I am making a three tiered (14,10,6) coming up in two weeks. Its for a sorority party and they want to come pick it up. So...that makes me nervous because I have to put the cake completely stacked together and hope the girl drives ok during the 1/2 trip to the party. The only thing I know to do so far is once the cake is stacked, to hammer down a dowel rod through the middle of all three tiers....WILL THAT ALONE KEEP IT INTACT? or should I do more...also...i dont have an official cake stand yet...so could I just double/triple up my plastic cake boards and cover them or do I need something else? One more thing...how do I give the cake to her...cake by itself or should I put it in something...if so..what and where do I get it? I hope you all can help me because I am so nervous about the stacking/giving to them part!

April :0)

SPS was developed for bakeries that don't offer delivery. In other words, it was developed to allow consumers to move their own tiered cakes. If you PM me with your email I'll send you the directions on use.

I transport and send off this size cake quite often. The most important thing is to make sure you dowel well. Also, is it going to be fondant or bc? If fondant, once it sets up, I find it makes it real stable. If bc, just make sure you make it in enough time it has the time to set up some. You could center dowel it, but I have found them hard to remove sometimes for cutting, just mho. You should put it in a box. I get my from a local supply store, but I think you can get them at Michaels. You won't be able to close it, but you can tape it open and then cover the front with foil or plastic wrap. As for the cake stand, you mean for it to sit on right? At least double your boards and you can cover with fanci foil or wrapping paper covered with contact paper. I just use the cardboard ones and always at least double the bottom one. With a cake that heavy you need it. Best of luck. Tell them to take their time, drive extra careful. No sudden stops or take offs and no sharp turns.

Aprilcake

I transport cakes all the time sometimes as far as up to 130 miles I always put all my cakes on a piece of plywood that I have cut at Lowes to size I always either take my cake early morning or if I can fit them in the frige the night before (the non fondant cakes) I put them in the frige to make sure they are cold while being driven to its destination it kind of insures that the cake will stay cool and to gether during the trip if you look at my Photos the Spider man 3D bust was driven 130 miles to its party so was the under the sea cake and wedding cake just make sure you dowel it good I have never doweled down the middle Good Luck

Molly2

First, make sure the upper tiers are on boards that won't absorb moisture. I like cutting 3/16" foamboard to size. If you use cardboards, make sure they're wrapped in greaseproof wrapping (cake foil, contact paper, etc.)

For the base, I suggest double layer of 1/2" foamboard (for a total of 1 inch) on top of a masonite board. Wrap it all together and put a ribbon around the edge. The inch-thick foamboard will give you something substantial to drive your center dowel into.

As for the center dowel, use something thicker than standard cake dowels. You can also use two dowels. Just make sure you coordinate the spacing of the dowels holding up the upper tiers.

I don't know what type of support you're using. If you're planning on just dowels, allow me to suggest something that may be a little sturdier. Cut drinking straws as dowels. Then, cut sharpened bamboo skewers the same size. Insert the straws into the cake. Then, push a skewer inside each straw until the point penetrates the cake board. Use a little piece of skewer to help push or hammer the skewer below the level of the straw. If you're using SPS or SFS, never mind!

Once your cake is assembled, measure front to back, side to side and top to bottom. Take those measurements to the UPS Store and buy a box that will accomodate the cake. If the box will be used upright, cut one of the sides along the side and along the bottom to create a 'door'. Slide the cake right in. If the box will be used on it's side, you can just slide the cake right in.

This cake will be HEAVY. Make sure at least 2 people come to pick it up or at least 2 people are available to take it out of the vehicle when it gets to its destination.

Since the cake will be so heavy, it may be easier to set up the box in the vehicle, then carry the cake out and place it in the box.

Remind your customer that once the cake leaves your kitchen, it is HER responsibility. I tell my customers to drive like they have nitroglycerin on the dashboard.

Good luck!

I forgot I buy card broad boxes at walmart or office depot to fit the size of wood under the cake the I cut a piece of rubber mat like the kind you use in you spoon draw put it under my wood so the cake want move around in the box I cut out 3 sides of the box leaving the corners then wrap the whole thing in plastic wrap works great

Molly2

I would make sure the girl(s) picking it understand how big the cake is. It is easy to say numbers, and think numbers, but even I think cakes are huge after putting them together. Does she realise that she needs an area in her car that is FLAT and 16 to 18 inches all the way around? Does she know the cake will be atleast 12 to 15 inches tall? Do they know it will be super heavy?

Before I would let them take the cake in the car I would tell them the information above to make sure they have a car that the cake will safely fit in to. I know I've seen people make posts about people putting the cakes on the car seat next to them or showing up on a motorcycle to pick up a cake.

Also take a picture of the cake when it leaves your place, and have them sign a paper that says the cake is in good/perfect condition and they understand the cake needs to be in a FLAT, SAFE place in the car, plus that they need to drive slow and carefully with the cake in the car. Be sure to include a clause that clearly states once the cake leaves your door it is in their hands and you are not responsible for anything that may happen to it.

What is their reasons for picking it up? Do you charge a fee to deliever the cake? Are you not willing to drive the distance to drop it off? If you really don't feel comfortable putting the cake in their hands then I would make every effort of getting them to let you deliever it, but if not make sure you get something signed that clearly spells out how they should treat the cake once it is in their hands and that anything that happens to it is their fault and not yours.

I've had people show up on bikes to pick up cakes. True!!

great information

thanks so much...all of you have been a BIG help! I wouldnt mind taking it at all but they want to come pick it up...i might talk to them and make for sure their vehicle is suitable for it! Thanks!

April :0)