I am pretty new to the cake decorating world. My expertise pretty much stops at baking and frosting a cake. The other day my sister was discussing my nephew's upcoming birthday party in October. He decided that he wanted a fire truck theme (he has a serious love the color red). I mentioned that I may be able to help out making a cake. In my head I am thinking a simple two tier cake. It has now grown into a 3D fire engine. Which to me to even be done even remotely correctly involves the proper scale and simple details that makes a fire truck a fire truck. I'm starting to think that I may have bitten off more than I can chew but I a determine that with practice everything can come together.

I just want advice on if I am going in the right direction with my thought process.

-The cake seems simple enough to build with a rectangular cake pan

-I want to try my hand at make a dalmatian puppy and fireman...I thinking modelling chocolate would work better than gum paste

-For the intricate details...gum paste

Am I in the right direction or lost in the woods somewhere?!? Any help would be appreciated.

ABump.....

It's going to take more time than what you think...it always does!! You can start making the modeling chocolate and gumpaste details months before. I would make ALL the details up ahead of time so the only thing you are concentrating on is the actual cake, carving and covering.

If you search "firetruck cake" on CC, a lot of images will come up. I would chose one of the simpler ones since this will be your first 3d cake, and really put your emphasis on the details that you can do ahead of time. Otherwise, your plan sounds good, just give yourself plenty of time. There's always things that creep up during carving and covering!

HTH

Good luck, your nephew will love it

AIf it were me, and I was still new, I might try my hand at a gumpaste fire truck on top first.

If you do go the truck route, I recommend keeping it fairly simple & try to go for a carton look to it. Fisher price makes an awesome not too detailed fire truck. I would also set a goal of being about 11" I'm length & use 1/2 sheet pans to build it. You're going to need structure support!!