Birthday Trains!!

Birthday trains are done!! So a few weeks ago someone contacted me about doing some birthday trains for her son’s class for his 5^th birthday. I had already made one train pop successfully so I thought sure why not! Then her next statement was since I am taking them to his class they have to be “peanut free”. I thought oh okay no problem how hard can that be! Well a few moments into doing my research on the products I use to make the traditional pops I figured out that these would have to be made much differently. I realized very quickly that I could not use the melts that I use to make the pops because although they did not have peanuts in them the facility where they are made/packaged is not peanut free so there is that chance that there could be peanut dust in there or on the melts themselves. The same went for the candy writers I used to outline the original train and candy I used to decorate the train.

So, I began doing some research and found some other options for the train cake pops…turns out they wouldn't really be a true “pop” but still cute all the same. I found out there are particular brands of cakes and frosting that can be used so I stuck to that brand, he wanted chocolate so chocolate it was! I originally thought I could use just plain chocolate melts to coat the trains with, since they were peanut free, but I quickly found out that would just not work. Even though I thinned it out it was still too heavy and the trains ended up breaking off of the stick with just one side coated. So, I thought how about use the cake trains and just frost them with the peanut free frosting, find some peanut free candy to use for wheels and lights, and find a gel or something else to write the number “5” on each train to signify his 5^th birthday. The mom was totally on board with the idea after I had to let her know my original idea failed. I just really wanted to make the traditional pop on a stick but didn't want to risk anything with the peanut allergy and wanted them to still look great.

Below is the finished product and I must say that they did not turn out too bad. Although it seemed like a long drawn out process just to make 20 birthday trains it was a neat learning experience and in the end I am glad that I made them work. I hope the birthday boy, his class, and his mom love them!