3 Simple Ways to
Share What You Make

With Instructables you can share what you make with the world — and tap into an ever-growing community of creative experts.

PhotosPhotos

Share one or more photos of a project, recipe, or whatever you've made, quickly and easily.

Step by StepStep-By-Step

Share your step-by-step photos with text instructions of what you made so others can do it too!

VideoVideo

Share your how-to video. You'll need your embed code from a video site such as YouTube.

helicopter birthday cake

helicopter birthday cake
For my son's 4th birthday (this was pre volcano) I made him a cake that was a helicopter complete with spinning blades.

Don't forget to look at my other cake in this contest:
moving tank cake

Please check out my other instructables and I also have a diy podcast called mechanicalmashup.tv


 
Remove these adsRemove these ads by Signing Up
 

Step 1The base

the base
The base was made from a scrap piece of wood I had lying around. I painted it white and stenciled on the helicopter symbol. Leaving out part of the H to create a four because it was my son's 4th birthday. I created the helicopter landing skids with coat hangers and slipped them right into holes in the wood base to keep everything stable (plus it had no welder at that point) If you look, you can figure out where the 8 holes were drilled. The frame of the helicopter was an old cookie sheet I cut to size and bent into the shape I wanted. The motor is one of those flywheel motors you get with cars where you push them and they keep going. I picked up the toy car from a recycling store as well as the hotwheels track I used to make the blades. Everything was screwed together and then I wrapped the mechanism in tin foil to keep the cake from being contaminated by anything. The man is a rescue hero (one of my sons favorite toys at the time).
« Previous StepDownload PDFView All StepsNext Step »
29 comments
Jul 19, 2010. 6:33 PMkatirdh3030 says:
Thank you so much Dave..I will post a pic and show it to you..;O)
Jul 14, 2010. 4:06 PMkatirdh3030 says:
Hi Dave!. This cake is awesome!. I recently got started into baking. My brother is a helicopter pilot and he is finally getting his last hours to start making the real $$. We are so proud of him adn I will love to make this cake, but following your instructions I am a little puzzle..How did you attach the hangers to the base of the helicopter? . And where can i get a motor?. My email is katirdh3030@aol.com. I will aprecciate very much if you can give me some info. Thanks so much. And great JOB!!
Feb 3, 2010. 8:27 AMstephenniall says:
This is a bit advanced for me with cake making ! i think i shall do a capacitator cake!
May 10, 2009. 12:06 AMannes dream says:
Thank you for these instructions! I run a small day care and make a special cake for each child when it's their b'day. One of our little boys LOVES helicopters, so guess what cake he got? Your instructions / pictures were perfect. My cake was a BIG hit! Thank you. Sincerely, Anne :)
Sep 1, 2008. 5:11 PMSunny124613 says:
best cake ever!! and I love how you did the launch and land pad
Jun 15, 2008. 7:56 PMmsimon3 says:
kinetic cake!!!! YUM
May 3, 2008. 1:59 AMDillis says:
Nice! I wish I got cakes like the ones you make! Btw, I'm not sure if you mentioned it in your instructable (I didn't read it, I just saw it from your tank cake!) But I noticed you used "Hot wheels" tracks for the propellers, right? Either way, amazing cake!
Apr 27, 2008. 6:52 PMBad Donut says:
does it go soi soi soi?
Apr 29, 2008. 3:30 PMjongscx says:
no, it goes whoosh whoosh whoosh...
Apr 29, 2008. 4:27 PMBad Donut says:
aw... you killed the joke...
Apr 29, 2008. 6:36 PMjongscx says:
And video killed the radio star!
May 1, 2008. 1:31 PMbowmaster says:
And I killed the video!
Apr 25, 2008. 8:43 AMradioactivedog says:
I'm glad my son didn't see that one for his birthday... it's hard enough to make a nice fancy cake without dealing with moving parts! Nice Job!
Apr 25, 2008. 2:22 AMGavabc123 says:
just amazing!!!!!!!! cake is the worlds best clay thing
Apr 24, 2008. 8:11 PMArtisticSugarworks says:
What a great cake! Also a great idea with the motor! Very creative!
Apr 24, 2008. 7:29 PMWho Needs Brakes says:
I want to see it take of & go SPLAT for a Helicopter Crash Cake, that would have taken some time & effort to make, beats the boring old traditional round cakes we all got as kids, DEAD SET AWSOM Happy Birthday Brody your a lucky kid mate
Apr 23, 2008. 12:13 PMmrmath says:
Look out Duff, here comes Dave! This thing is done exactly as Duff from Ace of Cakes would have done it, except they would have used fondant instead of icing on the outside of it.
Apr 23, 2008. 2:23 PMcry_wolf says:
Yeah i live right by Charm City Cakes, and those guys get Thousands of emails a day. Try again with this cake, nice instructable btw. :D
Apr 23, 2008. 8:09 PMDarkshot says:
i sooo wanna be you
Apr 24, 2008. 2:18 PMcry_wolf says:
Haha :D
Apr 23, 2008. 4:30 PMmrmath says:
Looks like it's time to start a [mailto:duff@charmcitycakes.com?subject=cool%20cake&body=Check%20out%20this%20cake%20at%20http://www.instructables.com/id/helicopter-birthday-cake/ write in campaign].
Apr 23, 2008. 5:38 PMLinuxH4x0r says:
I wrote!
Apr 23, 2008. 5:51 PMmrmath says:
Cool! Everyone else: Just hit the link and hit send.
Apr 24, 2008. 3:42 AMmrmath says:
Here'a a new write in link with stuff about the contest (and a little butt kissing:

[mailto:duff@charmcitycakes.com?subject=cool%20cake&body=Check%20out%20this%20cake%20at%20http://www.instructables.com/id/helicopter-birthday-cake/.%20%20We%20also%20are%20having%20a%20whole%20contest%20about%20cake%20decorating%20we'd%20love%20for%20you%20to%20check-out:%20http://www.instructables.com/contest/cake/.%20Someone%20said%20having%20you%20stop%20by%20to%20check%20out%20our%20contest%20would%20be%20like%20Wayne%20Gretzky%20stopping%20by%20to%20watch%20the%20local%20kids%20play%20pickup.%20Could%20you%20please%20stop%20by? Write In Campaign]
Apr 23, 2008. 5:28 PMGorillazMiko says:
That cake looks good. I want to eat it. NOW. +1 vote. +1 rating.
Apr 23, 2008. 1:29 PMWeissensteinburg says:
I think more than a few people here will be tempted to attach candles to the spinning blades. That's a really cool cake idea. Nice job!

Pro

Get More Out of Instructables

Already have an Account?

close

All Steps Viewing
View all steps of an Instructable on the same page when you're a Pro Member.

Upgrade to Pro today!
101
Followers
29
Author:dave spencer(www.mechanicalmashup.tv)
I have had a few careers so far, soldier, school teacher, arborist, millwright. I love change and I love learning.