Best Race Car Cake Recipes

LITTLE CAR CAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease bottoms only of three 8x4-inch loaf pans, or spray bottoms with cooking spray.
• Make cake batter as directed on cake mix box. Divide batter evenly among pans.
• Bake 25 to 32 minutes (28 to 37 minutes for dark or nonstick pans) or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around sides of pans to loosen cakes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Freeze cakes uncovered about 1 hour for easier frosting.
• Remove 1/4 cup frosting from each container; set aside. To make purple frosting, stir 8 drops blue food color and 8 drops red food color into 1 container frosting. To make bright green frosting, stir 3 drops green food color and 3 drops yellow food color into other container frosting.
• Place 2 loaves, rounded sides down, on tray. To seal in crumbs, frost one with a thin layer of purple frosting; frost the other with a thin layer of green frosting. Cut remaining loaf crosswise in half; taper the cut edges slightly to form windshields. Place one half on each cake for cab, placing about 3 inches from front edge and with tapered windshield side toward front of car. Frost windows of cabs with a thin layer of reserved vanilla frosting; frost top and edges with a thin layer of colored frosting. Refrigerate or freeze cakes 30 to 60 minutes to set frosting. Frost entire cars with same colors.
• Use licorice to outline windows and make bumpers. Add starlight candies for headlights and taillights; add cookies for wheels and the spares. Place gumdrop on top of 1 car for beacon and add candles for radio antennas. Store loosely covered.

OFF-THE-ROAD CAR CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans, 8 1/2x4 1/2x2 1/2 inches. Make cake mix as directed on package, using water or milk and eggs. Pour into pans.
• Bake 33 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Cut and remove 3 inches from end of 1 loaf. Position pieces as shown in diagram for desired automobile. Freeze cut pieces uncovered about 1 hour for easier frosting if desired.
• Reserve 1/2 cup of the frosting. Tint remaining frosting with food color. Place whole loaf on tray. Frost top with 1/3 cup tinted frosting. Top with cut layer, positioning for desired car. Trim corners for more rounded look if desired. Attach cookies for wheels, using small amount of frosting. Draw outline of windows with sharp knife. Frost windows and hubcaps with reserved white frosting. Frost sides and top of car with remaining tinted frosting, building up around wheels for fenders.
• Outline windows, hood, doors and bumpers with decorating gel. Use licorice beans for grill, door handles and signal lights. Cut gum balls in half; use for headlights and taillights. Make spoke markings on wheel with knife. Press 1 silver nonpareil in center of each wheel. Use silver nonpareils for hood ornament if desired. Silver nonpareils are not edible; remove them before eating cake.

RACETRACK SHEET CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Generously spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.
• Make cake mix as directed on box, using water, butter and eggs. Pour batter into pan. Bake and cool as directed for 13x9-inch pan.
• Run knife around side of pan to loosen cake; remove cake from pan to serving plate or tray. In small bowl, mix 1 cup of the frosting and the black food color. On top of cake, spread black frosting in oval shape to look like racetrack. Sprinkle with sanding sugar.
• In medium bowl, mix remaining frosting and green food color. Spoon frosting into decorating bag fitted with large star tip (or grass tip #233). Pipe frosting on sides of cake and on top of cake around track to look like grass. Pipe "grassy area" in center of track. Outline border of track with chocolate candies. Arrange fruit-flavored candies and cars on track.