Wanted to know if anyone has ever baked and decorated a cake 2 days before the event.

I am pressed for time and think I may need to bake and decorate 2 days before but I am concerned about my icing color fading or bleeding (black usually turns purplish) and I am concerned about the cake drying out or tasting like the box.

Any comments for me to consider before I do this?

I try not to bake that early, but have never had any problems when I have had to. Just box it, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze. When you take it out leave it wrapped until it reaches room temp, that will help with condensation.

You would wrap it in saran after you have decorated it, would the icing smoosh ? There are borders and scroll work on the cake.

This cake was baked and decorated ONE WEEK before it was served:

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1987812

This cake was baked and decorated 10 DAYS before it was first cut for serving and the last piece was served ONE WEEK after it was first cut.

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1949660

In the case of the first one I had bypass surgery the week of my DH's birthday so I baked and decorated the cake beforehand. Since it was fondant, I didn't want to refrigerate it, and I didn't want him to see it anyway so I stored it in the cold room in the basement. Baked and decorated the cake Thursday, had surgery Monday, came home Wednesday, served the cake Thursday and it was as perfectly moist as any cake I've served the same day. I did make sure the crumb coat and fondant were sealed well to the cake board and of course I used non-perishable filling.

The sunflower cake was baked and decorated on a Thursday, traveled for two days in the (air conditioned) cab of a big rig, was delivered on Sunday. It went into the fridge and wasn't served till the following Saturday. The final piece was eaten a week after that. That wasn't how I planned it, but my friend decided that she had to wait till her whole family could see the cake. Everyone loved it to the last piece. Again, I made sure that the crumb coat and fondant were sealed to the board and added the buttercream leaves around the bottom to make sure it was well sealed and used non-perishable filling.

So no, two days shouldn't be an issue as long as your frosting/fondant seals to the board the cake under it should remain moist (providing its moist to begin with which is another story). As to the fading of fugitive colors, make sure that you store the cake out of the light (both sunlight and artificial light) and they should be OK.

I prefer to go no more than 3-4 days before the cake is needed. Many of time I have started baking on Wed or Thursday for a Saturday event, and have not had a problem.

Thanks for your responses!!

Lovely cakes you created, cakeyouverymuch!

ok, thats what I was looking for. I am using buttercream and I already made the icing and set it out under the light so that the icing will change to the true color and then just sealed my icing container. And yea, its already moist. There in the freezer. I always bake 3 or 4 days ahead and freeze then decorate. But just never decorated that far in advance.

I was worried about a cardboard taste and fading.. you've have been a big help!

oohh...now thats a good one too...thanks!