Today we are making a 3D train cake. I have shown you how to make the face before and

have had lots and lots of requests or people begging fro help can you please show us how

to make the whole train cake, so here it is.

Firstly we are going to make the red fondant details

You can get the template for these and the recipe for the cake and all the fondant quantities

all those little details from the website howtocookthat.net I will put a link in the

description below this video.

Cut out the strips for the front and the back of your train. When I need bright coloured

fondant like this I buy it pre-coloured because otherwise you can tend to get pink instead

of red if you are trying to mix it yourself.

To make the little bumps at the front and the back roll a thick snake of red trim it

to size and then push it into shape by flattening each side, use a ruler to make sure it is

straight and put it into place in the centre of the red strips.

Then take the template for the side red strip and roll out some fondant fairly thickly for

this because this strip sticks out from the side of the cake a little bit. And trim around

the template and then flip it over and cut a second one.

Next roll out some blue fondant and cut out the shapes for the side of the cake making

sure that you have two of everything and with the odd shape make sure you flipped it over

when you are cutting the second one so the shape is facing the right way on each side

of the cake.

Roll out some red and place the blue pieces on top. Using a pizza cutter and a knife cut

around it leaving an even border of red the whole way around each piece .

You want these details to dry out so they need to made a few days ahead, but if you

want to be organized you can make them up to a month before you need to make the cake..

Then to make the dome roll a fat snake and then using the template trim it to size. If

the knife has squashed when you cut it then just roll it a little bit to round it out

out again. We are making it taller than it needs to be so we can push it into the cake.

For our wheels roll out some blue fondant and cut out 6 circles in the size shown. Then

cut out the centre using a smaller cutter.

You do this using something round and cut around it with a knife but you might find

it easier to buy a circle cutter set, I'll link to the one that I used for this cake

in the description below.

Take a knife and trim off an edge of the inner circles

Then roll out some more fondant and cut out another 6 circles.

And then cut some really thin strips of blue. Trim them to the length shown and then place

two across each other so that it splits it into quarters, then put anther two in each

gap so you have a total of 6 strips going across your circle. Then take a tiny circle

cutter I am using the end of a piping tip and trim out that centre circle where all

the excess pieces have built up in high. Then cut another circle of blue and place it in

the centre of the wheel. Then I used a drinking straw cut another circle and place that on

top right in the centre.

Take the ring that we cut out just a moment ago, place that over the spokes and then little

semi circle just on one side of the wheel.

Repeat that until you have six wheels.

Roll out some yellow, if your fondant is sticking to the rolling pin add a little spray oil

and rub it onto your rolling pin and try again.

Cut around the number 1 using the template you will need one of those for each side.

Then place these onto some red fondant and cut around them leaving a little border of

red.

Find all the parts of the template that say cut from black and cut those out. Roll a skinny

snake of black and cut to the length shown.

Then roll a fat snake and cut it to the length for the funnel, cut a strip of black and wrap

it around one end using a tiny bit of water to make it stick. Then set that aside to dry.

Place your black rectangles onto some yellow fondant and cut around them and leave them

to dry too. Roll a thin snake of yellow and cut them to the same length and round them

on the ends. These will go at the front of the train.

Now to make our bumpers, roll some red fondant out thickly and using a straw cut some cylinders.

Put a tiny bit of water on the red rectangle that we made earlier and add the cylinder

onto that and then take one of your black circles and put them on top. And repeat that

on the other piece.

Again using a tiny amount of water add the number 1 to the sides of your train.

Then cut another two circles from black, place them on some yellow fondant and cut around

them using a knife or a circle cutter if you have one so that you have a yellow border.

I already have a detailed video showing the face as I said so I'll link to that one here,

it is an older video but it still explains it simply if you follow the method for making

it you'll find it really quite easy to do.

So now you have all of your details made ahead and you can just leave those uncovered to

dry. Leave them for a few days and they should be dried out after that and then you can store

them in an airtight container with baking paper underneath them until you are ready

to use them.

Now to assemble your cake. You will need frosting, a strong cake board, some cooled simple syrup

which is just half a cup of water and half a cup of sugar boiled until the sugar is dissolved.

And your cakes I am using two and a half quantities of the rich chocolate cake the recipe and

details for the cake and frosting, videos of how to make them all all of that is on

the website howtocookthat.net

Place a small amount of frosting on the board to stop the cake slipping when you move it.

Cut around your template and add the first layer of cake, cover it in frosting. Add the

next layer, some simple syrup which helps keep the cake moist and then add more frosting.

Continue to stack up the cake up layers up. Use off cuts from layers you have already

done to make one of your layers. And then look at the side of your cake and check that

you are up to the top of the rounded section.

Fold your cutting template to the length from the back of the train to the end of the part

that it sticking up. And cut more cake to this size.

And stack that on top Put your template in front again and fold

it to the width of the remaining section. Using off cuts cut two more layers of cake

and add them to the very top.

You should now have what looks like a strange set of steps.

Place your template against the cake and using a sharp serrated knife cut around the template.

If you don't trust your cutting ability to cut straight you can print two templates and

put one on either side of the cake to guide you when you are cutting it.

To make the rounded part in the centre cut out circles of cake and trim off one side.

So you just have a small semi circle Sandwich those together with buttercream and add them

to the middle of the cake. Then use your circle cutter to remove some cake from the next layer

down so that you have room to add two more complete circles in front of that. Don't add

them to the cake yet just join them to each other with buttercream and check that they

fit.

Cover the whole cake in frosting then look at it from the front round off a little bit

for the roof, you can do that before you add the frosting I just forgot.

Cover the circles of cake in frosting too. Then clean up your work area and put the cake

int he fridge for about an hour the frosting to firm up.

Roll out a long piece of black fondant and cut a strip. You can roll it up to make it

easier to move. Then unroll it as you wrap it around the base of the cake. Repeat that

with a strip of red.

Now add some grey to the front of the cake, use a fondant smoother to push it into place.

Next roll out a large piece of blue fondant and drape it over the entire cake. Use your

fingers gently smooth it in around the shape of the cake. lifting and lowering it on the

sids to smooth out any pleats.

I often get asked in the comments if I make this cake for someone how much should I charge

them for it. I suggest that you look up 3D cakes at stores local to see how much they

are charging in the area near you because it is very different in country to country.

Where I live detailed thomas cakes in this size sell for just under $500.

Use your fondant smoother to smooth out the sides and then feel for where the top of the

red fondant is and then trim it off in a straight line along the edge.

Next make some thin snakes of red fondant, you can do that either by rolling them or

using a fondant extruder, I will ink to where i got this one in the description below.

Trim them to the right length and place them over the top of the rounded part of the train.

To add the blue dome take something round and cut out a circle out, I am using the back

of a piping tip. And then push the dome in until it is the right height.

Trim the very top of each wheel, and then add a little water to the side of the cake

and put your wheels in place. Then add the red side piece over the top.

Add the front piece to the front of the train and the back to the other side.

Measure the distance between the back of the train and the bumper and cut a strip of grey

to go over the top of that area.

Add a little water to the top of the red on the sides of the train and place a thin strip

of grey over the top there.

Next add all of your side details that we made earlier. This is where making the details

ahead makes getting the cake together a breeze when you are making it the day before the

party.

Roll out an extra strip of grey and add it over the front to make it nice and smooth.

Then add a strip of black and the strange shaped black details that we made earlier

should just go around that rounded smooth section at the front.

Roll out some more black, cut a strip and wrap it around the circle of cake that we

covered in frosting earlier. And the add the face to the front of that just leave that

to one side for the moment so the fondant can stick to that buttercream really well.

Cut a rectangle of black and place it across the on top for the roof section. Place a strip

of black across the top of the back section and then I've just cut little bits of black

fondant to look like coal you could put lollies in the back here or whatever you are wanting

in the back of your train.

Finally add the face to the front of the cake Cut out a circle from the top and poke in

the funnel into the top.

One question I get asked a lot is what do you do with all of these cakes once they are

finished? If you keep watching I will show you where this one ended up. Others I either

give away on instagram - so make sure you follow howtocookthat if you live locally and

others I just cut up and freeze for school lunches.

This particular thomas cake was a birthday present for one of my little boys good friends.

Thanks for watching, add all of your requests in the comments below and subscribe to howtocookthat

for more cakes, chocolate and desserts there is a new video every Friday.

Have a great week