when making a cake that takes an entire day or even multiple days to finish......what do you do with the cake as progress is being made on it?? do you leave it out on the counter while preparing for the next step or do you refrigerate it between each step/overnight? are there certain cakes that you do and don't refrigerate? I read somewhere that you can't refrigerate fondant because it ends up "sweating" when it returns to room temp...i'm very confused and can't seem to find a straight answer anywhere!!! please help!!!

I don't refrigerate at all unless I'm using something perishable. which I don't use under fondant. Different people have different methods and I think it may depend on what part of the country you live in. Where I live it's hot and humid and if I have a cake that has to go in the fridge so the frosting doesn't sag or melt, then when I try to take it somewhere, it's going to fall apart on the way there.

When I do bc I keep it in the fridge most of the time. I crumb coat then put in fridge to firm up. Take out and frost and decorate. Then back in fridge if it will be a while before it is delivered/picked up. Cold cakes travel better. Fondant... I have done it the same way, crumb coat, fridge then put a light layer of bc then fondant on. I have also just left them out once I am done. Depends on fridge space. I have a fridge just for cakes so that helps. i also live in a dry hot area most of the time. If your cake sweats, i put a fan on it for a while and it is back to normal. This is what works for me.

Not to steal this tread...but I have a question.

I will have a cream cheese bc filling I will be making for a fondant covered scratch carrot cake. I am assuming the filling needs to be refrigerated. (I don't like the taste of sleeve filling availabe in my area, so not going that route.)

I would need to refrigerate this cake, yes?

i keep my cakes in progress on the counter, well covered. although i will refridgerate to help firm things up etc, in general, im not a fan, and dont use perishable fillings.

stampinron - not all cream cheese icings need refridgerated. if yours does, then yes, it will need to be kept in the fridge.
xx