I have a 4 yr old boy who really wants a cars cake... so today i went out and bought the wilton cars cake pan and all the accessories that i may need. I have the instructions printed out but realise that there are better methods out there.
Here's the dilema... I have never made a cake before...
I love the fondant iced cakes i see here in the galleries and now think i would like to try that out. Am i being too ambitious... for a first cake should i stick to colored buttercream icing.
Also the cake pan is kind of small. I think i have seen some of you put character cakes on a sheet cake. Do you assemble this before icing or do you ice the sheet cake first.
I have been googling online to find answers and looked at the wilton website but am still kind of confused.
Also can i really use any cake batter, or is it better to use a simple basic cake batter.
I really appreciate any advice, tips, guides and links that can get me to my goal. I dont even bake cookies so this is a huge thing for me.
I really dont want to go out and buy the cake pre-made this time as i want to make this for him.
Thanks again.
Lena

Welcome to CC Helomom!! I have not done this type of cake yet, but what I would recommend is to look through the galleries and find one you like. Then you can PM the person who made that cake asking for how they did it=) To search in the galleries, hit the galleries button up at top, then hit search, then hit in cars. Lots should come up. Jen

Thanks, thats a great suggestion, I was actually just looking over there, I am amazed at all the cakes. I am so excited to do this now.

GL on your cake and make sure to post a pic=) Would love to see it! Jen

Hi!

The Lightning McQueen cake was my very first cake (outside of Wilton classes). I got a lot of inspiration from the gallery here. I chose to do mine in Buttercream... fondant was overwhelming at the time. It really was not hard at all. I iced the sheet cake and the car cake seperately and then put the car on top of the sheet. Here is a picture if you need an idea. GOOD LUCK!!

Chelce

Yes, Ice the sheet cake before adding the cars cake. I would use buttercream, fondant is just harder to get used to. I know I saw a cake on here where someone used blue fruit loops for his eyes. It looked great. (sorry I can't remember who did it) I would look through the gallery and get some ideas. Good Luck!! I'm sure you'll do fine!

Thanks for your replies... I definatley am going to try the buttercream.
I loved that pic, but i have to ask is it easy to get the icing black, and if i cover a large area will it taste ok... i am thinking i will use the sheet cake and ice it first (probably wih black and white checks), then ice the cake, then assemble the two. I will definately post pics no matter how it turns out.

I was just looking in the galleries at different cars themed cakes (I will be making one myself next month for my 3 year old nephew). If you go the galleries tab and do a search for Lightning McQueen it will bring up several pages of ideas. Lots of inspiration there! And also, you were asking about doing large areas in black. Personally, I think that black icing has an awful taste. Your checkered icing idea sounds good. You were wondering about what kind of cake batter to use.....you could use anything you want. Last, you asked about using fondant. I haven't been decorating cakes for too long, and I still feel like fondant is a bit of a struggle. I would do buttercream if this is going to be your first cake. Good luck with everything, and please post a pic when you're finished!

i've done one- the wilton character pan lightning mcqueen , and it came ok, but these are suggestions I would make to you:

make sure the icing is RED, really hard to do- for me at least. if you can get the americolor red you may want to try that it seems many have had real success with that. I can't seem it get it RED with wilton's colors

secondly, put the cake on top of another cake. I felt my cake looked to bare. It really isn't a lot of cake in the character pan.

lastly-- HAVE FUN! kids don't care because they just wnt to eat it!

I have done a bunch of car cakes...a couple of 3 Ds and a couple using the Wilton Pan, and have another cake order I am doing next week, with the wilton pan on top of a sheet cake.

It really is quite easy to do with the stars...I use only Americolor to get the nice rich reds and the nice rich blacks (Wear gloves..you hands will be red for days if you dont)

What I am planning on doing for the sheet cake is to do a checkerboard pattern on the cake in fondant, and then do the wilton cake in buttercream.
The wilton cake is so light, you don't need to put any supports under it, but if you are nervous about it, you can put a couple of dowels in. But I just look at it like a second layer on a two layer cake. (I only do on layer for my sheet cakes)

It really is a fun cake! Post a photo when you are done!

I really like to make my black with a good chocolate buttercream- It takes much less coloring. I also cheated and used the precolored red frosting because my first red came out the color of Raspberry sherbert, a lovely shade but not right for McQueen. If you want to make just the character cake you can use your extra black choc. BC to frost cupcakes like tires.

Thanks so much for all your sugestions... I have done more research and narrowed it down to either WASC or a cookies n cream cake batter. Using the pillsbury extra moist white cake box to help me out.
Actually i personally love the sound of the WASC cake but it is for a 4yr olds birthday and i am thinking the kids will love the cookies and cream better. I want the cake to taste moist and i am thinking between cake and frosting i will put a thin touch layer of apricot preserve mixed with lemon curd to add a little tang under the sweet bc (only on the sheet cake). I hope it doesn't all fall apart.
I am planning on making a dry run (just the cake without icing) tonight time permiting, thats my first cake ever (fingers are crossed).
The party is on Sunday and as nervous as i am, I am also very excited about this.

Check in my photos for the Cars cake I made for my 4 year old. I ordered the car, and the other things on top of the cake from here (CC)-they all came together in a little cake kit. I also used Americolor for the red and black-it is much easier than the Wilton. I just had the picture beside me to follow.

I also did a Lightning McQueen cake if you want to look in my photos. I too needed it to be bigger than the pan you can buy, so I cut mine out of a 12 x 18 sheet cake. I just used the pic from the Wilton pan (on their website) as my template (blew it up to the right size) and started cutting. I also used all buttercream on mine. I would suggest doing it in waves and letting the different colors crust up ("dry" a bit) in between.

I have to do a Lightening McQueen 3-D car in June so this all so helpful me!

loriemoms - do you put the 3-D car on a cake board on top of the sheet cake, or just directly on it.

Can you torte the character pan cakes? Or is it better to leave it be and torte the sheet cake?

When I do the 3 d cakes, I always dowel them and put them on a cake board I have cut out in the shape of the cake. (Cover it with clear contact paper) My 3 d cakes get pretty heavy especailly with Fondant.

btw, are any of you displaying these cakes on your web sites? I am not displaying the wilton ones, and just calling the 3 d "car cakes". I am so chicken of licensing issues and I bet i am pushing my luck even with those!