Using shaped cake tin/mould for the first time

[BlueEyeshadow]

After several years of trying to make shaped train cakes, I got a silicon train mould for DS2's birthday cake. Now I'm getting worried about using it. What would be the best sort of recipe? How do I work out how much mixture to make?

I'm going to have to do a practice run, aren't I? Has anybody got any top tips or words of wisdom for me??

Silcone cake moulds are great! What are the measurements? I think a practice would be worth it and a good excuse for cake Did it come with instructions for the cake size?

I always use madeira or heavy chocolate cake for shaped tins - light sponges just don't seem to hold a defined shape when decorated.

PA - it came from Aldi, so no instructions at all. It's about 12" x 7.5" at its widest, and about 3" deep. It held about 3 pints of water before spilling.

MyCat - thanks, I'll go and look for madeira recipes then.

So I had a trial run and it baked unevenly because the mould is deeper in some parts than others. Also, the middle rose right up like a volcano so that when I turned it out, it broke in two sown the faultline. Should I bake it at a lower temperature? I had it on 160 degrees with no fan.

I would think that 160 is the lowest temperature you should go down to really. Do you have a fan? That would help to put it on, I think. Also, if you leave it to cool a bit in the mould before turning out next time and perhaps shave off any Volcano-ing so that it turns out flat. Lots of things can be covered up with icing or chocolate.
You could try a recipe without baking powder also to deter the volcano effect.
When's the birthday? How many practices can you have???

Thanks again, PA. The party is a week today but I can't afford the eggs and butter for too many practices!! I'll try it a bit lower with the fan I think. I thought without was supposed to be better for cakes. I'm a bit worried about my icing skills too, but he's only 4 so his friends won't mind, and my super-brilliant cake-decorator friend isn't coming.