Any ideas for a guy's birthday cake?

[hurleysweety]

Looked through the cake thread and saw so many pictures are for kids or women. So lots of them were little kid themed, and flowers, and such. Obviously getting a cake for a kid's birthday makes more sense so I understand, but I still have a dilema...

I need ideas for my FIL's birthday cake. He'll be 57 and loves going to Disney but really only because we(DH and I) are there with him. As far as hobbies, he is really into cars/racing/tools, ya know, the mechanical, do-it-yourselfer type. I've thought about doing a total Cars themed cake, but nothing too over the top because I'm not even sure its his favorite movie. I asked MIL and DH for help, but they said he'll like whatever. But since I know how awesome you all are, and how awesome some of these pastry chefs are, I'm looking for a few good ideas to make this a moment he'll never forget. His birthday will be about 2 weeks away when we go, so he has no idea that we're doing all this birthday stuff for him. It'll be an even bigger surprise because we'll be three days into our trip when he'll get the cake delivered. FWIW, we are planning on doing a cake from the bakery at the Contemporary and having it delivered to WCC.

Ideas, pictures, suggestions, advice all appreciated! (Even if you're not a cake ordering guru, I just need some creative juices here! )

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Cars as well as Handy Manny first came to mind, but I know there are at least one or two cartoons out there where Goofy is behind the wheel. Motor Mania is the one where he turns into a crazed race car driver behind the wheel of his regular car...which might not be the best idea, but I could swear there is another short out there where he's a more traditional race car driver in an old style red race car. If you could find the cartoon, you could have them do the side of the cake like individual cells/shots from the movie reel (there are at least one or two cakes on the chatter or gallery threads where it looks like an edible clipped segment of film going around the cake).... and then maybe do a white chocolate goofy on top with some kind of written message on a piece of white chocolate fashioned to look like a stretch of road (or film from the reel coming up off the side of the cake). In any event- just a thought. Not sure if Goofy would be your FIL's thing.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) In college, we got a cake for a fraternity brother.
. . . another brother found this really cute
. . . oops, another story for another time
. . . forgot this is a family board
2) If he really likes tools and cars
. . . how about 4-5 Hot Wheels cars as cake toppers?
. . . how about a new vice-grip as a cake topper?

NOTE: Better yet, he is of the right age. Find an old garage and
see if they have an old copy of a Ridgid Tool Calendar. Maybe
risqué in their time, but definitely not dirty or rude. A great
present for an older guy. I remember this one picture with a
model holding an orange pipe wrench . . .

 

[Micca]

As a guy with a 57th birthday coming up, I'd love a Mickey Mouse cake. Your birthday boy's mileage may vary.

 

[kkandaj]

This is the cake we ordered and had delivered to 1900 PF for my father's 54th bday from my children. It said "Happy 54th Poppa--Our Prince Charming." It was all edible, including the roses, leaves and prince. My father is a blue collar worker and not emotional at all, but LOVED getting this cake from his granchildren. He even kept the chocolate prince and took it home with him, to Missouri.

This cake was DELISH!!! Chocolate layer cake with chocolate cream icing in between the layers. I can't remember if it was the 8 inch or 10 inch, but we ate on it all week. (Had an offsite rental home.) It was $80 and worth every penny!!!

 

[HunnyJar]

I don't know how your father-in-law feels about some of the rides, but they might make a fun theme for a cake. If we are ever at WDW for my husband's birthday I'm thinking about ordering him a Jungle Cruise cake. He loves that ride and he always pretends he's the tour guide. Since your father-in-law likes cars, maybe a Test Track cake might be fun.