Construction-themed cakes make an eye-catching centerpiece at any birthday celebration! Additionally, their forgiving nature makes them great starting points for novice bakers and decorators.
Secure cakes to dowels for extra support and decorate them with washed toy trucks, candy that resembles rocks (such as Whoppers or chocolate-covered raisins), and Oreo crumbs to create additional dirt texture.
How to Make a Construction Cake
This cake is ideal for kids’ birthday parties and those who appreciate good cakes alike. Its forgiving nature means even novice bakers can easily craft it, with personalization options easily implemented into its design if desired. Make this chocolate treat from any chocolate cake mix or from scratch to create this treat, which allows even young children to help decorate it!
Launch by following the directions on your cake box to prepare and bake your cake; once cooled, use either your preferred frosting recipe or this simple chocolate one to cover your entire cake in frosting.
Next, carefully cut a number three out of the middle of the giant circle cake for use as the birthday boy’s age. Be careful when scoring it so as not to cause crumbling or cave-in. Save carved cake pieces (these may later serve as edible dirt). I placed a wooden dowel into each cake as support, but bubble tea straws can also work; they’re readily available at grocery stores without the risk of getting splinters!
Add extra props to the cake as desired, such as washed construction toys, candy bars, ganache drips, and crushed cookies for dirt (Oreos work perfectly!). I added all these elements to my son’s birthday cake, and it was an absolute hit among his guests!
Add a grassy bottom of your cake with green frosting and a grass decorating tip, and top it off by inserting tiny plastic diggers and dump trucks as decorations into the frosting, using extra to secure their place on top of it all.
Toy Trucks
The addition of toys or plastic trucks on top of a cake is an easy and fun way to add character. Plus, they make an excellent present for children at your event; give this toy as gift they’ll remember forever! Kids love playing with these miniature dump trucks as well.
If your child loves garbage trucks and recycling vehicles, this cake could be perfect. Use a light plastic garbage truck toy covered in melted chocolate so it sticks securely to the cake surface, then stack candy-coated chocolate candies, cut gumdrops, and graham crackers on its sides as trash that has come pouring out of its back end.
Make an unforgettable cake presentation by customizing a chocolate sheet cake into the shape of a road and placing an adorable semi-truck toy on top. This would make an excellent cake choice for trucker retirement parties or for young fans who are passionate about big rigs!
Another fun idea for creating an exciting birthday surprise is making a large chocolate sheet cake to resemble an excavation site. Use plastic construction toys, pylons, and cookie crumbles to dig through them for an impressive effect; add some gummy bears that look like rocks for added impact!
If your kid prefers non-excavator cakes, but you still want something eye-catching on top, consider using other vehicles, such as this Camaro, as cake toppers. A round chocolate cake with thick white whipped frosting works wonderfully as the base while billowing white whipped cream adds a dimension that looks just like smoke billowing from its tailpipe and creates a fabulous cake topper!
Frosting
Make this cake as complex or straightforward as you’d like; it’s an incredibly forgiving cake, making it ideal for novice bakers. Use frosting to create an illusion of a construction site; add washed-off toy trucks, candy corn, chocolate ganache drips, crushed Oreos, or even more icing for an impressive finish!
If using dark or black icing, tint it with food coloring so it matches the theme of your truck or other desired theme. Keep any unfinished frosting stored in the refrigerator or freezer so it doesn’t expire before being decorated.
To decorate a cake, start by placing the top layer with its rounded side down on your serving plate, spreading a thin layer of chocolate frosting to seal in any crumbs, followed by layer two rounded side up and spreading the remaining chocolate frosting all over it, smoothing with a spatula as you go. Refrigerate or freeze to firm up icing. To pipe decorations, you will need separate piping bags fitted with couplers (see “Getting Started: Learn How to Decorate Buttercream Cookies”). When ready, start piping onto your cake; even add edible safety cones like those found from The Cake Club to give an extra special touch that your guests will love.
