I'm doing a wedding cake for a friend for Friday afternoon and I'm wondering if you were doing a 12-10-8 inch square cake would you stack it all up and deliver it done or stack it up once at the venue. It's about half an hour away from where I'm at. I think it should be fine, but I'm afraid of bulging or shifting or other problems could arise that I wouldn't be aware of. It's a wedding cake after all and I want it to be perfect for my friend. Also wondering if tonight is too soon to put it all together. I've baked and made all of the icing, the cakes have sat out for at least 8 hours before I put them in the freezer so they could settle. Can I fill, frost and cover them tonight or should I wait for tomorrow. I've never done a 3 tier before and I've never done such big cakes before....8" was the biggest before this....so any tips on all of the above would be so greatly appreciated

Umm . . .cakes settle AFTER the filling is in. For a Sat delivery, the cake is completed Friday. I'd take the bottom two tiers assembled and put the final one on onsite. But I'd be using SPS, so I know it would travel well.

Oooh...so I should have filled them and let them settle before freezing them?? What would be the best thing to do now then? Should I take them out and fill them and let them thaw and settle before I cover them? I don't know what sps is?? I'm sure for professionals and not hobbyists like myself? Thanks for the info, good to learn that I've been doing things a little backwards...do you cover the frosted cake with anything while letting it sit out to settle? Sorry for more questions...I'm still learning :0)

For Friday delivery I would have baked Wednesday night, then fill and crumb coat Thursday morning, and the decorate Thursday night. Then put in fridge till Friday delivery. I would deliver all set up, as I always do. I think it is too much pressure to have to set up there...to me too much can happen and I feel you are on a time constraint. I feel better having to do touch up there and not fully assembly, but that is just me. I never freeze my cakes, so not sure how to suggest with that. Hope that helps, good luck...

thanks so much!!

SPS is for everyone. I am a hobby baker and I only use SPS for wedding cakes. Actually, I use SPS most of the time. It isn't very expensive and it is very secure. Here is the link for it:

http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-603925.html

I would absolutely let your cake settle for at least 4 hours after you fill and crumb coat it before you cover it. I try to let mine sit overnight - if I plan correctly. This should eliminate the bulge!

Order of work
bake
level and torte
freeze
take out of freezer
fill
weight to settle
crumb coat
finish ice
decorate