3D Thomas Train Cake Recipe
Would your Thomas obsessed pre-schooler love a themed birthday party with an amazing cake in the shape of the famous little blue train? Well, you’re not alone. Thomas the Tank Engine toys are amongst the best-selling preschool items in the US, UK and Australia. Kids everywhere love a Thomas party and thankfully, plenty of other brave parents have paved the way (check out their party ideas here). And read on for step by step instructions to make the 3D Thomas train cake.
To make this Thomas Cake you will need:
The Cake & Fondant Template
This Thomas cake will serve 40 people, you can scale it down if you have less guests.
Cake: two and a half times the rich chocolate cake recipe baked into five trays 25cm (9.84 inches) x 38cm (14.96 inches) baked at 356F (180 degrees Celsius) for 20 minutes.
Fondant for thomas train cake
400g (14.11 ounces) black fondant
650g (22.93 ounces) blue fondant
450g (15.87 ounces) red fondant
30g (1.06 ounces) yellow fondant
160g (5.64 ounces) grey fondant
Note: Fondant quantities are actual amounts used on the cake, so allow extra for rolling out.
Frosting for train cake:
Two quantities of buttercream recipe in flavour of your choice
Two quantities of ganache recipe, allow to cool completely at room temp overnight. Whip together with the buttercream, use to cover the outside of the train before adding fondant.
Equipment needed for train cake:
Fondant extruder (makes it quicker and easier but optional you can roll long skinny snakes instead).
Circle cutters
Ruler
Pizza cutter (optional)
drinking straw to cut small circles
rolling pin
non-stick baking paper
spray oil
metal piping tip or something with 1.7cm (0.67 inches) diameter to cut circle
To make the thomas train face see this previous post:
Instructions
1: Make the fondant details ahead of time so they can dry out (see video)
2: Bake the cakes, prepare the frosting and make the simple syrup. This can be done 2 days before the party. See above for quantities.
3: Construct and decorate the cake the day before the party. See the video for demonstration. You will need a very strong cake board that is at least 35cm (13.78 inches) long and 20cm (7.87 inches) wide.
4. If it is very hot where you live, store in the fridge otherwise room temperature is fine.
5. Enjoy the birthday boy or girl’s face when they see their Thomas cake. Don’t forget to take photos!
by Ann Reardon
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.
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Hi Ann,
Could you tell me how much batter your cake recipe makes? I made all the pieces today and I plan to start baking tomorrow, but I’m using Duncan Hines box mix. I know that each box yields 5 C. of batter, but I don’t know how many to use for each pan.
Janice
Hi Just wondering what the depth of the baking trays are? I have found the same sized tray but they aren’t very deep? Is that what you have used? What level do u fill too?.. I bought the template and have the fondant pieces done and ready to go
they are quite shallow james, about 1.5cm
I have made this cake for my 3yr olds birthday party last Friday and the cake was the biggest star!! Thanks Ann for making it easy
Awesome Zuzana, thanks for taking the time to upload a picture for us 😀
Hi you are a life saver, I was stuck for some reason on where to even began with this cake. I purchased your template she it helped out so much. How many servings would you say this cake serves?
Thanks so much!
hi Chyna, thankyou, so glad it worked. it’s a big cake and serves about 40 people
Could anyone help answer this question because I am going to start this cake in a couple of days. Does Ann bake 5 separate 10 x15 (I live in the states) cakes? That seems like a lot of cake and I am not seeing in the video where she uses all 5 layers. It seems like she is cutting out of one layer only. Am I missing something?
Hi Janice, that is correct bake 5 cakes, I bake two in the oven at a time.
Hi Ann,
I am purchasing the template and I plan to start making this cake this weekend. In the video for the Thomas face you said to make the circle according to the size cake you make. If I am making it exactly how you made it above, what size circle would I use? I don’t want to make it too big/too small and find out at the end when I go to add it to the finished cake. It’s hard for me to imagine the size without seeing it all done.
hi janice, sorry that it took me so long to reply, i am really running behind on all these comments. I’m sure you realised by now that the template has a circle on it.
Thanks for the template. It turned out pretty good considering I have absolutely NO experience :p
Awesome Shruthi, what a wonderful job of cake decorating, you have done so well
Hi there! I live in Holland and I want to order the template of the thomas cake.
Is it possible?
I have to make the cake by the 24th of February.
Hope to hear from you
Greetings shirley
Hi Shirley it is a digital download, so when you buy it you get a link and print it out yourself. So yes you can buy it from anywhere in the world.
Thank you so much for helping us make our 2 year old son& grandson such a pleasant surprise for his 2nd birthday! It was such a fabulous hit. My daughter made it all and she did such a great job. She scaled it down to where only one sheet of cake was used. Also, everyone raved on how delicious this chocolate cake recipe tasted, we will certainly make it again!
Thank you again!
that’s beautiful Gayle, you did a wonderful job!
Thanks so much for sharing this. I have to make a Thomas cake but for only about 15 people. Any tips on how to use your template for a smaller cake? Thanks.
Just use one sheet of cake. The bottom of the cake should measure 4″ x 8″, then cut the cake in half, use one half for the train’s body, the remaining half is used for all of the other parts. My daughter started on it 3 days prior to the day of her son’s BD party just making the side decorative pieces, his face, etc. and even with much time she wasn’t finished until 3 PM, so allow yourself plenty of time. Also we used marzipan instead of fondant. You can find the recipe online, it’s very simple to make. Then using Ann’s increments for each color we just winged how much to make ( we used 2 cans of almond paste for the marzipan and had plenty left over. We made pie own template.
Hope this helps!
thank you!
hi kathleen, sorry that it’s taken me a while to respond, im quite behind in these comments. Thanks to Gayle for answering.
Hi I was just wondering how many people would this cake serve? Love the tutorial and I want to make this for a friend’s son’s second birthday. Thanks
Hi Shruthi this contains the same amount of cake as 60 cupcakes, how many it serves depends on how much cake people will eat. Is it the dessert or are there other sweet foods and people will just have a small slice? Is it adults eating it or just kids… depending on the answers to these questions… between 30 and 60 people.
Im having to use smaller baking tray size as my oven is too small for the 25 x 38cm recommended… But how deep do you fill the tray with cake mixture? I’m using a 22 x 30 cm tray instead, and therefore will make about 7 or 8 trays of cake – but just wanted to know how deep to fill the tray with cake mix… (Im a complete baking novice – sorry).
hi PJ, how did you go? did it all work out?
my Thomas obsessed little boy is two 7th feb I have purchased templates
and I am hoping it turns out as well as yours! I am planning to do all prep next week then complete cake day before. fingers crossed x
how did the cake turn out Lindsay?
Was just wondering when we buy template does it give a step by step guide of how to cut and build cake.
hi venessa, the YouTube video will guide you through the process.
Hi, i love this cake & want to ‘try’ and make it for my Nephew. However, i cant seem to get the teplate – it doesnt appear to be a link – where can i get it? thanks!
Hi Holly, sorry it took me so long to get back to you, ive been really snowed under with so many comments. Did you manage to get the template? It’s just on the website page, click on ‘Add to Basket’
Hi Just wondering what the height/depth of the baking trays are? I have found the same sized tray but they aren’t very deep? Is that what you have used? Thanks for you help – I am attempting this cake for my son’s 2nd birthday!
I also want to know this. Thanks
I as well.
quite shallow, only 1.5cm
Amazing! I can’t wait to make this for my Thomas obsessed 2 year old. Just wondering, how many does this feed? Also, in the video you say you’re using 2 and a half times the chocolate cake recipe, but in the written tutorial it says 1 and a half. Which is the correct amount for this cake?
I’d also like to know this this please. Thanks.
it feeds 40
it feeds 40 people
Wow what a great cake, wish I saw this last week, as I just made a Thomas cake,but not as good as yours.
Can’t wait to make your version .
Are you really going to make another one? Do you have a cake business?
Oh goodness, this is amazing!!!! Thank you soooo much!!!! I love your blog, thank you for sharing so much work and ideas!
thanks Tesei I’m glad you like it 😀
Brilliant Ann. xx
What a lucky boy!!
😀