Long Cake Delivery

Decorating By LeslieBruckman Updated 3 Aug 2013 , 7:29am by LeslieBruckman

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LeslieBruckman Posted 2 Aug 2013 , 2:20am
post #1 of 6

I'm making a friend's wedding cake in Michigan and driving it in my car to Pittsburgh. It's a 7 hour drive. Once I get through Ohio, I'll be driving about a 2 hour leg in the mountains. I'm unsure as to how hilly/mountainy it will be. But I'm guessing pretty much a lot.

It's a 2 tier, butter cream cake. I plan to torte and fill the cake here and take the tiers unassembled. But, was unsure if I should only crumb coat and plastic wrap and frost on site or if I should try something else? I do have a kitchen to work in, but I'm unsure as to size or amenities.

Any helpful suggestions at all? Please and thanks!

 

5 replies
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rowantree Posted 2 Aug 2013 , 2:47am
post #2 of 6

I transported a full sheet cake based, three tiered wedding cake out to a remote camping site in August at 100degF one summer, placing the sheet cake in the back of my sister's SUV, and holding the already assembled three tiers in my outstretched arms for a four-mile ride along a washboard hard dirt road into the woods!  What a trip!

 

I'm sure if you crumbcoat and chill(even freeze) your tiers, wrap them in plastic and snug them into cardboard boxes, surround them with coldpacks and make sure they are flat on the floor or bottom of your otherwise empty trunk, you'll get them there fine.  Excessive centrifugal force (swinging fast around a sharp curve or turn) and sudden impacts(pot holes or other cars!) or sudden stopping are your worst enemy, so go carefully and give yourself plenty of time to get there and set up to finish it off--all you should need is your bowl of frosting, bags/tips, decorations and a little time in a cool place.

Good luck! 
 

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kakeladi Posted 2 Aug 2013 , 4:35am
post #3 of 6

You completely ice and decorate each tier - expect for the bottom border of the upper tier.  I have lived in mts so I know what it's like to drive them.  For the most part the roads are just as good or b etter than city driving :)

Very few palces are bad enough to be a concern.  Usually the rise in elevation is very gradual so you shouldn't have any problems really. 

BTW: once a cake is crrumb coated it does not need to be wrapped in plastic - in fact that will undo the effect of the crumb coating.  It will last at room temp up to 3 days just with a good crumb coating.

 

rowantree said:.......make sure they are flat on the floor or bottom of your otherwise empty trunk, you'll get them there fine.  Excessive centrifugal force (swinging fast around a sharp curve or turn) and sudden impacts(pot holes or other cars!) or sudden stopping are your worst enemy, so go carefully and give yourself plenty of time to get there.....

This is good driving advice:)  Be sure to put some non-skid shelf liner under each cake box and you should do just fine

 

............three tiered wedding cake out to a remote camping site in August at 100degF one summer, placing the sheet cake in the back of my sister's SUV, and holding the already assembled three tiers in my outstretched arms for a four-mile ride along a washboard hard dirt road into the woods!  What a trip!.........

 

.  Yep, I also have had similar deliveries but very quickly found NOT to hold/carry on lap!

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LeslieBruckman Posted 2 Aug 2013 , 5:37am
post #4 of 6

I've delivered quite a few cakes. One recently about 50 miles in 100 degree weather... so I know how that goes. The buttercream peeled down the sides of the cake. Luckily, it all stayed in solid pieces and I just had to remove the pearl decor, pipe on more buttercream and smoosh it back on. Quick trip to the venues freezer to harden it all back up for a few minutes and it was all fixed. No one was the wiser. :)

So, completely assembled and decorated? I was even starting to think of not actually crumb coating them, because of the plastic wrap thing and just torte, fill and stack and wrap in plastic.

I have just had an instance where a filled cake slid apart. I'm not sure why. It was only a one time deal. It was only one tier of the cake. I'm still baffled by it, because all the rest of the tiers were the same and nothing happened to them. 

I just won't have ANY way to rebake if it breaks so I thought maybe it would just be safest to freeze solid and transport unfrosted, wrapped up. It should be thawed by the time I arrive. I know that sounds terrible... but I'm more concerned that it makes it at this point.

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kakeladi Posted 2 Aug 2013 , 8:52pm
post #5 of 6

..............I've delivered quite a few cakes. One recently about 50 miles in 100 degree weather... so I know how that goes. The buttercream peeled down the sides of the cake. Luckily, it all stayed in solid pieces and I just had to remove the pearl decor, pipe on more buttercream and smoosh it back on............

 

So have I - many 100s in similar weather and only *!* had similar icing peeling  problems and that was very early in my 30+ yr decorating career.

 

........... just had an instance where a filled cake slid apart. I'm not sure why...........

 

What filling was used?  When you put the layers together, just push down on it so that the layers adhere well together.  Again, that happened once to me - again very, very early on.

Of course, it's up to  you which way to go but a fzn cake will thaw in only an hour or two for the largest tiers.  How much help is that really going to be on a 7 hr trip? 

The problem you might have w/doing everything on site is that  you most likely will forget some important piece of equipment - been there, done that :(  NO fun trying to find something that will improvise that most important thing.  You will have to be VERY, Very, very careful to pack, double check and double check again to be sure you have everything you might need.  By at least filling, crumbing and icing you eliminate a few things - like a mixer, beaters, spatulas, scraper,  colors, turntable, and other things :)  Having all of that already done will save you several hours and headaches.

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LeslieBruckman Posted 3 Aug 2013 , 7:29am
post #6 of 6

The fillings were vanilla custard and strawberry preserves in one. Whipped cream and ganache in another. I think that could have been the issue... not letting it rest enough and not pressing it well enough. I haven't had issues since. Luckily, it was just the top, so it was easy to remove and readjust everything. I think the peeling buttercream may have also been a resting/settling issue, also. I just need to have some more patience. :)

Thanks for all of the good advice. I will have to really think about it. I'm just worried if luggage bumps into it... I plan to bungee it all down... but stuff happens. :/

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