My best friend's baby shower is in VA. I am now living in Texas, but my family and I are flying up for her baby shower in December. I REALLY REALLY want to do her cake, but I'm so scared of having a disaster on my hands transporting the cake. By the way, she's having a boy and her theme is a teddy bear, but I haven't thought about what type of cake I want to make yet. Anyone have any suggestions? This seems pretty difficult to do especially travelling with 3 little ones. My husband will also be there. Is this doable or should I just have someone order a sheet cake from somewhere?

is there any way you could bake and decorate the cake there? I think it would be pretty hard to do with three kids.

I don't see why you couldn't do it.........you can always take the cake as a carry on.....just put it in a see thru container or be prepared to open the box that it's in they may ask to see it! I think you could more than definitely do something with fondant covering it........I've mailed cakes like that......but if you think you have the time to decorate why not take plainly iced cakes and do the decorations there....bring ready made icing and such ready to go. Or even do a basic icing with shells and such and have some mmf teddy bears to go on it....maybe a onsie or something.

I wouldn't do it.....I've taken a small buttercream-covered cake on a plane from Florida to Wisconsin, and the icing was getting pretty soft. Can you borrow a kitchen and bake the cake in VA??

I can't imagine that TSA would let you get away with a carry-on cake. They don't even allow a Coke be carried on now. Personally, I wouldn't risk it. (Not to mention the HUGE hassle of carrying a cake at the airport.)

Borrow a kitchen (but bring your supplies in a checked on bag).

Good luck,
Lorri

Last December I flew from NY to FL with a baby shower cake as a carry-on. It was the stacked clothesline cake in my photos. I bought a see-through box that had two levels that snap together, so each tier was in it's own box. I think it was meant to be a Christmas ornament storage box. It fit perfectly in the overhead storage bin on the plane. It arrived in perfect shape! This however, was before all the new regulations, so you might want to call your airline first and check on it. You'd hate to have to leave your cake behind!

And what about the post 9/11 regulations? Maybe you should call the airline and see if you can even take a cake on a plane.

With the strict airline rules now, even regarding food, I don't think I would try it. Even if you did make a gorgeous cake, you never know if they will make you "test" it as you go through security or make you prove there is nothing inside. I haven't travelled in a month or two, but I know things have gotten pretty strict and I would hate for your beautiful work to be ruined.

I just mailed a cake for the first time via FedEx. It's fondant-covered. We'll see if it gets there intact today!
I got the idea from Adven68--she has successfully mailed cakes. So has KHalstead and I'm sure there are others.

Maybe you could mail the cake there ahead of time. I think that might be a better option than taking it on the plane.

How about if you made whatever decorations like teddy bears or baby shoes etc..out of gumpaste/fondant..make sure they are well dried and pack them in your checked baggage..
Then when you arrive it is just a matterbaking the cake,icing and borders...you will have the longer drying items already done and just ready to place on the cake...

All those CC'ers whose cakes were at ICES might be able to tell you about transportation and any issues....

Let us know what you decide....and the pics of course!!!
HTH

Wow, thanks for all the quick responses. I am actually getting there about 3 hours before the shower, so there is no way I'll be able to do it there. I think I will call the airline and see what the new regulations are. I think fondant is definitely a better choice to avoid any accidents. I'll let you know what I decide and the outcome. Thanks again, you guys are awesome!

I have done this and as of the beginning of October one of OSSAS decorators brought her cake on also. The cake just needs to fit through the xray machine. My cake that I sent along was two tiered with one central dowel and foour dowels to make the box taller. I will send a pic along.

Prior to this last set of airline regulations, I have traveled by plane with cake and sent my boyfriend with vacuum sealed cookies.

i just flew from alaska to oregon and back for my son's neurosurgeon appointment and he happened to have casts on both feet (serial casting for his cp). They had to pat him down completely [u]AND DO BOMB/EXPLOSIVE TESTS ON HIS CASTS AND HANDS!!!! THE KID IS 7!!!!! [/u]I seriously doubt they are going to let a cake on board.

In September I flew with a dummy cake. It went through check-in/xray w/out question and not at any time did anyone lift the lid to see what was in my cake box. Eveyone just wanted to know if they were going to get a piece of cake!

too funny!

I travelled a few months ago, during those days when water was not allowed. Every airport is different, some are tougher than others. Our local airpor had no problems letting us take water for our baby. But on our way back, the other airport was very, very strict. We had to empty her baby cup.

You should call the airport and find out what is allowed.

DH works for TSA - all regulations should be consistent - as long as the packaging fits through the x-ray tunnel and it doesn't alarm - they shouldn't need to open the box and it should be just fine - would recommend calling to find out exact dimensions of tunnel - approx. 18" square....

Good Luck!

Ok, I've just been advised that it is ok to bring a cake on board, as long as it is not wrapped up or gift wrapped, i.e., is in something that I can open for security. I still haven't decided if I'm going to do the cake. I'm trying to figure out something that is cute, enough for 60 people, and won't get damaged in route. Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks.