It’s the feat of engineering that has tipped many parents over the edge. Known as the hardest of all our Children’s Birthday Cake Book creations, according to Pamela Clark, it’s the gravity-defying tip truck cake!
Keen to make it for your truck-loving child? Here’s the full cake recipe with step shots to guide you.
Ingredients
Method
Make cakes according to directions on packet, divide evenly between two greased 23cm x 12cm (9in x 5in) loaf tins, bake in moderate oven (180°C) 50 minutes or until cooked when tested. Turn on to wire rack to cool.
CUT & ASSEMBLE THE TIP TRUCK CAKE
Invert both cakes, cut one in half horizontally, as shown; these two halves will form tray of truck. Trim sides of both cakes so they are flat, cut piece from second cake, as shown; cut-off piece forms support for tray, larger piece forms cabin. For tray of truck, cut 1cm (½in) recess in one half of cake, as shown. Cut piece of cardboard (cut-up breakfast cereal carton is ideal) same width as cake and 8cm (3in) longer, cover with aluminium foil, set aside.
To make supporting wedge, invert piece cut from cabin so longer side is down; starting from uncut end of piece, cut diagonally to other side of cake, giving two wedge-shaped pieces, then cut top wedge into two pieces, as shown (smaller piece is not needed for truck). Two remaining wedges form support for tray of truck. Assemble cake on prepared board. Cover eight matchboxes with aluminium foil, position under cabin and body, as shown; arrange two wedge-shaped pieces slightly off centre on truck body, as shown (pictures shows final assembly).
MAKE VIENNA CREAM ICING
Have butter and milk at room temperature. Place butter in small bowl of electric mixer, beat until butter is as white as possible, gradually add about half the sifted icing sugar, beating constantly, add milk gradually, then gradually beat in the remaining icing sugar; mixture should be smooth and easy to spread with a spatula.
To colour Vienna Cream bright green, first tint brightly with up to 2 teaspoons egg-yellow food colouring, add about ½ teaspoon green food colouring, then add a few drops blue food colouring. This additional liquid will soften Vienna Cream, so beat in up to 1 cup extra sifted icing sugar to restore to correct consistency.
DECORATE THE TIP TRUCK CAKE
Cover body and cabin of truck with green Vienna Cream, position chocolate biscuit sticks behind cabin. Join two round chocolate biscuits together with a little Vienna Cream to form dual wheels, repeat seven times. Outline windows, doors and windscreen with thin strips liquorice, cut fine pieces liquorice for windscreen wipers and door handles. Assorted sweets, as shown, represent headlights, grille, tail lights, mascot, fog horns. Rear vision mirrors are Lifesavers wrapped in aluminium foil with toothpicks pushed into back of foil then into cake. Two toothpicks joined with sticky tape and covered with aluminium foil represent CB radio aerial.
Cover top and sides of tray with green Vienna Cream. Place on foil-covered cardboard, crease cardboard at each end, as shown, turn up creased ends, position on body of truck, fill cavity in tray with sweets.
