Hi all,

Sorry if this sounds like a really dumb question! but I jusf wondered if anybody out there knows how long a fondant covered cake will last, uncut?

I just need some sort of guide line a to how soon I can make a cake in advance, and it still being fresh enough for the eater's!!

Many thanks in advance

Ruby

I've been wondering the same thing, and almost everything I've read says no longer than 3 days at room temperature. If you have to bake the cake any earlier than that, freeze it well wrapped and then thaw and decorate (That's what I'll be doing this weekend).

What I usually do is make a sort of timeline for myself, counting back from the due date. For instance if I have to deliver a cake on Saturday at 12:00, then that morning will be the and final decorating day. All my frosting/fondant colors would be ready ideally.
-Friday would be the day I cover the cakes with the fondant. I store the tiers in the fridge when I am not working on them.
-Thursday would be for stacking, filling and crumb coating/dirty icing- whatever term you prefer. Then they go in the fridge.
-Wednesday then would be my cake baking day. The fresh cakes usually remain in the pan that night, covered with plastic. You could refrigerate them if it makes you feel better.
As much of the excess work should be done in advance as possible so you are not troubled with details at the end when you are already stressed. This means, make your frostings, color your fondant, etc. some time prior to Saturday morning.
Hope this helps; its the system I use and I have never had any complaints of stale or spoiled cake.

I believe that it may vary depending on the original moistness of the cake. The longer the fondant sits the firmer it gets. You can slow this down by wrapping the cake after covering it in fondant. The cake itself can stay moiste for an extended period of time. I am not saying you should serve this. I did a showcase cake on a tuesday covered in fondant. On Wednesday my mom needed a cake for an event and took the cake. She left it in her cooler for 8 days. Before the threw it out I cut into it to see what the cake was like. It was moist and the cake tasted fresh. Fondant seems to seal in the cake. Air does not get the the cake itself. I had used a buttercream filling so there was no chance of spoilage.

Thanks for replies guys, my theory was what you confirmed Jennifer, I suspected the fondant would keep the contained caked fresh, almost like a seal around it!

Thanks again

Ruby