So I am new to this site, and new to baking artsy and elaborate cakes. I'm making my first wedding cake next July and am pretty confident I can pull it off. At least I hope. Here's the problem; the wedding cake is for MY wedding. Any cakes I've made have been eaten within hours of being completed. Since this is my wedding, the cake will need to be dropped off at the reception site prior to getting ready in the morning. Probably sometime around 11 at the latest. The reception doesn't start until 5 pm at the earliest. The reception location does not have refrigeration space available to house the cake during the day and I'm wondering if my cake will be alright sitting out in the reception hall all day. I know it's debated on whether or not you should refrigerate fondant covered cakes anyway (I've read a few of those debates on this site) but I normally don't ever really even have to consider this. This is a unique situation for me and I'm not sure what the best way is to go about it in regards to what to do with it when it's done the night before, all the way up til post dinner time the following day. Please help!

As long as you don't use sensitive cake fillings like strawberries or bananas, the fondant should keep your cake fresh. No worries it will be fine. I have to say, I would be so nervous about the wedding, making my own wedding cake would just freak me out !! Sounds like you'll have everything under control though. Good Luck and Best Wishes.

I've only heard reasons against doing your OWN wedding cake! I haven't been married yet, but helped a few sisters with their receptions. One insisted on doing her own cake, and we all argued with her. We compromised -she made a fondant covered styrofoam dummy tiered cake for display and pictures, and the caterer provided cutting cakes and other desserts. She was soooo happy she didn't bake it! Therefore, she didn't have to think about it during the rehearsal dinner, work on it until all hours of the morning into her wedding day, and have to worry about it holding up for 24 hours!!!
I would say, if you want to show off your decorating skills, do it ahead on the dummy cakes to perfection, and have someone else do the last minute baking.

Welcome to CC!!

It will all depend on what type of cake you make. If you use buttercream or SMBC for the filling then the cake can stay out with no issues. I always complete cakes on Fridays and sometimes they are not eaten until Sunday and I have never had any issues.

Your other option if you can find "Bettercreme" for the filling that stuff can stay at room temp for days. I always leave my completed cakes in basement storage and it keeps it nice and cool.

I just started decorating cakes about a year ago so thats all I got so far.

Thanks so much for the quick responses!
I will be using simply buttercream, no sensitive fillings like fresh fruits or anything. Partially because of this very issue!
I am a little nervous about it, but I have lots of opportunities between now and then to practice all the different techniques I'll be using and perfect them. Also, I'm one of those people who does everything 3 steps ahead of herself so that I can stay on track. And one of my bridesmaids, my aunt, is super detailed and organized so I don't think I'll have too much to freak out about in the days before the wedding. It's funny, in the beginning, I said no way would I do it, but my fiance kept saying I should. Now I'm feeling pretty confident!

Honestly, I would have LOVED to have something to do like my own wedding cake. Everyone around me was driving me NUTS. but I wasnt nervous, I didnt have those jitters, I had done all the shopping for the reception, had my hair in curlers for 4 days (I had ringlets, and have VERY hard to curl hair...) mynails were done, I had finished the roses that the rice was thrown from, my grandmother did the flowers and wouldnt let me touch them, and everyone insisted if they saw me sitting somewhere to come around and 'talk' to me about how they knew I was nervous (we had bought a house and the reception was there, so it was a beehive of activity) they wouldnt even let me paint the window sills, or help install the new lights in the dining room, for fear I'd fall and break a leg.. My soon to be husband worked up till the day, and then went hunting the morning of the wedding, it had rained for weeks (flooded the surrounding towns) and I was just bored... my cousin even 'lost' the wedding rings. just to cause some excitement. plus it was fun to screw with all the aunts, uncles and grandparents who were freaking out the whole time.

I ended up spending the time making a quilt.

Lol. Oh my chelle. That sounds like it was quite an ordeal! Like you I'll have all that stuff taken care of well in advance and I have so many people wanting to do things to help out. Not to mention, everyone else sees making a cake as time consuming and stressful, buy I really enjoy it. It's why I do it! Otherwise I never would have wanted to.

Make sure the air conditioning will be on while the cake is there (put it in your contract with the venue), July is hot everywhere.

I always refrigerate fondant covered cakes and for the life of me can't figure out why anyone says not to do it. As long as the condensation has plenty of time to dry (at least 2 hrs, longer if it is humid), there shouldn't be anything to worry about.

I, too, am making a wedding cake for my neice in August. Carrot cake w/ cream cheese frosting. I have a great "normal" cream cheese frosting recipe but was wondering if I should make a Bettercream or Buttercream type with cream cheese flavoring instead. It won't be in the sun and it's in Montana but I would like to have it ready the day before and it will probably set out a few hours before the reception. Am I OK with the regular cc? (Sorry for horning in on this thread... )

I fill and frost my cakes with all butter buttercream (no shortening). Then use Michele Foster's Delicious Fondant recipe from this website. Cover the cakes with fondant and refrigerate fully assembled. Then transport and leave out. Shouldn't have a problem. I would ask that they have the room cooled though. It doesn't need to be 68 or anything. What style are you doing?

She REALLY doesn't want fondant which is OK with me as I don't usually use it. Can't find the picture but bottom square is 14", second round is 12", top square is 10". Horseshoes go around on the second layer (I'm trying to do chocolate molded ones), fondant rope around each bottom, and a few fresh flowers around it. Fairly plain and VERY country.[/img]