Hi

Doing my second three tiered cake. She wants a topsy turvy cake. I have researched how to make a topsy cake and feel confident about making it. Freaking out about transporting it!!!

Should I take all three layers (covered in fondant) in separate boxes. Stack on site. Or should I try going on the road with it??

Will be a pretty heavy cake and it is about a 40 minute drive through hilly country side.

This is stressing me out more than making the cake. The first cake I made they picked up. Only had a 2 minute drive so wasn't too worried. The thing weighed heaps and nearly dropped it. LOL

Thanks for any help
Getting scared!!

If your support system is great, then you could always deliver them already stacked. Some people swear by SPS although I never use it but have heard great reviews about it. Some people choose bubble tea straws and I personally have used this. If you are not sure, then I'd say go the safe route.

I normally just use dowel. Are bubble tea straws better? I think I am extra nervous because of wonky shape of the topsy turvy cake. My layers will be smaller at the bottom than the top! Then I hear if you use dowel you should hammer a support dowel through the whole cake. Very nervous about doing that as well. Seems alot easier to just go an hour before and set them up there. Will just have to take my little fondant balls to place around the tiers... thanks for your help!

I assemble on site, personally. It is the weight of the assembled cake that I have an issue with! No way am I able to carry a 3 tiered cake safely in some of the venues I have delivered to.

People use the center dowel for *transport.* If you're assembling onsite you do NOT need it.

I have done the TT with SPS. My TT are the sort with the hollowed out circle so that the cakes are actually sitting even and the whole cake is an optical illusion. With that method its's just a regular tiered cake with angles on the top of each tier.

I'm continually amazed that anyone uses dowels any more. You don't have to use SPS, but dang, people, choose a system that's safer. A single dowel going off vertical anywhere in your cake and it could well be ker-plop.

I use the Wilton hidden pillars, and my TT cakes are as Leah described, with the tiers hollowed out, so the cake sits level.

I hope you're going to try this out before you do it for someone else, otherwise it will be extremely stressful! I've been told to use the proper plastic dowels, not drinking straws, then a big wooden dowell down the middle.

I've delivered a 3-tiered TT cake before with no problems(a 30 minute drive)!! Of course I was nervous, but everything went fine. I used the "bubble tea straw" method with the dowel down the center (for transport as Leah mentioned), and had no problems with it. But if you really are nervous about it, I suggest you get the SPS system.

I did have to take a friend with me on the delivery due to the cake being heavy

HTH

Went looking for SPS today. No such luck. Will keep looking. The cake dec supply shop I went into had NEVER heard of them!!!

Maybe transport the bottom two already stacked and then just add the top one on site.

I'd do the tea straws and a center wooden dowel for transport. Be sure you have a solid base too.

i always assemble on site (at least 2hours ahead of the reception) even if i placed bubble straws on them..the first time i delivered stacked cakes was last sat & i was freakin' nervous, i set up the 3rd & 4th tier on site.the reason was there were no decors on the border to hide the flaws if ever i accidentally mishandle the cake upon set up so i decided to assemble the first 2 layers w/c are the heaviest (16 & 12in) from my kitchen

Thanks bobhope! I think I will set up on site. I will be putting balls of fondant around the base of each cake, so any oopsies will be hidden. I love CC and all the help you get. Starting to look forward to this one now

you're welcome miffy!..that's what's so great w/ CC, helping each other..i learned so much from here, fellow CC'ers have been so generous w/ their tips, suggestions, knowledge, etc.. ...you'll be fine ..don't forget to post some pix...

I will post them. Just praying I won't be posting them in the disaster section!! Off to sleep now, it's very late...have a basketball cake to do tomorrow

If you have time, you might look to see if there are any online retailers to buy the SPS from in Australia.

I normally use the bubble tea straws and a center dowel, but have used the SPS a few times. The beach wedding cake in my photos was done with the tea straws and a dowel and I transported it over an hour away fully assembled. I was a nervous wreck, but it didn't budge, except for the sugar around the base of the tiers settling some. I just used a paintbrush to push it back in place.

With doing the tapered and hollowed out tiers on the TT make sure that you allow enough space for the cakes to settle, and that there is enough of a "ledge" so that you don't have the side of your cake collapse. Just look in the cake disasters to find out about those.

I would also practice, maybe with a scaled down version just so you get the hang of it. I wish I had done a practice run of my first TT, it would have looked a lot better.

Thanks so much erinalicia! You have given me lots to think about!! Where do you put your cakes in the car? I am now thinking I will transport it and use a center dowel. I am a complete wreck over this cake. It is nearly 1.30am and I can't sleep I am so stressed. I don't think I am cut out to do cakes

You might try asking for SPS by its proper name. Single Plate Separator (system) by BakeryCrafts. Although I haven't used it and can't vouch for it, Coast manufacturers what looks to be a similar product. The parts are not interchangeable beteen brands.

Miffy, I transported the cake in a large box and had it in the back of my SUV. We have a Ford Escape and the cargo area is flat. I put non-skid liner under the cake drum and put a few smaller heavy boxes around the outside of the box the cake was in to keep it from shifting. This cake was done last summer and it was pretty hot the day I delivered it, so I had the AC on high the entire way. I was so cold by the time I got there!

I have a similar car to yours (Nissan X-Trail) so I will do the same as you. How on earth did you get the cake out of the box, or did you cut one of the sides out? Is summer here at the moment, so I am praying we don't have an extremely hot day. At the moment they forcast about 25 C.
Thanks again
Emma

I think I had the side of the box cut so it just folded down. Worked well. It was a heavy cake! Good luck with it!

Just wanted to thank everyone who took the time to help get over my freak out over transporting a topsy turvy cake. Ended up going with the dowel and the centre dowel. Cake didn't budge at all. Was such a relief. Had to get my DH to carry the cake for me...way to heavy. Thank you thank you thank you.