My idea for a Homemade 3D John Deere Tractor Cake started out with thinking that I would use a tractor loaf pan and then add a three dimension to the wheel on the back. However, the more I thought about it, the more I wanted it to stand up completely and really have a 3D look to it. I had never done a 3D cut-out cake or covered a 3D cake in fondant, so I saw many challenges in front of me. The web helped me see hundreds of examples of everyday people making some beautiful cake creations, which gave me the confidence to get started.
So I drew up what I wanted it to look like, decided that I would want it to stand on a cake base of 12″, and began baking. The body was a half sheet pan of dense chocolate cake (for support). I then cut up the base boards so I would have the correct proportions. One for the bottom of the tractor and one for the cab, with four plastic internal pillars for support. I had already made the wheels earlier in the week, with homemade Rice Krispy bars that I formed in two small glass prep bowls. After forming them, I covered them in fondant and stuck a dowel rod through them like a sucker, so they could be pushed down into the base cake (rather than attaching them to the tractor body).
After sculpting the cake with a knife, I rolled out the green fondant and covered it. Then I began giving the tractor personality and details over the span of 4 hours.
The tractor, the base and the wheels all arrived to the site separately. I assembled the tractor by placing it on top of five pillars that came out of the base to give the look like it was elevated. Then I placed the wheels in the base last. It was a great learning experience and a lot of fun.
Related cakes:
Cool Hand-Carved Tractor Birthday Cake 
Coolest John Deere Tractor and Trailer Cake 
Coolest Tractor and Field Cake 
Coolest John Deere Tractor Cake for 2 Year Old Boy 
Coolest John Deere Tractor Cake 
Coolest John Deere Tractor Cake 
Coolest Tractor Cake 
20+ Coolest Train Cake Ideas to Inspire Your Birthday Cake Decorating
Your cake is amazing! You did such a great job, and came up with some really good ideas! Nicely done!
I copied your idea for my twins 5th birthday! Thank you so much for sharing you awesome creation!
Blessings!
How much green fondant did you need to cover this?
I too would love to know how much green fondant you needed to cover this cake. I am attempting to make this cake for my son’s 3rd birthday in a couple weeks! I hope it turns out even a little bit like yours since it is my first time doing a 3D cake and using fondant!!!!!
Awesome Cake!!!
I believe I purchased a 2lb container of Satin Ice Black Fondant and 2 containers of Green. This cake is pretty large, feeding almost 60 people (including the base). I don’t think I used all of the green that I had purchased. It was my first attempt to, so you may notice that I put a lot of trim work on there to cover up the cracking. Good luck and what ever you come up with will be a wonderful birthday cake!
what size round cake is the base? 8″?