The cake below did NOT transport well! It was my first cakes disaster. It looked so great in my kitchen prior to moving:

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1280375

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1280375 (figurines)

I drove 45 minutes and opened my trunk to a leaning circus big top The fondant stripes also slipped down to top it off! I drove one dowel through the center and had cake rounds between each layer. What should I do different next time???

gosh, I don't even know what you could've done to prevent that. It came out so cute though. Were you able to fix it? Maybe use three or four sharpened dowel rods next time.

I would venture to say your cake started to melt because it was in the trunk. That's one of the worst spots for a cake. I have a van so I put it on the floor behind the drivers seat but you could probably still do the same in a sedan or whatever you might have.

I don't think it melted. It was 50 degrees out yesterday so it should have been fine. Is it possible that it was just stacked too high for safely moving it? Because of the rice krispie treat top, I was able to push it forward so it wasn't so noticealbe. Unfortunately I couldn't fix the buckled fondant strips though.

well how tall was it? I think your description said 3 - 10" rounds? is each round like 2"? It shouldn't have shifted if it was supported properly, it's no different from a standard tiered cake, it's just not graduated in size going up. I've stacked same size cakes on top of each other on 3 occasions and didn't have a problem doing so. Did you have any fillings? maybe they were slippery? i put too much berry filling in a cake once and it slid just a bit during transport but not enough to really notice, just enough for me to notice. so I'm still sticking by the trunk theory. With no ventilation for 45 mins, right over the exhaust which gives off quite a bit of heat? I can't think of any other reason why that would have happened. The other thing that leads me to that conclusion is the fact that the fondant slid down too, makes me think that the buttercream started to melt and they slid down the side. It was a cute cake, it's a shame you had trouble with it!

It sounds like it was too tall...3 layers plus a rk top....that's like two tiers. I would've treated it as such too...two layers(regardless of whether they were further split and filled), dowel, cake circle, 3rd layer with rk on top maybe with a circle between cake and rk top, crumb coat, let rest, dowel through the center and into base board, add another coat of icing, cover with fondant. It wouldn't have budged.

Had the cake been frozen or chilled for a while before delivery? Maybe the warming and condensation had something to do with it?

I would have done 2 layers with dowel supports/cardboard, another layer and krispies with a post down the middle. I don't know why this shifted though. The fondant must have been really heavy. Do you have a picture of the disaster? That might help.

I forgot to say that it was 3, 3 inch 10 inch rounds with filling in each and cardboard to separate.

I think your trunk was the issue. I looked at your pic and the cake is very cute.

Thanks sari66. Unfortunately we have a small car and a truck with no topper. I have trasported in the trunk before, and do well on the short trips. Perhaps I will borrow my sister's Durango next time.

so sorry that happened.. It turned out awesome though!!

Did you dowl each layer as well as the big center dowel?

Hello

I actually just had my first cake disaster this sat. It was horrible I've been depressed ever since. It was a wedding cake , it was just too hot here in Cali and apparently my support system sucked. I don't have any advice to offer , just sympathy!


I FEEL YOUR PAIN!!!!!!!!

This was my first disaster too. At least we got it over with, right?

I did dowel each layer, not a lot though, three dowels in each and then one big one through the center (including the rk). I'm starting to think that the trunk really was the problem.

Did you take pictures of the wedding cake disaster?

I have always been told that 6 dowels is a good number for most layers. too many dowels equal swiss cheese which isn't a great support structure and too few equals not enough support.

I wish you the best of luck in the future, the cake was cute and I'm sure it still tasted amazing. =)