Take a look at these cool homemade Construction cake ideas shared with us by cake decorators from around the world. Along with the birthday cakes here, you’ll also find loads DIY birthday cake-making ideas and how-to tips to inspire your next birthday cake project. Enjoy!
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Featured Construction Cake Ideas
Construction cake by Amie F., Port Hueneme, CA
This dump truck construction cake was for my son’s first birthday last week. He loves his toy dump truck so we used that theme. The cake turned out much bigger than I thought, it easily would have fed over 30 people. I started with 11×13 and 9×11 sheet cakes. I used a small box covered with foil to hold the base because I was using pretty big wheels from my son’s dump truck and it made it pretty tall. I put the largest cake on the box and cut the smaller one into 3 sections and placed those on top after I iced them all with red icing and red sprinkles.
To make the Dump part bigger I made it out of rice crispies died yellow and molded it into a square pan with the rim and added that on top. I pushed the wheels into the sides of the cake and piped white icing into the middles. I used black icing to pipe on rims windshield and windows. I used 2 pretzel sticks for pipes, M&Ms for the headlights, and chocolate licorice for the back bumper. I then filled the rice crispie ‘dumper’ with scraps of chocolate cake that I had trimmed off. People got to have cake and crispies it was a hit.
Construction cake by Julie L., Tallahassee
For this construction cake I used three 9×13 cakes, graham crackers (whole and unbroken), and Wilton’s decorator frosting (yellow, light blue). Cut one of the 9×13 cakes in half so you have 2 short rectangles. Layer the two remaining cakes as you would any double layer cake. Then place one of the halves at the end of the two stacked cakes, then place the other half on top of the first half. Decorate with yellow frosting.
Arrange graham crackers on the low end of the larger cakes to form the dump part of the truck. Use light blue frosting to draw on windows. Use chocolate iced Krullers (Krispy Kreme doughnuts) for the wheels. These may have to be held on with toothpicks. Frozen cakes frost easier.
You can also use a log type pretzel, as the smoke stack. Be creative with decorating. You can use Rolos for headlights, etc.
The back is filled with dirt cake and below is the recipe for it: 1/2 cup butter softened, 1 (8 ounce) package cream, cheese softened, 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, 2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix, 3-1/2 cups milk, 1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping thawed, 32 ounces chocolate, and sandwich cookies with creme filling., , Directions: Chop cookies very fine in food processor. The white cream will disappear. Mix butter cream cheese and sugar in bowl. In a large bowl mix milk pudding and whipped topping together. Combine pudding mixture and cream mixture together. Layer in flowerpot starting with cookies then cream mixture. Repeat layers. Chill until ready to serve. Add artificial flower and trowel or place gummy worms in the layers and some sticking out of the top (a favorite with kids).
Construction cake by Nancy C., Ellicott City, MD
My husband has an antique tonka dump truck from when he was a child. My twin son doesn’t like cake, so we were stumped trying to come up with something he would like. My husband suggested a dirt construction cake made in the dump truck. Here’s the recipe.
INGREDIENTS: 1 (20 ounce) package chocolate sandwich cookies with creme filling, 1/4 cup butter— softened, 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese— softened, 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 (3.9 ounce) packages instant chocolate pudding mix, 3 cups milk, 1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping— thawed, and15 gummy worms.
DIRECTIONS:
1. Put the cookies in a food processor and process until they become fine crumbs. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the butter or margarine, cream cheese, confectioners sugar and vanilla flavoring. Beat on low speed to mix, and then beat on medium speed until smooth. Add the chocolate pudding mix and milk to the bowl. Beat on low speed to combine.
3. Fold the whipped topping into the pudding mixture with a rubber spatula.
4. Line the truck with plastic wrap and assemble as follows: first layer, 1/3 cookie crumbs; second layer, 1/2 pudding mixture; third layer, 1/3 cookie crumbs; fourth layer, 1/2 pudding mixture; fifth layer, 1/3 cookie crumbs.
5. Tuck the ends of gummy worms in the cookie “dirt”. Be sure to have a worm on each piece. Store in the refrigerator. Chill for at least 3 hours before serving., This dirt construction cake serves 12.
Construction cake by Karen A., Lexington, KY
I am very proud of how this Bull Dozer construction cake came out.
I made two rectangular cakes and stacked them on top of each other and then angled the front to look like a dozer. The treads on this cake are extra cake frosted with chocolate icing. I used wedding pillars to form the cab of the dozer and a piece of cardboard with frosting to make the top of the cab.
My son donated the Lego man driver! Since I had a strawberry cake and needed dirt to be moved, I added black icing paste to the cake crumbs and there you have rich black dirt!
Construction cake by Ruth K., Edina, MN
For this Dump Truck construction cake, I cut up two-pound cakes (just the pre-made kind in the freezer at the grocery store).
I arranged the pieces to resemble a regular delivery truck, and then carved out the section of the back piece to make it the bed of a dump truck.
I sliced a wedge from my cut-up pieces to prop the truck up so it’s dumping its load.
Then I frosted and decorated it with candy and Oreo tires, then added crushed Oreos to the back and behind the cake.
Construction cake by Beverly B., Helotes, TX
We had a dump truck party for my son’s 2nd birthday. I made his invitations in the shape of a dump truck and looked for construction cake ideas to do a construction cake the same way.
I made 3 cake mixes and put each into their own 7×11 pan. I just used 2 marble cake mixes and a chocolate cake mix and then put some icing between the layers to hold it together. The bottom layer of cake was the 7×11 size and then each layer on top was cut a little bit smaller to make the shape of the truck. I used yellow and black icing to decorate the truck.
Also, I put orange M&M’s for the lights and then I used 4 wheels from a dump truck I bought at the store because I thought that would be easier and cuter (which it was) than trying to do anything else.
I spread chocolate icing beneath the dump truck to look like dirt. For the “dirt” in the back of the truck I crushed up some Oreos and put them in there and also put some on the cake board. I borrowed some signs from my son’s toys that said Caution, etc. and also put them by the cake.
This cake wasn’t all that hard to make and everyone loved it and thought it was one of the cutest cake ideas!
Construction cake by Lymari R., Bayonne, NJ
My nephew/godson turned one on June 3rd and since I gave his mom the idea of doing a construction site birthday theme & he is nicknamed tank, I figured it was only logical that I make him a Tonka truck.
I used 3 sheet cakes for the main body parts, French Curlers dipped in chocolate to simulate the tires, Chiclets for lights and black licorice for bumper/fenders. I then crumbled chocolate graham crackers and patted them on top of the chocolate frosting to make it look like dirt. :-)
I wanted the truck to look like it was dumping the dirt, so I made a cardboard/black tissue paper rig/stand to give the back some lift/tilt. This was one of the coolest cake ideas and was a hit with the guests. and heavy to carry!!! :-)
Construction cake by Lara R., Winnipeg, MB Canada
To make this construction cake, I started with a rectangular cake. I printed the image off on the computer, and placed it on to the cake. I carved around the paper to shape the cake. Then, I iced the Shrek cake using butter cream icing.
Construction cake by Cheri P., Blaketown, Newfoundland
This is my son’s 1st birthday cake – a dump truck. I used 3 loaf pans and cut out the shape of the front of the truck in one and cut a hollow in the other for the dump and used the other to fill in and heighten it.
To join it I used a foil cover pick to hold the dump up and put chocolate fingers on the bottom of the dump for a more realistic look. I also used chocolate-covered Oreos for the tires and foil-covered lifesavers for the rearview mirrors. I filled the dump with his favorite candy. It was a real treat.
Cake by Michele H., Elk Grove, CA
For this construction cake I made three box mixes and poured them into three 7×9 pans, one 8×8 square plus 6 cupcakes. I used one full 7×9 on the bottom. I cut about an inch off of the second cake (making it 7×8) and stacked it on top of the first held in place by icing.
Next I cut a small chunk for the cab and adhered it to the top using icing. I left a one-inch gap and then adhered the third layer to the second layer with icing. For the top of the dump part I used the 8×8 square- trimming it down to a 7×6 size.
When I baked the 8×8 I propped it up a bit so it baked at a slant and gave the dump truck construction cake a slanted look. After I had everything stuck together I cut out a square on the inside of the dump portion.
Then I crumb coated the entire cake with a thin layer of icing. I adhered four of the cup cakes for wheels, cutting off a bit of the bottom on each one. I let the crumb coat set up and then I decorated using black and yellow icing.
You can see I just used the star tip to fill in where I wanted each color. I added details with licorice, and some white and orange icing. The happy birthday part was written on the dump section and the square was filled in with crushed Oreos. I found this construction cake easy but time consuming to make!
Construction cake by Dineen B., Decatur, AL
This is one of those cake ideas that was inspired by a one year old’s fascination with dump trucks. His Mom brought me the truck to copy and wanted to serve FIFTY people with the cake. It ended up being the same size as the original – as in the picture above!
Materials:
- One each 12″x18″ and 9″x13″ masonite boards (these can be purchased and cut at your home improvement store.)
- 4 two and a half inch long dowel rods, big enough to attach to boards with screws.
- Eight screws to hold the rods to each board.
- 4 chocolate cookies to crumble for the load.
- 1 small pretzel rod for the smoke stack.
- Butter cream icing
- Star tips, usually #16,#14, and for the tires,#22
Cakes to bake:
- 2 9″x13″ sheet cakes
- 4 cupcakes
Assembling the board:
Pre-drill holes for attaching the small board and the rods. The wheels will go where the rods are. The cake will sit on the smaller board. Then use the holes to mark the large board and drill these. Ice the middle of the large board with store bought dark chocolate frosting, this is the road. Attach the dowels.
Next, ice the sides of the road green. You can do this smooth or use a grass tip. I found that the masonite soaked up all the oil in the frosting and this changed the color. You could probably use royal icing with great results. That way the board assembly could be done a day or two ahead of time!
Assembling the cake:
Cut and assemble all the cake pieces you will need so that you will know where everything goes. One of the best cake ideas is to refer to a dump truck for shapes to cut. I found that I needed:
- 1 9″x13″ for the bottom.
- 1 9″x8″ or so (I eyeballed it) for the dump.
- 1 oddly cut cab shaped cake piece
- 1 wedge shaped to sit on the 9×8 toward the front of the dump piece.
- 4 cupcakes
This step is easier if you leave off the top board. Lay cupcakes against board assembly and cut to just fit under top board. Cut or slit cupcakes to fit around dowels and put into place on each. Ice back and sides of wheels with a star tip and zigzag motion.
Screw the 9×13 board onto the dowels. We used toothpicks as guides. Position the 9×13 cake on the board. To ice front of wheels use a very long shell from the outside to the middle of the tire, remembering that the tops of the tires will be higher than the cupcakes (ice over the board as if it weren’t there.) Put a small circle of yellow stars in the center of each tire.
Assemble the rest of the cake except the cab (making sure to put icing between each new addition.) Ice it with a crumb coat of yellow frosting.
Referring to the real truck, cover the bottom inch or so all the way around with black stars, paying special attention to the bumpers and around the rear tires (there is no black here.) Star tip the red lines and the black and white lines where indicated on the real truck. To find more cake ideas for decorating, look at a toy dump truck and find any other details you want to include such as headlights and star tip them too.
This next part is the easiest! Star tip the rest of the cake yellow, yellow, yellow!
To give the cake a three dimensional look, one of the best cake ideas is to add stars where you wanted contour: on the sides of the dump, and at the top of the wedge piece, an extra row of stars made it look like an overhang.
Cover the back cab window with yellow stars and frame it with a row of black stars. Place cab in position on cake and frame the rest of it with black stars. Then fill in the windows with more yellow stars. Put the pretzel in place for the smoke stack and cover with small stars in black.
Last, crumble those cookies and sprinkle them on the back of the dump! TA-DA! Or maybe I should say TA-DUMP! This is really one of the coolest cake ideas.
I forgot to tell you how to do the smash cake! Ice a small cake smooth. One of the best cake ideas is to take a coloring picture of a dump truck (you can find these online at a coloring site). Tape the picture to a counter and a piece of wax paper over that. Next, with a small round tip (I use#2) and some dark chocolate icing trace the truck onto the wax paper. When you are done carefully take the wax paper turn it face down on your cake and follow the lines with your finger, transferring the design to your cake. Lift off the wax paper, fill in any missing lines tha t d idn’t transfer, and fill in the rest with the appropriate color stars! Border it with shells and around the bottom row of shells alternate small stars in the colors of the truck between each shell. This is so easy I hope you agree!
Construction cake by Alison G., Canton, GA
Bake chocolate cake and break into large pieces. Make chocolate pudding and spoon large pieces of cake and pudding into new clean dump truck. It’s one of the easiest birthday cake ideas.