Cake decorating help

[Granny M]

Hi, everyone.
My grandson's 3rd birthday is coming up, and, since he is a little tractor freak, I volunteered to bake a tractor cake. Got a Nordic Ware tractor pan. I have some lovely cake recipes, which should work fine. It's the decorating part that has me waking up at night.
Can anyone in this group give me some hints about decorating a specialty cake? We're going with the John Deere colours - green with yellow rims and black tires. I'm not the best with piping bags and tips, but I can't see another way to do it. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks!

[grasswire]

1. could you do it with candies?

There are so many little colored candies that can be used to define the features of an object. Lay down your colored frosting, and then the candies. And if you go to a Michael's store into the cake decorating department, you will find all kinds of colored sugars and stuff like that.

[supernova]

2. You might consider getting fondant

a flexible sugar "dough", if you aren't so steady with a piping bag. With a knife and scissors you can cut any shape you like. Or some combo of piping and fondant shaping. Whatever you feel most comfortable with.

Fondant is available in the cake section at places like A C Moore and Michaels. You can dye it or paint it or just get the colors that you need if they have them in stock.

Either way, he's lucky little guy to have such a great grandma!

[Phentex]

3. I googled your pan and John Deere cakes...

I like the combination of frosting and fondant. I'd use black licorice pieces on the tires to look like treads. Like you said, I'd do the whole thing in green with yellow rims and black tires. Then pipe outlines of the more detailed parts.

This one is a start but I think it could have more candy on it!

[Granny M]

4. Thank for the great ideas.

I think I'll get some fondant and candies, sugar, etc. I'll use the pan as the form and practice on it. I'll post pictures of the finished product on May 18th. Thanks again.

[Warpy]

5. You could also rent an air brush setup

from a commercial kitchen supply company, but that also requires some skill to use.

Then again, the kid is three. The cake is going to end up smushed all over his little face, so don't sweat getting it perfect and professional looking.

My guess is that anything you do as long as the tractor shape is there will be fine.

[Granny M]

6. I doubt if I could pull air-brushing off. Sounds like artistic talent is required.

He was very polite with his race track cake last year. I put little cars on the track for him, and he very timidly reached out and touched one of them, looking at us for permission, which of course he got, and he then took all 5 cars off, before eating his cake. This year I think he's a little bolder, and definitely loves cake, so, yep, it could end up all over his face. No harm. We'll get the pictures first.

[Texasgal]

7. Because I have no artistic talent

I would do a cake ice it with green or yellow icing ( or both ) and get a plastic toy tractor to put on top.

Eh, I am easy!

[Granny M]

8. Last year's racetrack cake was done with toy cars.

And cookies and candies and sprinkles. No drawing or painting, just fiddly work placing everything.

[Granny M]

9. Well, here it is.

I ended up with the frosting and the decorating bags. How hard could it be, I thought. Won't be starting that cake decorating business any time soon. But it was done with loads of love.... and a good bit of swearing.
Next time it's sugar paste and candies, for sure.

[fizzgig]

10. great job, granny!

looks pretty darn good.

[winter is coming]

11. I think you did a fine job and I'll bet your grandson loves it. n/t

[blaze]

12. That looks great!!

My Mom, now 87, used to take special requests for birthday cake designs.

Thanks for a wonderful memory!

[RathoreJane]

13. Great efforts.

Hey Granny, you did great efforts for your grandson birthday cake. I like the final pic much.

[hrmjustin]

17. Welcome to DU my friend!

[supernova]

14. You did a great job!!

I'm sure he was thrilled!

[Granny M]

15. Thanks, everyone.

The grandson really seemed to enjoy it. Quite impressed with the chocolate wheels. Thinking that I may make one at Christmas, too. A red velvet cake with red and green decorations, maybe a little sugar paste Santa in the cab. It's months away, which is good.

[Phentex]

16. It's fabulous!

Glad you posted the picture. It looks great. I know you made somebody very happy!

[pengillian101]

18. That turned out VERY cute.

Great job!