Please help, I had two cakes that slid in the past month and I need to figure out how to prevent it in the future. One cake was 6 inch and the other 10 inch. Both were picked up by customers and then driven by them for about 40 miles to final destination. On arrival both slid. I could not get too much more information than that.
Here is what I do:
I use the same size cake board as the cake. I put a good dollop of icing on the board and smear it to "glue" the cake to it. Ice it. I then use 1/4 sheet MDF exact size as the box (usually 2 inches bigger than a cake). MDF is wrapped in heavy contact paper/shelf liner. Then, I tape the cake board in the center with heavy packing tape.

Is there a better way? Am I doing it wrong? I cannot imagine how it slides, it seems so secure. It never happened to me personally and it did not happen to a tiered cake that was traveling with customer for 70 miles. So what's up with these then?
Please help, I really don't want them sliding all over the place, and cannot figure out anything else.
Thanks in advance, P

who knows how they drove (if like I do normally, lucky it wouldn't be upside down and in pieces!)

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if you're doing the "roll" of tape trick -- of course it will slide.

better: double stick foam or carpet tape

better yet: hot melt glue.

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Q: why are you using MDF? that's expensive unless it's returned to you. Have you considered a double layer of cakeboards (glued together of course) or a cake drum?

http://www.globalsugarart.com/search.php?search=cake+drum&searchimage.x=0&searchimage.y=0

can put cake straight onto drum

I would Doug....I seriously would gasp and grab for it, and probably send them packing with a full refund.

Some people shouldn't be allowed to reproduce! Were they single tier cakes or multi tiered? Who knows how the cakes were handled once they left you.

Did the box slide or the cake? Ask them to drive like they have a baby on board and use shelf liner (or something that will help prevent cake box from moving) under the box. Also have them put the box on a level surface. Like the floor not the seat.


shelf liner:
http://www.stacksandstacks.com/shelf-liner-grip-it/?id=176&sku=10338&utm_medium=shoppingengine&utm_source=googlebase

When you say the cakes slid, did the top layer slide off the bottom layer? or The entire cake slid in the box?

If it's the first scenario I mentioned, could it be the type and amount of filling that was used?

If it's the latter scenario...sounds like they drove like maniacs.

I pretty much assemble as you do except instead of taping the board holding the cake, onto the "display board" I glue it with either an Elmer's glue stick or regular Elmer's School Glue.


I don't think it had anything to do with how you did it, I think they just didn't drive carefully.

We're pro's at taking corners slowly, avoiding bumps and pot-holes, etc., but the average person just doesn't understand it.

They may have left the cakes in the sun or their car may not have been cool enough....so many things could have caused the cakes to slide, but I think it was their fault not yours.

thanks you all, I will go ahead and sub the tape with glue in the future and see if I have any more slides.
Thanks a bunch, P

Did they place the cakes on the seat? Alot of times the surfaces in our cars are not flat, even floor boards can often have some tilt to them. A cake sitting on any tilted surface, even a small tilt can slide, especially after 40 miles.

I always make sure that the box or container the cake is in is also surrounded by enough "stuff" that it won't move. I keep collapsable boxes in my car for just that purpose. I also make sure that if there is any space between the cake plate and box it's in has something (ie, cardboard) to wedge it so there is no movement with the box.

I also agree that people don't always drive as if they are carrying precious cargo. I remind them of this before they drive away.

Thank you all. I don't know how they actually carried it. I have told both before they left that it cannot be in the trunk, it needs to be set on the flat sirface and in the airconditioning. I don't really know how it was actually carried. Both were going to the beach for a few days with family and friends so I imagine they had luggage and such with them, so it's possible that cakes were not transported properly. I just needed to know if my set up was off, since I never asked how to do it, I just assumed it went that way. What I gathered is that others do same or similar as I do, so there is barely anything I can troubleshoot. I will replace tape with glue and go from there.
Thanks again, P

I almost always deliver my cakes and I travel quite some distance with only a few minor sliding issues after I first started. If someone does pick up a cake or meet me to pick it up, I always say, "Please remember that a cake doesn't move with the curves like people do. Please take it easy on the curves!" I haven't had anyone call to say the cake slid because even if it did, after me telling them this, they would probably be embarrassed and/or assume then it was their fault because after a sturdy, well-put-together cake leaves my possession, it's no longer my problem.