I told a friend I would make her daughters birthday cake for the 18th, I am currently working on a cake for her son (due this Saturday). She works a lot and has left everything up to me, she gave me a few things she wanted each cake to have but everything else is my call. So tonight she sends me a message asking how things were going with her sons cake and I laid everything out for her and she was happy. I started asking about her daughter's cake just to double check. I asked if the day was still the 18th and what time she needed it and she tells me that they had to move the party to the 20th.
So finally my issue...I am not going to be in town that day, I will be leaving on the 19th for a family function. Is it ok to do the cake for her and deliver mid day on the 19th for her party on the 20th?
The cake is going to be a two tier chocolate and vanilla cake with french vanilla Buttercream (the recipe here on CC) and will be covered in MMF with gum paste decorations.
I'm no expert but 2 days isn't going to make or break the cake. As long as it is properly refrigerated it should be fine. I have read (I think on this site) that cake with non perishable filling, covered in fondant will last up to 10 days in the fridge.
the cake will be fine! i would also go against putting it in teh fridge. i never put mine in unless it has a perishable filling, apparently the cake dries out faster if its kept in the fridge.
Yeah, cause Ron Ben Israel's fridges all their cakes, along with just about most people who tend to know what they're doing, so I guess their cakes must be awful. Fresh has nothing to do with it. When you work with icings and fillings that don't come from sleeves with no expiration dates, you need to chill them. Also, chilling a cake before covering with fondant is an excellent way to get a really nice smooth finish. If you're into that crazy, look as nice as possible thing.
Yeah, cause Ron Ben Israel's fridges all their cakes, along with just about most people who tend to know what they're doing, so I guess their cakes must be awful. Fresh has nothing to do with it. When you work with icings and fillings that don't come from sleeves with no expiration dates, you need to chill them. Also, chilling a cake before covering with fondant is an excellent way to get a really nice smooth finish. If you're into that crazy, look as nice as possible thing.
Wow, that was a little nastier than neccesary 
Oh I'm sure it sounded that way. It's just silly to see such authoritative information slung around when soooooo many people do exactly what is being denounced, when it's actually a well supported method by many many people.
Oh, I can take it. I didn't say I don't chill in the process of decorating. And everything I use I make fresh. I've never used anything from a tube and the only thing I've used from a tub is Satin Ice. Fresh fruit, fresh butter cream icing,... Oh, I forgot, my piping gel is in a tub, if that counts. When I have an order, I get almost no sleep, and I work full time in finance M-F.
I am very thorough in wrapping/sealing my cakes. I have to make it all fresh, I'm a hobby baker and do not have a walk in 'fridge to store anything. And I don't think my cakes are terrible looking and I've always had compliments. I've even had to turn down offers from caterers and a banquet hall to contract for them because I cannot commit.
So, I know that response was not directed at me 
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Oh, I can take it. I didn't say I don't chill in the process of decorating. And everything I use I make fresh. I've never used anything from a tube and the only thing I've used from a tub is . Fresh fruit, fresh butter cream icing,... Oh, I forgot, my piping gel is in a tub, if that counts. When I have an order, I get almost no sleep, and I work full time in finance M-F.
I am very thorough in wrapping/sealing my cakes. I have to make it all fresh, I'm a hobby baker and do not have a walk in 'fridge to store anything.
So, I know that response was not directed at me
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Yep, not directed at anyone really. 
There is a big difference between a commercial refrigerator/cooler and a home refrigerator.
Oh this was something I noticed first thing when I opened the shop! especially the fresh vegetables (for catering). Celery won't last a week in my home frig but lasted WAY longer in my comm'l frig.
madchen, animal fur is the reason so many states don't permit at-home baking for comm'l purposes. refrigerated or not, the fur has the opportunity to get on the cake/icing/food anytime during the prep/process. that's why HD's tend to not allow pets in restaurant kitchens. 
madchen, animal fur is the reason so many states don't permit at-home baking for comm'l purposes. refrigerated or not, the fur has the opportunity to get on the cake/icing/food anytime during the prep/process. that's why HD's tend to not allow pets in restaurant kitchens.
I was joking about the fur (and I hear you on that) , but I do wonder about the bakeries with cake just sitting out on counters, hair down, customers coming in and out...that sort of thing. I remember reading on here once about someone who scraped BC off a cake that their dog got into just before a customer picked it up. No one seemed to have an issue with that...animals and cakes are not a good mix.
OH, quick question regarding someone's post: Is it true you DO NOT have to refridgerate fresh fruit in a cake if it's to be picked up the next day? My health inspector told me I could not use fresh fruit because it's considered hazardous. ?? Is that right?
If you're referring to my post, because I did mention fresh fruit, I rarely get requests for fruit. And when I have, I've not needed to refrigerate only because of how I have to time my cakes - completion to delivery. I always ask when it will be served. If the recipient is waiting to serve I ALWAYS tell them to refrigerate if there is fruit or other ingredient that requires refrigeration.
After all, I want them to come back to me with compliments, not a doctor/emergency room bill. 
I'm sorry, but why would you need to refrigerate fresh fruit? Maybe it's a UK thing, but most of my fruit lives in a bowl on the counter. It is not something we consider necessary to refrigerate. Fruit is not a high-risk item, like meat or cream.
I've never refridgerated any of my cakes
Then I would never leave a cake uncovered on the side either, once the cake is cooled it's coated in buttercream then the fondant and put in the cake box til i'm finished with the models/decorations to add to it.
I'm sorry, but why would you need to refrigerate fresh fruit? Maybe it's a UK thing, but most of my fruit lives in a bowl on the counter. It is not something we consider necessary to refrigerate. Fruit is not a high-risk item, like meat or cream.
The skin of the fruit protects it from spoiling so fast. Once the fruit is cut and the flesh exposed to the air, it tends to spoil quickly, especially berries. Strawberries are especially notorious for spoiling quickly.
Fruit can spoil quickly, infact last August I had severe food poisoning from eating bad mangoes in a salad at a resturant. 
Can someone explain HOW refrigeration ruins a cake? I understand the trepidation with fondant (bit I never had a problem), but how does a refrigerator dry out a cake? My grandmother taught me to refrigerate cakes, and her cake, which is never iced or lightly wrapped in the fridge) sticks to your fingers days later. I seriously am intersted...
I don't like to refrigerate a cake unless it has a perishable filling/icing. The reason being...if you have used any types of food color gels they tend to "weep" or "sweat" when they are removed from the refrigerator. Then they bleed on the lighter icing, which I think you would agree, does not make for a pretty cake. Also is you use MMF, it too will sweat...this is a BAD thing...believe me, I'm speaking from experience. I have always found it best to not refrigerate unless absolutely necessary...just for appearances sake. But that justs me, but then I'm not Ron Ben Isreal either!
If you have a residential license you aren't supposed to use fresh fruits in your cakes at all... nor are you supposed to use any cream fillings or anything that requires refrigeration. It's just how it works. So no lemon curd, no bavarian cream, no raspberry puree... nothing. It's shelf stable buttercream with artificial flavorings if you want to go fruity or sleeved fillings. Hell... here you can't even make banana or pumpkin cake in your home kitchen due to their higher water content and pH. Fresh fruit introduces water to the cake and where there is water and sugar there is potential for bacterial growth. In order to do all of those wonderful things... you need to have a separate commercial grade kitchen.
So that is why your HD is telling you that you can't have the fresh fruit in your cake.
As far as putting your cake in the fridge, it's not going to dry it out unless you don't wrap it well. When the cake is cold.. yes it can *feel* dryer than a room temp cake, but once it gets back to room temp it is more than fine. Most of the big names do indeed chill their cakes. They have to because getting fondant (nicely) onto a cake covered with meringue based icing is a HUGE pain in the a$$ if it isn't chilled firm.
Everyone's experiences will be different depending on what you use to make your cakes so what works for one isn't going to work or be necessary for all.
If you have a residential license you aren't supposed to use fresh fruits in your cakes at all... nor are you supposed to use any cream fillings or anything that requires refrigeration. It's just how it works. So no lemon curd, no bavarian cream, no raspberry puree... nothing. It's shelf stable buttercream with artificial flavorings if you want to go fruity or sleeved fillings. Hell... here you can't even make banana or pumpkin cake in your home kitchen due to their higher water content and pH. Fresh fruit introduces water to the cake and where there is water and sugar there is potential for bacterial growth. In order to do all of those wonderful things... you need to have a separate commercial grade kitchen.
So that is why your HD is telling you that you can't have the fresh fruit in your cake.
As far as putting your cake in the fridge, it's not going to dry it out unless you don't wrap it well. When the cake is cold.. yes it can *feel* dryer than a room temp cake, but once it gets back to room temp it is more than fine. Most of the big names do indeed chill their cakes. They have to because getting fondant (nicely) onto a cake covered with meringue based icing is a HUGE pain in the a$$ if it isn't chilled firm.
Everyone's experiences will be different depending on what you use to make your cakes so what works for one isn't going to work or be necessary for all.
Littlemissbakesalot~ You are very helpful, thanks! I can't make banana, zucchini or carrot cakes here either. I always tell my customers to let the cake warm up to room temp if they choose to refrigerate it anyway...it makes the frosting taste better. Or as Weird Al would say..."just eat it!"
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