How to Make a Train Birthday Cake

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Spray small foil loaf pans

   You will need to check the small loaf pans for doneness at about the cupcake baking time, because the small loaf pans cook more quickly than the regular loaf pans.
   
   Cool cakes completely., Do not stir.,, The syrup works like a sugar glue.,, Secure your Twizzler track to the chocolate railroad ties with the sugar glue.
   
   Let dry., This will be attached at the top for the raised roof., Arrange the loaves closely enough that you can pipe chocolate icing from loaf to loaf for the connectors, or you could use a cut up Twizzler as well., Ice regular loaf with chocolate icing.
   
   Place one cupcake at the back for the tall portion of the engine.
   
   Ice cupcake with chocolate icing.
   
   Cut off the bottom of one of the other cupcakes for the smaller nose of the engine and press into the icing directly in front of the larger cupcake on top.
   
   Ice cupcake.
   
   Using either the loaf baked in the potato pan or a cupcake cut in half (horizontal to the prep surface) create the cowcatcher.
   
   Arrange with the larger portion toward the track and the narrower portion toward the top of the loaf.
   
   Ice with chocolate icing, filling in the gaps if you are using a sliced in half cupcake., Color each other can whichever colors you choose.
   
   Leave one can of frosting white to trim the engine and caboose.,, Stack one of the trimmed ends centered on the top of the loaf.
   
   Ice with red frosting.
   
   Stack the other trimmed end on top of that and ice with red frosting., You can eat the failures ;^).
   
   These are the wheels.
   
   Place two on each side of the loaves as shown.,, Place bottom of frosting tip connector inside bag and through hole.
   
   Place frosting tip of choice in connector and secure with connector ring placed on the outside of the bag.
   
   Fill with white frosting.
   
   Pipe trim on the engine and caboose as shown., Trim cars as shown.,
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   Step 2: cupcake liners

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   Step 3: potato pans or cupcake pan with cooking spray.

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   Step 4: Prepare batter as per instructions on cake mixes.

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   Step 5: Pour into prepared pans and bake per instructions on cake mix boxes.

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   Step 6: Prepare simple syrup by boiling 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved.

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   Step 7: Color the coconut green for the grass around the railroad track.

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   Step 8: Paint a thin layer on the bottom of the jelly roll pan or flat cookie sheet with the syrup and sprinkle on the coconut to cover.

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   Step 9: Create the railroad tracks by first laying the railroad ties—the Kit Kats or the Twix—evenly spaced

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    Step 10: in a curving pattern on your prepared pan.

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    Step 11: Push a toothpick into one end of a chocolate Twizzler

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    Step 12: attach another Twizzler and continue until you have enough railing to cover your ties.

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    Step 13: Cut each sloped end off of the loaf you will be using for your caboose.

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    Step 14: Leaving a little extra space for the engine (for the cow-catcher) place your loaf-cars evenly along the track leaving the shorter

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    Step 15: trimmed loaf for the caboose at the end.

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    Step 16: Start with the engine.

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    Step 17: Color one can of cream cheese or vanilla frosting red for the caboose.

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    Step 18: Frost the remaining cars whatever colors you prefer.

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    Step 19: Frost the trimmed caboose car with red frosting.

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    Step 20: Split chocolate cream filled cookies so that all of the filling stays on one cookie only.

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    Step 21: Now the icing should have dried enough for you to pipe the edges

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    Step 22: doors and cow-catcher.

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    Step 23: Cut the very tip off of one bottom corner of a zippered top storage bag.

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    Step 24: Using the same process with the storage bags

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    Step 25: connectors and tips

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    Step 26: fill each bag with your chosen colors for the edges and doors of the cars.

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    Step 27: Add birthday message on blank portion of grass and appropriate candles wherever you prefer

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    Step 28: either on the cars or on piped blobs of icing in the grass.

Detailed Guide

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