Thomas the Tank Inspired Birthday Cake

My son is obsessed with Thomas the Tank Engine. What started off as a small track with a few characters, soon became a more complex rail system.


As seen below, Thomas got an upgrade with his own table. We have since added more to this collection. I'm sure some people think we are mad. But seriously, when you become a parent and these toys keep your child entertained for more than 20mins it's an absolute god send. Trust me, it's worth the investment!


Last year when Keane turned 2 my husband made him a Thomas bed (because we couldn't afford or would be willing to pay over $1000 for the real one). Also this was a form of bribary to get him out of his cot and into his own room too (it wasn't him with the separation issues....it was me....yes I admit it).

A year on and he's still infatuated with Thomas and Friends so of course we had to make him a Thomas cake. I did look around to see roughly how much they would cost to purchase one and I found this one from Planet Cake, here. I almost choked on my lunch. Yes it looks perfect, but at $313?!? No offense Planet Cake. I love your cakes and I would love love love to do one of your courses but I wasn't prepared to pay $313 for a Thomas cake. Sigh.....I had to make my own.

How? My best friend Prem bought me Childrens Character Cakes by Debbie Brown. She is amazing! I didn't do the 3D cake as instructed by her in the book because that is out of this world. But I used her face instructions with some alterations on my part and well.....you see below.

Having made the cakes (2 because one didn't seem like enough) in advance and while they were cooling down, I prepared the fondant. Next, cut out your fondant into the shape and size of the top of your cake. Put a blob in the middle of the circle for the nose and shape it.

Outline the eyes and the mouth making a hole on the side of the mouth (you will be adding more grey fondant later to "puff" up his cheeks)

Nice white smile

Cheeks are now plump and now for the eyes

Most of the way through and this is the mess

Dyed blue butter cream

Using liquorice for the eyebrows and his pupils

(yet to add the lips)

With lips

Keane wanted to make his own mini version

Baby Thomas and Big Thomas

On the day, I added a liquorice funnel and he was all set.

It seems Thomas aged overnight. He has crows feet and wrinkles on his chin and forehead.....

Sliced up

I cannot take all the credit for making this cake because my husband actually did most of the moulding. And even with the joint effort it took us over 2 hours to complete it (excluding cooking time for the buttercake).

More respect to Planet Cake after trying to make our own! But I still would not fork out that amount of money. The slightly odd, wrinkly, old, imitation Thomas would do nicely!

Happy 3rd birthday to my precious boy! Maybe next year I'll attempt the 3D one....