Scheduling - How Far Ahead Of Time To Prep Cake?
Decorating By wakemaven Updated 2 Jun 2010 , 9:44am by Mikel79
What started as a hobby is quickly snowballing into something with clients and money! My question addresses how far ahead of time do you decorate? I try real hard not to have them out of the fridge for more than 48 hrs (including party time.) When juggling 2 cake orders (wedding type cake for 135 ppl and kids castle for 35 ppl) for the same weekend I had to deal with off-gassing. Now I don't put them back in the fridge once I start decorating, but do have a nice cool place to store them while awaiting completion/delivery (55-60 degrees.) What do you all do? How do you juggle the rush as business builds? Thanks!
Well, first, I don't refrigerate my cakes. Decorated or not, cakes do not go into my refrigerator. Ever.
This thread has LOTS of good info on the topic. In particular, be sure to see pastrylady's post on page 2 and her post on page 4. http://forum.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=608252&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=cooks&&start=45
Bake and freeze on Monday or Tuesday; thaw and crumbcoat on Thursday. Ice and decorate Friday. Deliver Saturday.
Yup, I bake Mon-Wed, wrap/freeze then crumbcoat on Thurs and decorate Thurs afternoon and Friday, deliver Sat and Sunday. Unless I have perishable fillings I don't refridgerate after decoration.
I usually bake and bc on Thursday... .chill in fridge decorate on Friday for a cake wanted on Saturday
Well, first, I don't refrigerate my cakes. Decorated or not, cakes do not go into my refrigerator. Ever.
Bake and freeze on Monday or Tuesday; thaw and crumbcoat on Thursday. Ice and decorate Friday. Deliver Saturday.
Ditto 
why do the cakes never go in the fridge? Does it dry them out? Thank you. 
Newbie
I chill mine overnight or for several hours before delivery. I have never had a complaint about my cakes being dry or stale. Everyone has their own way of doing things. I think it makes them more stable for delivery. Plus I use a mousse filling that has to be refrigerated because that's my most requested filling.
why do the cakes never go in the fridge? Does it dry them out? Thank you.
Newbie
Read the link in my above post.
In a nutshell, freezing halts the process that causes a cake to go "stale". Refrigerating a cake accelerates the process. Ironically, folks who put a cake in the refrigerator to "keep it fresh", are actually causing it to go stale, faster.
Filling that require refrigeration always take precedent. But that's why I never use fillings that need refrigeration.
I NEVER fridge any of my cakes. Makes them go stale waaaay to quickly. Also, I never freeze any of my cakes either. I have had to many issues with this. Long story....
My most recent cake I baked on Thursday night. Filled and left to settle in food safe bag. Iced on Friday afternoon. Decorated on Saturday. Party was at 1:30 Sunday.
The cake was sooooo moist and delious. Not dry at all. It was a bc iced cake and filling.
HTH
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