Last Updated on February 16, 2023
Today, we’re going to be taking a look at college trunk party cake ideas and how to recreate these ideas from the comfort of your home. Whenever someone leaves home to go to college, it’s a milestone that you’ll want to celebrate; for both you and the person leaving. But how do you go about making them the perfect “going away to college”. Along with a trunk party, of course! Let’s take a look at our top picks for college trunk party cake ideas.
What is a Trunk Party?
If you’re from the US, you’ll likely be familiar with this tradition. However, if not, a trunk party is a gathering where friends and family celebrate their loved one moving away to go to college. The newly crowned student is often given gifts to help them settle into their new homes; such as appliances, cutlery etc. It can be anything from a small gathering of loved ones, to a full-scale party – it’s entirely up to you.
What is a Trunk Party Cake?
A trunk party cake is exactly as it sounds, a cake that’s gifted to the recipient of the trunk party. Much like any other celebration, it’s traditional to celebrate with a cake. While the most common shape of the cake is a trunk, you can have whichever cake you’d like. We’ll be looking at a traditional trunk cake but you can make a traditional celebration cake too. Whichever you decide to make, you can celebrate in style.
Ingredients in a Trunk Party Cake
You may be curious as to the ingredients when it comes to a trunk party cake. The truth is, ingredients can vary massively depending on which cake you’re making and which recipe you’re following. Our traditional trunk recipe contains the following ingredients:
- all-purpose flour
- granulated sugar
- cocoa powder
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- espresso powder
- buttermilk
- vegetable oil
- egg
- vanilla extract
- boiling water
- chocolate buttercream
- varying shades of brown fondant
- brown color dust
- gold luster dust
Going Away to College Cake Ideas
When it comes to thinking of a design for the cake, you can choose just about anything. While a trunk or piece of luggage is the traditional cake, you do not have to go down that avenue of cake ideas. You could design a cake based around their college major, or something that they particularly enjoy doing. Or you could even just choose a good old fashioned celebration cake – you can’t go wrong with that! I find Pinterest a great place to feel inspired and spur on my creativity when it comes to cake making.
How to Make 9×13 Cake(s) For Your Trunk Cake
Before you get working on the design of your trunk or luggage, you’ll need to make at least 1 9×13 cake. If you’re unsure how to make one, here’s a quick, easy recipe. This recipe is inspired by one from Add a Pinch.
Ingredients – College Trunk Party Cake Ideas
The ingredients you’ll need for this recipe are:
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour
- 1 cup of granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of espresso powder
- 1/2 cup of milk (either whole, buttermilk or coconut)
- 1/4 cup of vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup of boiling water
Wilton Recipe Right Non-Stick 9 x 13-Inch Oblong Cake Pans, Set of 2
Recipe
Step 1: Make the Batter
Preheat your oven to 350F and grease and flour a baking dish before you begin. Grab a bowl and add the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa salt, and espresso. Mix well and then add the vanilla extract, egg, oil, and mix. Stir until the ingredients are well combined. At this point, gently mix in the boiling water to the batter.
Step 2: Bake the Cake – College Trunk Party Cake Ideas
Pour the batter into your prepared dish and bake in the center of your oven for around 30 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean from the center. Once baked, remove and leave to cool.
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Trunk Party Cakes Recipes
Now that you’ve made your 9×13 cakes, you can move onto creating the trunk. It’s important to have the cakes and chocolate buttercream made beforehand.
Trunk Party Cake Recipe #1
Ingredients
- two 9×13 cakes (see recipe above)
- chocolate buttercream
- varying shades of brown fondant
- brown color dust
- gold luster dust
Recipe
Step 1: Cut and Frost Cake
You should have two 9×13 cakes. With the first cake, cut it in half and attach it to a cake board. With this cake and the full cake, cover entirely in chocolate buttercream and freeze. You should freeze the cake until it’s frozen on the cake board.
Check Out How to Stick Fondant to Buttercream: Easy Tips
Step 2: Work on Fondant
Make a rectangle out of fondant; you’ll be able to do this with a rolling pin. Place the frozen cake directly onto the fondant and cut away any excess fondant. Once you’ve perfected the edges, repeat this process until both pieces of cake are covered.
Step 3: Make Gromets – College Trunk Party Cake Ideas
Roll out the darker shade of fondant and cut thin strips for the edge of your cake. You can also cut out 4 circles at this point and attach one in each corner with water. Attach the thin strips onto the bottom cake too. Now on the upper part of the cake, make slightly thicker strips and attach with water. If you have a stitching tool, stitch around the edges.
Step 4: Make Accessories
With fondant, make a handle, latches (and locks), if needed. Once made, add a small amount of gold luster dust, brown coloring, and vodka and brush onto the pieces you’ve made. Once dried, add the pieces to the cake with water, wherever you’d like them. You can add additional brown dust to make the trunk look older.
Step 5: Serve
Slice, serve, and enjoy!
College Trunk Party Cake Ideas: How To
Ingredients
How to Make 9×13 Cake(s) For Your Trunk Cake
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour
- 1 cup of granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of espresso powder
- 1/2 cup of milk either whole, buttermilk or coconut
- 1/4 cup of vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup of boiling water
Trunk Party Cake Recipe
- two 9×13 cakes see recipe above
- chocolate buttercream
- varying shades of brown fondant
- brown color dust
- gold luster dust
Instructions
How to Make 9×13 Cake(s) For Your Trunk Cake
- Make the Batter – Preheat your oven to 350F and grease and flour a baking dish before you begin. Grab a bowl and add the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa salt, and espresso. Mix well and then add the vanilla extract, egg, oil, and mix. Stir until the ingredients are well combined. At this point, gently mix in the boiling water to the batter.
- Bake the Cake – Pour the batter into your prepared dish and bake in the center of your oven for around 30 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean from the center. Once baked, remove and leave to cool.
- Now that you’ve made your 9×13 cakes, you can move onto creating the trunk. It’s important to have the cakes and chocolate buttercream made beforehand.
Trunk Party Cake Recipe
- Cut and Frost Cake – You should have two 9×13 cakes. With the first cake, cut it in half and attach it to a cake board. With this cake and the full cake, cover entirely in chocolate buttercream and freeze. You should freeze the cake until it’s frozen to the cake board.
- Work on Fondant – Make a rectangle out of fondant; you’ll be able to do this with a rolling pin. Place the frozen cake directly onto the fondant and cut away any excess fondant. Once you’ve perfected the edges, repeat this process until both pieces of cake are covered.
- Make Gromets – Roll out the darker shade of fondant and cut thin strips for the edge of your cake. You can also cut out 4 circles at this point and attach one in each corner with water. Attach the thin strips onto the bottom cake too. Now on the upper part of the cake, make slightly thicker strips and attach with water. If you have a stitching tool, stitch around the edges.
- Make Accessories – With fondant, make a handle, latches (and locks), if needed. Once made, add a small amount of gold luster dust, brown coloring, and vodka and brush onto the pieces you’ve made. Once dried, add the pieces to the cake with water, wherever you’d like them. You can add additional brown dust to make the trunk look older.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Conclusion – College Trunk Party Cake Ideas
I hope this post has helped you to become more familiar with some college trunk party cake ideas. If you have any other ideas, please feel free to let me know in the comments below. Sharing is caring!
