I just received my first request for a wedding cake!!!! I have a few questions. First by off of wilton's guidelines I figure that the main cake of 8'', 12'' and 16'' square with 2 sheet cakes that are 11X15 and a groom's cake of 9X13 will yield me ~313 servings (they need about 300). My real question is how far in advance can I make a buttercream icing (I use the buttercream dream one that's here on CC)? I work full time and have a toddler at home, so the further in advance I can do things the better. Also, how can I store the icing? Could I put it in the freezer for a week or so? I've attached a picture of a cake similar to what the bride requested. This will also be my first tiered cake, so any advice on how to stack, etc. would really be appreciated!Thanks in advance for your ideas/input!

How to construct the cake http://cakecentral.com/articles/107/building-the-cake-combination-pillar-stacked-construction Icing can be made and stored in the frig for a couple of weeks. If you've never stacked a cake before I would suggest doing a practice one. Are you making single layer sheet cakes or kitchen cakes for the extra servings? If I were a guest and got a piece of a sheet cake instead of something that looked like the wedding cake I'd be a little po'd. Be sure to include a cutting chart so they know what sizes the servings should be. indydebi has a great one on her website www.cateritsimple.com

1. Definitely do kitchen cakes, not sheet cakes.
2. Definitely use SPS.
3. Be sure to remember to take a copy of your food handlers license and insurance with you when you deliver the cake.

What is a kitchen cake?

congratulations and good luck for the first order!
If this is your first time stacking and making a 3 tier cake,I'd recommend Sugarshack's DVDs, Perfecting the art of buttercream (for BC recipe,learning how to make it and frosting your cakes SMOOTH) AND second DVD, Successful Stacking to learn how to stack multi tiered cakes properly.
- h

I always find it sad that people except wedding cake orders and then come on here and request help on how to do it. Shouldn't you know how to accomplish this, even if it's your first, instead of risking running someone's most important day?

I had the same question and this is what I found http://www.themorgns.com/cake_details. Very interesting.

Meowcakes said

who is saying the op cant accomplish this isnt she merely asking for advice to ensure she can thus avoiding ruining the special day - just because she has never done it before doesn't mean she can't surely everyone has to have a first time of tackling a project like this and no doubt tiggy2 advice of doing a practice will be taken on board once the op has the info. sought.

I would say definitely do a run thru if this is your 1st stacked cake. a wedding for 300 is a very ambitious first so at least 1 thru will hopefully reveal any obstacles. I sometimes make my buttercream in advance (fridge the weekend before or if need be I make 2 wks in advance and then freeze. I bring to room temp and throw back on the mixer to fluff it up before using.

TandTHarrell your wedding cake WAS all that what an awesome job you did well done you x

yes, what exactly is a kitchen cake??

Curious to know

Kitchen cakes are 2-layer sheet cakes that are made to match, decor-wise, the display cake.

Sheet cakes are one layer.

Big difference when plated.

Alrighty - not a seasoned pro at cakes! So, don't take my word as gospel!
I ran into a few mistakes during my first caking/stacking experiences.....Here were my top 3 issues:
(1) Practice stacking - great advice! I tried just doweling. Yeah - it worked okay, but I was just a spaz about the whole thing. Everyone seems to rave about the SPS system. Worry free I guess.
(2) Heat/humidity & how it affects a cold cake - Sure, let your cake settle, in the fridge or freezer. It's easier to frost I think. But, make sure your cake is at room temp before you take it out into warmer weather. I BELIEVE this is why one of my cakes developed "sweat" and an air bubble. Not attractive.
(3) Time management - It seems that most people on CC separate each stage of their cakes over several days. Since you have a full schedule, don't be afraid to bake/wrap/freeze your cake layers. So - bake over a convenient period of time allowed by your schedule, fill/frost 1 or 2 days, and decorate the last day. Oh -if you have all that piping to do - leave time for your hand to cramp up!!! Being super new at all this, I'm the moron who thought I could do a 3 tier in 2 days. Nope, especially not being new! My ears were red from the stress!!!! It was too funny!!!! Well....now, it's too funny. Then, I was cussing like a trucker!

So, those were my big issues. This is why the practice run is soooo important. You know your comfort level. Just trust yourself. I'm sure you'll do great!!!

You can freeze the buttercream and the cakes so if you can find time here or there, get it done and the big cake day won't seem so overwhelming. I'm always the most flustered when I try to make buttercream, fondant, fill, frost and decorate in one day. Also a big one that I had to learn from experience is, after you have filled each tier, let it settle for a good amount of time before frosting. For the longest time, I had that ring around my layers, lots of settling has to be done. You can weight it lightly and let it settle for at least a few hours, overnight if possible, tightly wrapped to keep in the moisture. Like others have said, practice stacking, have ample supports (bubble tea straws are my fav) and do it a couple of times before the big cake.

Everyone has to start somewhere, advice is good. Don't ever hesitate to ask.

If I am making a rather large (several tiers) cake, I bake on say Thursday, and bc....then put in fridge Friday I will cover with mmf if thats what I am doing and decorate.....then let it sit in a secure location until it can be delivered. I never charge, I make them for free, because I love to bake and decorate and its a hobby. I hope this helps a little. Good Luck.

Can someone tell me where I can get the best deal on bubble tea straws

Thank you

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate all of the responses! For those whom are negative, I try to take out of it what is useful and throw the rest out! This has worked best for me, no need to stress about what someone else said I would also like to know where I could find bubble tea straws to try out. I am definitely planning on doing at least two pracitce stacked cakes. This will be a challenge, but I'm up for it and my MIL told me that I was too busy, so that just makes me want to do it all the more I will most likely try and make the cakes ahead and freeze along with the buttercream. That way I'll have plenty of time the week of the wedding to ice, stack and decorate the cake. I'll be sure to give updates on my progress as I practice. Thanks again everyone!

If you have an Asian Market you can get the straws there, otherwise try ebay.

Tiggy 2, thanks for the info on the bubble straws....

Good for you! Well, in support, my third cake (not just third stacked, or third big, just third decorated cake) was a 3 tier wedding cake and it went well. I've been disappointed in my cakes ever since, lol. Ok, we don't get the straws or SPS here so I used dowels. I tell you this: if you are using dowels, have one of those windey pencil sharpeners at hand, and if you aren't good with a saw, someone to cut them or something electric. I sawed that thing for ages before getting hubby. Make sure you cut out your cake circles first. It will be fine if you bake thurs, frost fri and decorate sat. Give yourself twice as much time as you think you will need. Good luck!

kiwigal, your cakes & cupcakes are beautiful! I love the wedding cake, the flowers are gorgeous! Thanks for the advice, I'll probably be using dowels or straws (if I can find them in town). I just purchased my wilton pans at Michaels yesterday. LOVE the 40% off coupons they have! I will be going back in each week to purchase my other sheet cake pans as well. And I must clarify about my MIL, I do like her, but she's not good at encouragement ) Nonetheless, it makes me work harder, which is in turn good for me.

Hi all, she didn't say it was her first cake she ever made, just her first cake. oh and kitchen cake can't you take a sheet cake and cut it to make 2 layers dumb question

Yep you can torte a sheet cake to give the 2 layers, but the way I made my cake, and I think how most are done, are two cakes torted and filled, or some combination so that you get 4 layers of cake and three of filling inside, then the frosting. So when you cut it, some people get the 4 layer wedding cake, 4 inches high, nice ratio of cake to filling/frosting, and the others would get the less elegant 2 layers with fillling and frosting. I think you do two sheetcakes torted and filled, or somehow make a taller one and torte accordingly, so that when the servings are plated, there is no visible difference and everyone gets the same HTH.