Ok, I have to take a 14" 10" 6" square cake about an hour away this Saturday. Is it best to attach the 14 and 10 and add the 6" when I get there or can I stake it down the middle and travel with all 3 cakes together? Each cake will have a fondant ribbon on the bottom base with candy pearls on that. I just don't want to attach the ribbons and pearls when I get there so the more that's done a head of time is best, but I don't want to ruin it either. It will be doweled with a stake down the middle if I take it 3 tiers together. What do you all think is best? Thanks for any information on this. I fear cakes , hate deliveries. Oh and it's too late to order an SPS that I have heard so much about.

What I was wondering with the SPS is do those shift traveling since you can't put a stake down the middle? Of can you stake them? Thanks again.

I advise not transporting already stacked. But that's just my opinion. I have read so many horror stories about it. NO thanks.

Can you set it up/decorate ahead of time and assemble when you get there, by using slightly larger than necessary cake plates?

I had a cake with a complicated border, rose border on all three tiers. I put the tiers on plates which were slightly too large. All 3 tiers were transported separately. The top tier was a 6" on an 8"plate. The middle tier was 8" on an 11" plate stacked on the bottom 12" tier on a 16" plate. The top and middle tiers were finished before transport. I made all my roses for the bottom border ahead of time and placed them in transport boxes to set on the bottom plate after I set up the cake. The top tier was placed on pillars. The rose border hid the plate under the middle tier and actually made serving easier as the tier was easily lifted off the bottom tier to set on the table. It turned out surprisingly well.

No , sorry I can't it's one of those that the cake fits the board then the ribbon tight to that then the pearls. The hard part is if you transport seperate you can't put the border on until you get there and you know how it goes to transport a rolled border, they always want to stick and tear. For me anyway. Looks like Saturday is going to be a pain, but thanks for the reply.

Yes, you can travel completely assembled with SPS and it will not shift. You should have seen the 3 cakes, fully assembled in the back of my SUV last week. Easiest delvieries ever.

Leahs............. Does the SPS have a hole in the middle to spike down the center? I don't have one for this trip but I think I'm going to get one for my next. I have a 4 tier casino cake for November one cake is a dummie can I use that system for that? Thanks

Debster,
What kind of support do you normally use?

-Debbie B.

Hi,
May I ask what is SPS? I use the stress free support system rings, but do not transport assembled. I use satin ribbon and just pop it on at my destination.
Not brave enough to stack and transport, my husband is a retired police officer, he drives like a cop!!!! Go figure!!!!!gggggg
Joanie

You should have no problem traveling with the stacked cakes, unless, god forbid, you have to slam on brakes! Allow yourself plenty of time and be sure and use the non-skid shelf liner underneath your cake. I have traveled with mine stacked every time with no problems. Definitely use the center dowel and use appropriate number of dowels in each supporting tier. It is very nerve racking and my husband hates driving with me because I am a nervous wreck, but we get the job done. I always sit in the back of our car with the cake. I would like to invest in the SPS system but just don't have the extra money right now. I just delivered a 12",9", and 6" stacked without the center dowel, last weekend, I held it on my lap, but I just had to go across town.

I always use the Wilton wooden dowels, but I have to say as the years have went on they are getting lighter and lighter in weight. I was wondering about going and getting some 1/2 wooden dowels cut so they are more supportive. I'm just a worry wart with transporting. I would cover them in foil, has anyone ever used the larger wood dowels?

I always deliver my cakes fully assembled. It's easier for me that way. I use foam core from Michael's as my bases. I use Wilton dowels (the plastic tubes not wooden). And I stake the cakes with a sharpened wooden down and drive it down the middle of every cake with a hammer. I have never had a problem. I drive (cause my husband doesn't want the liability) and he sits by the cakes to make sure they don't move. It also helps to use the rubber shelf liner under the cake to prevent slippage.

Sure you can transport already assembled. Did a 4-tier wedding cake last weekend, no problem. I like using the foamcore so that you can actually drive the center dowel slightly into the board for more stability. But if you've got a wooden or plastic board you don't need to. Make sure you've doweled well (the wooden Wilton ones have gotten so flimsy and rough I got a huge sliver in my finger, now I just buy the ones Michael's has in their woodcarver aisle) and you'll be fine - with all the usual precautions: non-skid liner, drive slow, etc.

btw - just a word of caution, make sure you're dowels are all the same length AT THE HIGHEST POINT OF THE CAKE. Learned that one the hard way!