3D Lightning McQueen Cars Cake Tutorial
To make this Lightning McQueen, Cars Cake you will need:
Cake:
cake pans 11inch (27.94 centimetres) x 15inch (38.1 centimetres) (I had two so I could bake two sheet tins at a time)
chocolate cake x 3
This quantity will make about 40-45 serves.
Template:
Template for cutting the cake and fondant pieces
Frosting:
2 x my chocolate buttercream recipe
3 x ganache recipe cooled in the fridge
Fondant:
750g (26.46 ounces) Black fondant (I used Bakels Black Pettinice)
1 kg (2.2 pounds) Red fondant (will be just enough if you are new to decorating you may want to get a bit extra) I used Satin Ice RED
150g (5.29 ounces) White fondant for eyes and windscreen (get 500g (17.64 ounces) and split it up leave some white & colour some yellow/grey/brown)
250g (8.82 ounces) Yellow fondant for side logo
50g (1.76 ounces) Grey fondant for windows (mix a small amount of black fondant with some white)
50g (1.76 ounces) Brown fondant for ‘Rusteze’ symbol
Powdered food colour in red, orange and yellow
silver luster dust
metal piping tip for cutting out eyes – you can use something else round in a similar size
Drinking straws for cutting circles.
circle cutter
paintbrushes
thick card to cut for cake board
Platter or cake board to put cake on (see cutting templates for indication of cake size)
Oreos or other flat cream filled circle shaped biscuits x 8
Step 1. Do ahead of time for your Lightning McQueen, Cars Cake
Allow approximately 6 hours to make these well, I like to make extras of things so I can choose the best one.
Print and cut out cake cutting templates
Cut cake board out of thick card and cover with alfoil or tape to waterproof
Make up some Simple Syrup using 1/2 cup or 108g (3.81 ounces) sugar amd 1/2cup or 125mL (4.23 fluid ounces) water.
Heat until the sugar is dissolved then leave to cool. Store excess in the fridge.
Make the fondant details for the car that can be made ahead, see video for instructions:
silver dots x 4
eyes x 2, (I made four so that I could choose the best two)
‘Rusteze’ symbol for bonnet x 1 (I made two and chose the best one)
’95’ x 3 (for each side of the cake and the top)
headlights
brake lights
Back of the car with details
Side windows
Back windows
Step 2: Making the Cake & Frosting
Bake your chocolate cake x 3 this will make six sheet cakes of which you need five. In the trays this cake takes 15 minutes to bake (swap top tray to bottom and bottom to top half way through cooking). My cake tray is 26cm (10.24 inches) x 39cm (15.35 inches)
Make your frosting: double quantity of my chocolate buttercream
and triple quantity of ganache. Cool the ganache in the fridge until firm and then whip into the buttercream. I had plenty left over to use with the cake scraps to make cake pops, or you can put the excess in a ziploc bag and freeze it.
Step 3: Assembling & Carving your Lightning McQueen, Cars Cake
Watch the video to see this demonstrated.
Set up your cake board to sit 1cm (0.39 inches) above the platter in the middle and 1 1/2cm (0.79 inches) at the front 3cm (1.18 inches) at the back
Using your car template cut out 4 of the layers and assemble with ganache between on top of the cake board. Cut your 5th sheet cake in half and stack on top in the centre. Use your side of car template to check that the cake is high enough in all places and then carve using the side template as your guide.
Place the top of car template 1 on top lined up with the base of the windscreen and cut around to the level of the front bonnet. Then put the smaller roof template in place and trim across to meet the outline that you just made.
Trim down the centre of the bonnet and the centre of the back of the car.
Cut out the wheels holes deep enough until you reach the cake board.
Cover the whole cake in frosting smoothing as best as you can and the refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Step 4. Decorating your Lightning McQueen, Cars Cake
Make your wheels using fondant and oreos, see video for instructions.
Take the cake out of the fridge and use paper towel to smooth. Put the white in place for the teeth, cover with some non-stick baking paper in the shape of the smile. Cover in red fondant, cut out the smile and then add your pre-made details.
Make and add front windscreen and the side lightning flashes. Clean the cake board and lastly add your wheels.
Step 5. Photo Time
Smile, you did it! Take a photo and upload in the comments section below. Photo Tips: It is hard to get a good photo of the cake at the party so take a photo with the birthday boy or girl before any of the guests arrive. Pay attention to what is in the background of your picture.
by Ann Reardon How To Cook That
2013
My Cookbook
Stores that sell my book listed by country:
http://bit.ly/ARcookbook
All recipe quantities in the book are in grams, ounces and cups.
The cake came out beautiful and really neat! Templates worked well.
It’s a lot of work to get this right, but end result is satisfying.
Thank you for this tutorial. I found it very helpful. My cake is nit perfect, but I did my best
I’ve been trying to find a tutorial for 3D cakes! Thank you! Can’t wait to try this!!!
Hi Ann,
Can I do this car smaller? For example as cake topper.
I made this for my godson in 2014. I followed every clear step from Ann and I was so chuffed with it and how it turned out, would you believe 11yrs on my 3yr old daughter has asked for a Lightening Mcqueen cake for her birthday and I’m excited to try it again….
Photo is my 2014 effort
Your Lightning McQueen tutorial and your stencils were a life saver.used my own cake recipe but I followed as much as I could.. in terms of sculpting and the art work. Since I had a time crunch, i used edible stickers .I definitely need more practice! My 1st time making a fondant covered shaped cake.
Thank you and stay blessed! ❤️
Thank you so much for your templates and instructions in Lightening McQueen.
My wife and I are hobby bakers and very proud how he turned out 😊
Thanks for the step by step guide. We changed it up a little, scaled the size down and placed the car on another cake. It was our first time ever working with fondant. Wow it takes time to do this! It was worth it though. 8 year old very happy! I now have more respect for professional bakers!