Fire Truck Birthday Cake Recipes

FIRE ENGINE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease or spray bottoms and sides of three 8x4-inch loaf pans.
• Make cake batter as directed on box. Divide batter evenly among pans. Bake 27 to 34 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans; place rounded sides up on cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Spoon 1/2 cup of the frosting into small bowl; stir in enough black food color to make gray. Place 1/2 cup of the remaining white vanilla frosting in small resealable plastic freezer bag; cut small tip off 1 corner of bag. Spoon remaining white vanilla frosting into large bowl; stir in enough red food color until desired red color.
• Trim rounded tops from each cake to make flat surface. Cut cakes and arrange pieces on platter as shown in diagram (template can be found under the Tips below), attaching pieces with thin layer of red frosting, to form fire engine. Spread thin layer of red frosting over entire cake to seal in crumbs. For easier handling, refrigerate or freeze cake 30 to 60 minutes.
• Frost area between cab and back of engine with gray frosting. Place remaining gray frosting in small resealable plastic freezer bag; cut small tip off 1 corner of bag. Frost remaining fire engine with red frosting. Pipe on windshield, windows and ladder with white frosting. Trim and discard thin slice (about 1/8 inch) off bottoms of 4 red and 4 yellow gumdrops; attach trimmed gumdrops for headlights and taillights with white frosting. Attach remaining gumdrops on top of engine for lights. For wheels, pipe 1/2-inch circle of gray frosting on center of each cookie for hubcap; attach wheels to cake. Attach licorice coils on sides of cake for hoses.
• Pipe gray frosting around wheels and bottom edge of engine. For bumpers, pipe 1 or 2 lines of gray frosting on front and back of engine. Store loosely covered.

FIRE TRUCK BIRTHDAY CAKE

Steps:

• Trim rounded tops off pound cakes. Stack 2 of the cakes together using whipped topping in between the layers to hold together. (This is the back of the fire truck.)
• Cut 1/3 off the end of the remaining cake. Lay the 2/3 portion of cake in front of and level with the bottom of stacked pound cakes. Place the 1/3 portion vertically on top to form an L-shape against the 2 stacked cakes. (This will form the cab of the truck and be slightly higher than the 2 stacked pound cakes. See photograph.)
• Tint whipped topping with red or yellow food coloring until desired color is achieved. Frost entire fire truck. Attach 3 donuts on each side of the truck for wheels. Add pretzel sticks to create ladders on the sides and back of truck.
• Lay licorice on top of the truck to make a water hose. Outline windows and doors with licorice. Place assorted candies on top of the cab as lights and on front of the truck for headlights. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

FIRE TRUCK BIRTHDAY CAKE

Steps:

• Trim rounded tops off cakes. Stack 2 of the cakes together using whipped topping in between the layers to hold together. (This is the back of the fire truck.)
• Cut one third off the end of the remaining cake. Lay the two thirds portion of cake in front of and level with the bottom of stacked pound cakes. Place the one third portion vertically on top to form an L-shape against the two stacked cakes. (This will form the cab of the truck and be slightly higher than the two stacked cakes. See photograph.)
• Tint whipped topping with red or yellow food coloring until desired color is achieved. Frost entire fire truck. Attach 3 donuts on each side of the truck for wheels. Add pretzel sticks to create ladders on the sides and back of truck.
• Lay licorice on top of the truck to make a water hose. Outline windows and doors with licorice. Place assorted candies on top of the cab as lights and on front of the truck for headlights. Refrigerate until ready to serve.