wedding cake? I have a bride that requested her wedding cake to look like this - only a gob cake. I personally love the look and the idea...but how do I keep it from drying out since the cake is all exposed? Is there a trick to this because I've seen other wedding cakes like this??

Maybe sealing it with strained melted apricot jam?

Wouldn't that change the flavor of the gob cake?

can I ask what a gob cake is? I've never heard that term before?

Ah...I forgot this is a "Pennsylvania" thing. Unless you've lived in PA - or know someone who has - people don't know what gobs are. I totally forgot that, sorry!

"Gobs" are actually two chocolate cake/cookies filled with a thick & creamy, cooked icing. They are on our Christmas cookie tray every year (we make mini ones) and are a favorite of my entire family! Chocolate gobs are the most popular, but they can be made in all varieties (like pumpkin with cream cheese icing in the fall). Gob cake is also a very popular dessert around here. Church dinners & potlucks always have at least one!! There isn't any icing on the outside, just two layers of chocolate cake with the cooked filling in between the layers. It would look just like the wedding cake I posted.

I'm just worried that it will dry out because it's exposed. When I make gobs, I individually wrap them or cover a gob cake tightly with plastic wrap. I don't want a wedding cake to dry out.

ha learn something new everyday! Thanks for the explanation!

I live in Pa... I've always heard them called whoopie pies, not gobs. Must be the area of the state you live in.

I almost said in my previous explanation that they can also be called "whoopie pies". That's what the local Amish/Mennonite community calls them, but I'm in western PA and we've always called them gobs!

I would suggest making it and after you've constructed each tier, wrap it in plastic wrap. Deliver and set the cake up at the venue so you can keep them all covered until you get them there. I would just try to get there as close to the reception time as I could without running it too close. The exterior might dry out a bit but you should be fine. You should warn the bride though that it will probably be a little bit drier on the outside. That way she doesn't come back after the wedding is over complaining that the cake was dry and she wants her money back.

Would a simple syrup brushed along the outside edges work without changing the taste? I see bakeries doing this to the tops of the cake before filling and stacking. Why not just the sides? Not sure!

That may work. I was just worried that the apricot glaze would flavor the chocolate cake. Simple syrup wouldn't it would just make it shiny.

You should be able to wrap saran around the whole thing after it's set up since ther is no icing on the outside.

I did a wedding cake simular to this last summer (it's the first one I posted here on CC in my photos); but it was fresh apple cake and did not dry out at all. I had tested the recipe prior to the actual wedding baking...maybe you could do a test baking too and figure out the best way to keep it moist/fresh.