Toy Story Cake Recipe and Tutorial | Homemade Food Junkie (2024)

This adorable Toy Story Birthday cake is a perfect choice for your Toy Story fan complete with personalized Toy story toppers.

My daughter Amanda and her husband Nathan are both excellent cooks. They have contributedGrilled Chicken Corn Black bean salsaand Nathans Italian Style Hamburgers, some KETO recipes and a few other posts to our blog.

Amanda and Nathan have made fondant cakes for every one of their four children’s birthdays. Each child gets a specially themed fondant cake themed just for them.

Dane, a Buzz Lightyear fan, will remember his parent’s love for him, his Buzz Lightyear doll, and know he LOVED Toy story when he was two. And he gets to keep the cool toy story figures.

It’s a big commitment to take on Toy Story Cake from scratch. Amanda spread the work out over a few days to keep it doable.

UPDATE: Amanda is now using a cake mix hack for her fondant cakes to help reduce the work and time involved. That will make this project a lot more approachable.

Amandahas made MANY of these wonderful cake gifts for her children.

TOY STORY CAKE TUTORIAL:

Working with fondant is like playing in really cool, edible play-dough, grown up style. This is a very free form experience. Amanda and Nathan found Toy story cake pictures and went for it.

Please read this ENTIRE tutorial before you begin. Assemble the ingredients and tools you need before you begin this process.

I have put links in for the tools, but almost any hobby shop or local Walmart will carry the supplies you need for this.

There are a few affiliate links scattered about this post for your convenience. Ordering from these links will not cost you more money; but will bring me a penny or two so thank you!

YOU WILL NEED A DOUBLE BATCH OF THE 10 INCH AND 6 INCH LAYERS. However, The toy story cake needs only three 10 inch layers so you will have one thin 10 inch layer for taste testing.

That is also included in the nutritional information. So you can breathe easy. You are consuming less calories than it says you are 🙂

Amanda made the cakes a day ahead. She wrapped them tightly in plastic wrap and stored them in the fridge to reduce the work on decorating day.

Tips for the cake:

This cake requires three 10 inch layers and three 6 inch layers. So you will need one 10 inch and one 6 inch cake pan to bake the correct sized layers. Make two 10 inch and two 6 inch cakes.

1. You need a firm, even textured cake when stacking this many layers. A pound cake weight cake will support the weight of the cake tiers and frosting.
2. A really soft textured spongy cake (Amanda’s choice was borderline) will sink into itself and not hold the shape correctly.
3. The cake may be wrapped after it’s cooled and stored in the fridge a day ahead if desired. Make sure your cake is baked well and thoroughly chilled to help it support the weight of the fondant, frosting and cake.

The Frosting:

The Peanut Butter Buttercream frosting recipe Amanda used needed to be cooled somewhat to help hold the shape of a large several layer cake.

Amanda cooled her frosting in the fridge to firm it up since it is flavorful but it’s a bit soft for our purposes.

Buttercream with a firmer consistency will hold the cake layers without squishing. Thispeanut butter frosting Kayti used for her Reeses peanut Butter Cupcakes is stiffer and more supportive.

You will need a double batch of frosting. Cool it in the fridge if necessary to help it stiffen.

Amanda Chose to use Reeses minis candy, chopped in between the layers to add more peanut butter chocolate flavor and crunchy texture. Can you say DECADENT?

TOY STORY BIRTHDAY CAKE PREP AND ASSEMBLY:

Ready to start.

• Make the cake ahead, then the frosting and chop the candy.
• Slice the cake layers in half, horizontally to make three layers for both the bottom 10 inch base and the 6 inch topper. You will have an extra thin 10 inch layer and and extra 6 inch layer for taste testing 🙂
• Place the layers on the cardboard pieces.

• Use any cardboard to make a 10 inch, and a 6 inch circle.
• Place the cardboard under the cake layers to help with the cakes stability when the layers are moved and assembled.

• Fill between the layers with frosting and chopped candy.
• Stacking the Cakes Layers requires getting them centered correctly. Don’t let the layers slide to the sides or your cake will have a wobbly look.
• Frost the cake sides and top . Note: the candy goes ONLY between the layers, not on the cake layer top. That is frosting and fondant only!

Cut two full size layers, horizontally in half to create three thin layers. You will have one thin layer leftover!

• Crumb coat the cake .

Buy the fondant in bricks. Amanda used Wilton’s fondant.

The Fondant is divided colored and rolled out in batches for decorating the cake. You will need to color the fondant according to your ‘plan’ for the cake theme. Here are the color gels Amanda used.

Exact measurements of the fondant don’t really work here. Just start with a brick of fondant and use what you need. Amanda bought one brick of fondant to decorate this cake.

Nathan colored and rolled all the fondant for this cake. It requires a bit of muscle!

After the cake is crumb coated, it’s time for the fondant.

Roll out a sheet of white fondant large enough to cover the cake with some extra.

To create the bottom layer cowhide look.

1. Smooth the fondant evenly over the cake with the fondant smoothing tools.
2. Cut off the excess around the bottom edge of the cake.
3. Use a exacto knife or cookie cutter to cut out irregular shapes for the cow hide spots.
4. Place them all over the outside and top outer edge of the bottom layer.
5. The bottom layer is ready for the top layer when it looks something like this.

For the Top Layer:

• Color the fondant similar to the blue color
• Smooth the fondant over the crumb coated top
• Cut off the excess fondant around the bottom edge.

  Coloring Fondant is easy. Just work the desired color into the fondant in a bowl and work it with your hands, like playdough to distribute the color evenly throughout the fondant.

• Cut out several cloud shapes with a Cloud cookie cutter and place them around the sides and hugging the top edge of the top.

Toy Story Cake Finishing touches:

For the fence: (bottom layer)

• Color fondant brown and roll it out.
• Cut the brown fondant into two long strips and several short ones.
• Press the fondant strips into thewood texture mold to create the wooden impressions on the fence pieces.
• Attach the long strips around the cake as shown and then the short sections to make the fence.

For the braid around the bottom of the top layer:

• Roll a long piece of fondant into a long rope.
• Now twist it into a braided look and place it around the bottom of the cake top as shown.

Bottom tray:

• Roll out a layer of brown fondant and lay it on the bottom tray
• Now press the wood textured mold into the brown fondant to create the wood look.

For the Etch a sketch sign:

• Write your message on a piece of thin white chard board or paper and cut it to the size you want to display PLUS enough for the outer edge decorations.
• Attach to a piece of white fondant for stability.
• On the front use strips of red colored fondant to make a frame as shown around the message. Place white circles on the bottom corners.
• PLACE the sign on the cake AFTER the cake is centered on the textured cake board.

Place the cake on the cake board. set the sign and now arrange the toy story toys on and around on cake layers as you prefer. Use your child’s favorite character for the cake topper. For some it will be a Woody cake. Dane is a Buzz Lightyear fan.

Use the fondant anyway you like to show off the toys in a western theme. You don’t have to follow exactly what you see here.

The Toy Story Toys Amanda Chose to decorate this Toy Story BirthDAY Cake are at Amazonif you need to order them.

Your printable Recipe Card for the cakes and frosting:

Yield: 12

Toy Story Cake

This adorable Toy Story Birthday cake is a perfect choice for your Toy Story fan complete with personalized Toy story toppers.

Ingredients

• Chocolate Cake:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder
• 1 cup milk
• ½ cup coconut oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water
• Frosting:
• 1/2 C. butter (softened)
• 1/2 C. peanut butter, creamy
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 C. powdered sugar (More is necessary)
• 1-2 Tbsp. milk

Instructions

For The Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350º F. Prepare two 9-inch round cake pans by buttering or oiling and lightly flouring.
2. Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk through to combine or, using your paddle attachment, stir through flour mixture until combined well.
3. Add milk, coconut oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute to add air to the batter.
4. Distribute cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans.
5. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, remove from the pan and cool completely on racks. Cake may be tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the fridge a day if desired

Frosting Instructions:

1. Beat the softened butter for 1 minute or until it is light and fluffy.
2. Add peanut butter in and beat for an additional 2 minutes.
3. Add vanilla extract and slowly add powdered sugar until your frosting becomes thick.
4. Add 1 Tbsp of milk, and beat. Continue adding milk until frosting is the desired consistency.

Nutrition Information

Yield

12
Amount Per ServingCalories 563

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

Toy Story Fondant Cake inspiration is from cake central.com

Recipe source for the chocolate cake is at: www.addapinch.com

Amanda’s choice for the Peanut Buttercream Frosting is at: Mmmisformommy.com