Hi Everyone.
I've made several cakes but this is my first layered fondant cake and I'm looking for any and all tips. I'm especially interested in tips on timing.

The party is on Saturday. I was planning to bake the cakes Wednesday evening or Thursday and then fill and cover with a crumb coat using buttercream. I would cover with fondant Friday afternoon/evening. Everything I have read recommends not refrigerating the cake before covering with fondant. I thought buttercream required refrigeration. What should I do?

I'm planning to travel with the cake unassembled and put it together when we arrive at the party site Saturday afternoon.

I would really appreciate any tips you can provide. THANKS!

I would say your time line sounds pretty right on. Baking Wednesday or Thursday, and then covering with fondant on Friday. You do not have to refridgerate buttercream icing. And you are correct, if you are covering a cake in fondant, you don't want it to be cold, because this can cause the fondant to "sweat", and it's not a good look. Fondant seals in the moisture of the cake, so on Saturday your cake will be nice and moist. The fondant can get a little hard, so I usually cover my with plastic wrap, not super tight, but enough to cover it, and keep it from getting too hard. Good luck!

i never have any problems decorating with buttercream the day before and leaving it out ..specially if it has fondant on top..I guess depends on the type of buttercream u use..

Hmmm... I always refridgerate my cakes before I cover them in fondant. it makes it easier to get nice corners. As long as you don't touch the cake until it has come to temp it will be fine. I use Fondex and Satin Ice and have even done this with homemade (Toba's). MMF might be different, but I don't use it so I don't know.

Your time line sounds more than fine.

I have never had a problem with refrigerating the cake before applying the fondant. In fact, I always refrigerate before covering my cake. It helps set the cake so it doesn't move much when you cover it in fondant. In my experience, the only sweating that occurs, is when you refrigerate the cake once you've covered it in fondant. I found that out the hard way.

Hope this helps!