit wheels, licorice details and carriages filled with lollies. But the face is tricky. It does not work using buttercream and to make it out of fondant takes a little bit of know how. This video shows you a simple trick to use when making the face for you cake.
If you’ve never heard of fondant click here for fondant basics.
For a full 3D thomas cake video tutorial see this more recent post:
Thomas Cakes, Parties and Food -Best of the Web
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HI, please I like your cakes there very nice.if you can give me your contact.
information where can i order the this cake
Hi Karin, You can’t order the cake, but you can purchase a similar template via the link to the updated tutorial: https://www.howtocookthat.net/public_html/thomas-train-cake/
Ann, thank you so much for the tutorial on how to make the face for Thomas the Tank Engine. I would never figured out how to do it myself. You might like to see my blog article here:
Thanks Laura, So glad we could help. I checked out your blog an your cake pic looks great. Thanks for the shout out!
How can I get the template for Thomas the train?
Hi Luz, Use the link on the blog page or go to the shop page here: https://www.howtocookthat.net/public_html/shop-cook/
Hi there
Do you think I could follow the same instructions to make a Percy cake instead of Thomas? I’m not sure if there are many differences 🙂
Cheers
Hi Bronwyn Percy has a round green section behind the face which is a slightly different size, I am sure you could adjust it though if you looked at pictures of the two before you started.
I’m sorry Pauline but the company that processes payments has told us that they don’t accept debit cards. Do you have access to a credit card?
Hello I’m wondering if I can get the Thomas 3d template that you used in the video?
Thank u 😉
yes there is a purchase button on the recipe post Amanda
Hi I have purchased the template to make the thomas cake was wondering to bake the cake what depth is the baking tin that I need to use thanks
hi danielle, mine was done in shallow trays, about 1.7cm
Thank you so much for this tutorial. This was only my second time at decorating a cake with fondant and my first 3D cake. Your steps are so easy to follow. Although my cake didn’t turn out exactly like yours my 2 year old loved it!
Here is the pic…
Hi Ann,
I purchased the Thomas template using my ipad, and got to the download link on 5th July 2014, but i could not open the template on my ipad. could you please email me the template as i require it urgenly.
I paid the full $5.49 and have my transaction ID if you need that.
Thank-you kindly
Thanks got your email, all sorted. its perfect.
Hi Ann, I would love to make this cake early next month for my nephews 2nd birthday. Just wondering if I could use the vanilla cake recipe on the tutorial for the princess cake instead of the rich chocolate cake. Also how many batches of the vanilla cake recipes would I need.
Thanks Melissa
yes you can do that melissa, hope it turns out great
Would you also use 2 1/2 batches of the vanilla cake recipe from the princess cake tutorial to make the Thomas the tank cake? (My brother doesn’t like dark chocolate cake)
I am intending to make this cake today. I don’t want to make it for 40 people though. So only going to make 2.5 layers of cake. Can I just shrink the template by 50%?
Hi Alaina, You can shrink the template some, but shrinking the outside by 50% doesn’t shrink the volume by 50%. Think of a 6cm cube it has a volume of 216 cubic cm if you make it 3cm cube it has a volume of only 27 cubic cm ie only 1/8th as big.
Here is what I made..Thank you.
Hi Ann,
I made the 3D thomas cake for my 4 year old,he was over the moon for two days.
I am so glad I could do this,I didnt even think of attemting to make it because I didnt like the look of most thomas cakes.But when I saw your tutorial about the thomas face I wanted to make it.My son has been a thomas fan since he was two and finally I made his thomas cake thanks to you.
Also this is first cake I ever decorated . 🙂
Watch the video again
I always forget a step and have to go through it again!!
Hey Ann,
You are such an amazing baker, you have been born with a gift, thank you for posting these videos!!! You have really inspired my mum to continue with her love for baking and now every second week, we both bake a new recipe from your website!!!
Thanks.Hailey
Hi Ann!
I made this for my son’s 3rd birthday yesterday. It took ages but it was worth it fir the kook on his face. I’ve been making party cakes for a few years but this was the most complex design I’ve done so far – a real challenge. I think it turned out OK. Thanks for the help.
Mark
These instructions are brilliant. I was a bit apprehensive at making the Thomas face for my son’s birthday cake, but with this video it actually looks like Thomas and not scary.
I have the cake made and in the freezer so now I just have to get the rest of Thomas to be as good as the face.
I was surprised at how ‘easy’ it was too. Im not that cleaver usually but this step-by-step is a life saver for a mother of an Autistic ‘train OBSESED’ Child who stumbled onto this cake via youtube and just wont settle for anything less,
Hi Ann,
I made the thomas the train cake for my 2 year old son, and it turned out great! I was super scared to make it, not working if fondant before in my life, and it took me a few hours to do, but it turned out looking and tasting great!! It was a challenge, but a really fun challenge at that. Thanks again for the great tutorial!!
Hi ann,
You are the champion, I’m so thankful found your web. I made thomas bday cake for my son 3 rd bday last oct, and I’m so happy for my achievement, although not perfect yet, but I’m proud to myself :-), will keep trying to make and learn a lot from your video.