I just found out that we may be flying cross-country to celebrate some good news with family - and my first thought (you'd think I was insane after my last week of cake misshaps!) was to make a cake and bring it. Visions of a past flight where I watched a woman carefully carry a decorated cake on board (pre-911) quickly shifted my thinking to checking some frozen cakes in some box-type luggage, even some premade non-dairy frosting, some tools, royal icing flowers and assembling it when we got there. I don't want to have to bake when we get there, but assembling it shouldn't be a problem...
Or am I being a bit crazy???
You need to check out www.cakesafe.com 
(Mod edited to provide working link.)
Sounds like what a lot of us just did for Cake Camp - well except for the real cake. Is there any reason you couldn't just bake when you got there? I think you could take most of it if you checked your bags, however, pack it really well and have a Plan B & C! It sounds like the best part is seeing family and your announcement. Congratulations on your good news!
I dont see why you can't carry an undecorated cake on board with you. I would wrap it well and just make sure that the luggage is the correct size for carry on. If you plan on checking the luggage make sure it is wrapped well, but also padded well from any tossing around by the baggage handlers. I would be sure to put any tools or wires in luggage that is being checked in. TSA can be really screwy.
Hubby had a pair of regular tweezers (about 3-4") and TSA gave him a hard time. He is a pilot for AA and was in uniform. He was annoyed and wanted to say he has a ball point pin which could do more damage than the tweezers, but he didn't want to piss them off since he was working. So just be very careful what tools or supplies you bring on the plane. There does not seem to be much standardization among TSA. They have only given him a hard time about the tweezers a few times even though he carries them all the time.
Let us know how things turn out.
No, i don't think your crazy aT all.
Since 911 our aviation laws and what we can and can't do with regards to flying have changed dramatically also - (like so many cuntries) - keeping in line with America.
I had reason this time last year to fly interstate to surprise my Sister for her 50th I made - decorated and then placed each tier in a cake carrier and along with cases of other party supplies off we (DH and i) flew.
5.5 hour flight to the East side of Australia-
3 hour wait for connecting flight - then
1 hour 40 minute flight to final destination.
I carried both cake couriers on as hand luggage.
They went through the x-ray machine...then
they ran the personalised detector over both cakes
Cakes arrived just as pristine as they were sitting on my bench the morning we lenft.
Whilst sitting in the lounge waiting for connecting flights - i just undid the lids and tlted them about 1/2 inch so as the cakes could breath.
Bluehue.
That cake safe looks amazing! I'd hate to run through an airport with that! lol! And Bluehue, you are brave! Cake carries would make it easier - if there wasn't so much family & friends that will be there, I'd consider rounds in carriers, but I'm afraid a half sheet might work better... maybe a trimmed half sheet - I guess I need to go measure our luggage.... I could possibly bake it there - I know where we will be staying has a kitchen, but I'm not sure about a mixer. And honestly, the way things go for me, it would probably be a disaster - something won't work right. I'd feel better about trying to get it through the flight safely. I think I could pack it securely. I think.
At least you've made me think it's possible.... I'll have to continue dreaming about this - I have over a month, thankfully!
I would call the airline. Remember the story about the little girl's turtle being kicked off an Air Tran flight? It was because the animal could carry salmonella. You don't know how a particular airline may rule. If you call, it will go a long way to avoid having to pitch it at the airport. Or have to check it for some big $$. Another idea is to UPS it to your location uniced.
I would do it! Ive only ever brought flower paste flowers as hand luggage before (in a little box with bubble wrap made from food bags) and they survived perfectly despite us being bussed to another airport before we actually got on a plane.
Id bring it as hand luggage; Id doubt it would survive baggage handlers unless it is a heavy fruit cake well wrapped. If you want to do a sheet cake I would ice it and then decorate it when you get there. Decorations can always hide anything if there are any cracks or anything
Should it all go horribly wrong you can always make cake balls
I have taken completed, decorated cakes as a carry on post 9/11, with no problems.
Check with the airline you are flying on, but I think the carry on height allowance is 9 or 10 inches, so this is what i did...
1. stack and decorate the bottom 2 tiers (8" of cake plus the drum, and box)
2. then in a separate box stack and decorate the top two tiers, its easy assembly when you get to the party.
3. I started with flat cardboard and then scored and folded it tto create a box that was exactly the size of the cake.
4. cut a window and place plastic in it so the TSA can see whats in the box.
I take one and my husband takes one and they fit in the overhead bin no problem
I'm nervous about decorating it first.... even filling & stacking.... (what is brick-stacking btw? ) But I think you're right about doing it as a carryon. Especially if I can freeze it first - then I won't be as worried about it getting too hot & mucky in the overhead. Maybe I could check a freezer bag of non-butter buttercream.... that might be easy then to ice too, I could just cut off a corner and stick the whole thing in an icing bag later.... And I could carry on any ri flowers....
Thanks for sharing your experiences! I will call the airlines first, although I'm pretty sure the airline we'll use is good with bringing food, its' best to be sure.
I would even ask the airline to send, email or fax you instructions that they are quoting so when you get to security you can show it to them and they can confirm it. Otherwise it could end up as a he said/she said situation where everyone doesn't understand the rules the same way.
No need to do anything special. I've taken both "naked" layers & fully deco'd cakes on planes many times. Never called anyone and never had a problem--other than TSA people wanting to TASTE it.
Most overhead bins will accept items 12" tall, but the bins aren't level, so you need to have something to shim up the box with to level it out.
Make sure that the cake box can be easily opened if TSA wants to see inside, even after X-ray.
No need to freeze anything or use dry ice (that can cause more issues than the cake).
I hand carried naked layers, boxed, from Cleveland to Las Vegas and made my son's wedding cake (3 full tiers) from the bottom up while in a condo on the Strip. My 63 lbs. of buttercream, fondant, boards, tools, etc. were all checked luggage.
3 years later, I hand carried my grandson's 1st b-day cake and smash cake, fully decorated onto the plane.
Rae
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