Question: Wedding Cake Timeline

Decorating By holsy993 Updated 14 Sep 2009 , 1:42am by holsy993

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holsy993 Posted 28 Aug 2009 , 9:55pm
post #1 of 11

Hello! I have a question for all you "seasoned" bakers.
I am doing 2 small wedding cakes on the same weekend. One is fondant covered, the other buttercream.

I do not freeze my cakes, so I was wondering what your timeline would be.


Thanks!
~Megan

10 replies
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MnSnow Posted 29 Aug 2009 , 12:24am
post #2 of 11

Bake them all one day, wrap well with saran wrap and refrigerate.
next morning take them out of frig and allow to come to room temp. make icing while they are warming. once warmed then torte, fill and ice.
last day decorate.

if perisable fillingss, then refrigerate after icing and take them out long enough to decorate.

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matthewkyrankelly Posted 29 Aug 2009 , 12:44am
post #3 of 11

MnSnow - I freeze, but often refrigerate as well. Do you have to bring to room temp if you are using BC only? I find that the cakes are a little firmer and easier to handle chilled. Most people who don't freeze are OK with refrigeration. What are the drawbacks to keeping chilled until necessary? - It saves time not having to wait for room temp. icon_smile.gif

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leah_s Posted 29 Aug 2009 , 1:13am
post #4 of 11

Freezing is better for your cakes than refrigerating. It's a relative humidity thing. By freezing you quite literally lock in (freeze) all the moisture inside the cake. Refrigeratoin can draw it out, unless you have a commercial refrigerator where you can regulate the humidity. That said, frozen cakes are the easiest to handle and cool cakes are the best to decorate.

You can pull the layers out of the freezer, fill and rewrap in plastic wrap and allow to mostly thaw on the counter. Then decorate.

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indydebi Posted 29 Aug 2009 , 1:33am
post #5 of 11

and a frozen cake takes only minutes to thaw. 15 to 60 depending on size. It's not hamburger, which takes all day.

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holsy993 Posted 31 Aug 2009 , 1:38am
post #6 of 11

I guess my real question is, how long can I leave the cakes "finished"? Can finish it on Thursday and it still be ok on Friday? One is fondant, one is buttercream.

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indydebi Posted 12 Sep 2009 , 2:27am
post #7 of 11

I work on my cakes Thurs thru Sat a.m. for Sat weddings. I never refrigerate my cakes.

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holsy993 Posted 12 Sep 2009 , 12:58pm
post #8 of 11

IndyDebi-
Do you bake on Wednesday and then decorate Thursday through Sat?
Thanks for your help!!
~Megan

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indydebi Posted 12 Sep 2009 , 2:20pm
post #9 of 11

I bake on Mon, Tues or Wed and freeze the cakes. I like to crumb coat on Thurs, let them sit overnight (or all day) and ice/decorate on Friday, for delivery on Sat.

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Justbeck101 Posted 13 Sep 2009 , 4:43am
post #10 of 11

This weekend I had a 3 tier wedding cake and two carved car cakes for one wedding. I baked the car and fire truck on Wednesday, wrapped and chilled. Thursday I made icing, carved and crumb coated, and covered my boards. Friday I baked the wedding cake, cooled and crumb coated and covered the 3-D caked with fondant, I also made some of the decor for the 3-d cakes. Saturday I iced and decorated the wedding cake and finished up the 3-d cakes. Took me a total of 37 hours. I don't always do it this way, usually I do all my baking on one day, but I was a bit tired this week so I did things a little different. I like to bake on Thursday if it is a Saturday wedding. I usually bake, fill and crumb coat on the same day, then ice on Friday, and decorate Saturday a.m. This allows me plenty of time.

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holsy993 Posted 14 Sep 2009 , 1:42am
post #11 of 11

Thank you for your imput!! That really helps!!!

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