Hi there - I have a question and need some ideas. I have a cake to do for a baptism this week-end, because the baptism is out of town the mother would like the cake delivered Friday so they can take it with them when they leave Friday, the baptism is on Sunday. If I bake the cake tonight, decorate tomorrow and deliver Friday morning, will the cake still be fresh and moist for Sunday, there is a fridge available at the destination.

I could bake and decorate tomorrow, it is not an elaborate cake, I guess I am just worried that come Sunday it won't be as fresh as it could be, and as you can see time does not permit for me to freeze it even.

Any suggestions?

I think I would probably wait till the last minute to bake and decorate, since it's not an elaborate cake. That way, it will be the freshest it can be.

You may also want to put simple syrup on it after it comes out of the oven, that may help keep it moist too.

I would do whatever your timeline dictates. Last week, I baked the Elmo cake on Tuesday for Saturday and it was just fine. I didn't freeze it either--just wrapped it really well and left them on the counter. I iced it on Thursday, decorated it on Friday afternoon and served it on Saturday. since I was at the event--I could judge the taste/freshness for myself. Honestly--it was just as moist and delicious as it would have been had I made it the day before.

Just make sure that it is wrapped really well and boxed upon delivery. I wouldn't use any fillings/icings that need to be refridgerated either. I think that cakes taste best when they haven't been chilled down (just mpo).

Post a pic when you finish! I love looking at everyone's cakes!

Lisa

I have heard of simple syrup but have not yet tried it, I looked for the receipe, but the only one I found on here was for a brandy one (maybe I am looking in the wrong place) could someone please post it for me. I think I may try that to be on the safe side.

The cake is a 9x13 sheet cake with some royal flowers and a buttercreme cross on it with a saying it will be filled with pudding, I suggested this to her because she will be travelling about 1 hr with it, maybe I will bake and decorate tomorrow, just to be safe. Do you think I should tell her to refridgerate it when she gets there Friday night and then take it out Sunday morning before the baptism so it has a chance to come back to room temp? Or should I just tell her to leave it out

I dont see a problem doing the cake today/tonight. The sugar acts as a preservative and all my cakes stay moist for at least 7 days after baking it..... just keeping it out of direct air is the key (I cover mine with saran wrap) or anything that keeps the air off of it....

If I box it up real good and maybe have her put it in a garbage bag so air doesn't get to it, for the drive there and Saturday unitl she is ready for it Sunday.

I might still put simple syrup on it to be on the safe side

If you are using pudding as a filling, make sure you tell her to refrigerate the cake until the event since she is picking it up on Friday and it won't be served until Sunday.

msumissa, can you share the simple syrup recipe you use?

Cake4You,
Did you find a recipe for simple syrup? This is the one I use. You can add any kind of flavoring you like (I usually use amaretto liquor, but you don't have to use flavoring at all.) You just combine 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of cold water in a saucepan and bring to a boil (just below soft ball stage on the candy thermometer.) I let it cool and then pour it into a squeeze bottle. Make sure you don't boil it too long - you'll get sugar crystals or WORSE - candy! It also helps to prevent crystals if you use a pastry brush, dip it in cold water, and brush down the sides of the pan as it boils. Hope this helps!

Okay, I think I am ready to make this cake.

Thanks for the simple syrup reciepe, I am going to give this a try, I will make sure I have here put it in the fridge at her destination until the day of the event.

Thanks for your help everyone!!!

I will post a pic of this when I am done, actually I have a few to upload now!!!

I just use 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water like above. I have never added any flavor, but that is a good thought!!!

Bake on Thursday, wrap with saran wrap as soon as you turn it out of the pan. Return it to the pan and place in the freezer. Decorate and keep refrigerated until you deliver on Friday. They should keep the cake refrigerated (due to the filling) until the party starts. If you do this, you don't need simple syrup to keep the cake moist and fresh. HTH

Well, about the earliest anyone that I know will bake a cake that is due for a Saturday, is about the Wednesday before. What you have to remember is that the cake even in that case will be 3 days old. Plus if people have leftovers they will want to be able to keep them for a couple of days.
I understand that sometimes things aren't avoidable, but it isn't a good habit to get into. Generally unless a cake is realy huge, the cake should only be baked a day or two before the delivery date or frozen if the timeframe is longer. The cake if baked tomorrow will likely still be fine on Sunday though. But that is about the limit I would ever go, instead preferring to generally bake a Saturday wedding cake on the thursday before.
Filling with a pudding, well a cooked thick type of pudding filling will hold up best. Generally for cooked puddings I only fill them the day before the delivery date at the earliest. Some pudding fillings keep better than others, some reabsorb back into the cake. Puddings, being made up of milk mainly, should generally be refridgerated. So the transport method should be in an air-conditioned car and not for a long period of time and not in sunlight. It should be immediately tranferred to a refridgerator. I wouldn't travel with a cake like this for anymore than 1 hour. I take it you are filling the cake on the Thursday. That is a lot longer than I would go with a filled cake. Especially one that will be transported and one you have no control over the temperatures it is exposed to.
I find that people are doing things and saying that it worked fine. Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't. The thing is there are risks involved and different climatic exposures and such. Some people don't get sick from anything, others get food poisoning quite easily - diabetics, small children and the elderly.
Personally, I would not serve a cake more than 4 days old to anyone but my family and usually would throw out a cake of more than 4 days old. I would not sell a cake that was prepared more than 3 days in advance, it just isn't fresh.
I think folks need to be very careful when they are selling to the public. I think this is a huge risk for those of you in the U.S.A. where people can and will sue for almost anything.
I find that people are taking a lot of chances with the types of icings and fillings they are exposing to outdoor elements. I think the problem is that though people take decorating course, they have limited knowledge of safe baking proceedures, food safety practices and the limitations of shelf life on various ingredients.
I think that people should not take orders where time constraints will mean that the customer will be receiving a product that is deemed less than fresh.
Personally if I was in this situation, I would not use a pudding filling of any kind.
Here is a standard Simple Syrup recipe.
Simple Syrup
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar (optional)

Servings: About 1 cup

Procedure: Combine ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook, stirring gently with a wooden spoon over low heat until the mixture is hot to the touch and most of the sugar is dissolved; do not stir again, or the sugar may crystallize as it cools. Brush down the insides of the pan with a wet pastry brush and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer gently for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool, uncovered, before using.

Storage: This keeps in a covered container for up to three weeks at room temperature, or up to 6 months refrigerated. Use it to sweeten coldor alcoholic drinks, or to combine with liqueurs to moisten cake layers before filling and frosting.
You may add 1-2 tbsp. of a liquer to use as a flavouring.

Thank you for your input, squirrleycake, I can definately omit the filling, the lady this is for would be fine with that, I would generally want to bake Friday night, decorate Saturday and deliver (or p/u) on the Sunday, but in this case that is not possible, and she really wants me to do the cake (and I want to do it for her too!!) I will certainly not get inot a habit of delivering stale cakes, but again because of these cirmcumstances, I need to get it to her 2 days prior to her event, meaning I need to bake today or tomorrow. (I think I will bake and decorate tomorrow) I will definately simple syrup the cake and omit the filling and tell her to keep the a/c on in the car and put it in the fridge immediately upon her arrival. She is only going about 45 min to 1hr in the car.

The pudding I will be using is the pudding already in the pudding cups like a jell-o brand, that comes un-refridgerated in the grocery aisles (in the 4-packs), I was under the impression this did not have to be refridgerated??

I have a wedding cake to do at the end of the month, and was wondering the same question...I'm only planning to use buttercream icing between the layers. Would I need to refrigerate the layers, or could I wrap them tight and leave them on the counter? I figured in order to get the cakes all baked in time to decorate on Saturday...I would need to start baking Wednesday night. Keep in mind...I work a full-time job; therefore, I can't do any of this during the day...evenings only. Figured I would bake one layer/tier each evening...have 3 tiers to do. Hate the thought of icing all them on Saturday, but pretty basic assembly, and I have all day. Do you agree? Let me know on the above part more so though. Thanks

I think your timeframe is fine. Even if you only use a crumbcoat of buttercream icing. I like to use the apricot glaze, but sugar syrup is cheaper and works well too.
Actually a lot of folks are under that impression about the pudding cups. Jeanne G from the Wilton site contacted several of the manufacturer's and they were horrified that folks thought these puddings could be kept at room temperature AFTER they were opened. Not so, they need refridgeration.
For a filling, they are one of the worse ones for separating or absorbing back into the cake. They are fine for a day or so refridgerated, but actually a cooked pudding filling holds up much better, maintaining its thickness and texture and not absorbing back into the cake. Whenever you do use a filling like this, always use a stiff buttercream icing dam, in about 1/4 inch from the outer rim of the cake. The easiest way to do this is to just use your icing bag with the coupler inside - it makes about a 3/4 inch thick bead which is perfect. Always fill lower than the dam. Replace top layer and press down slightly.
I think you are best off just filling this cake with buttercream. The hour in the car with the a/c will make the cake hold up fine.
Here is a simple cooked pudding filling.
Vanilla Cream Filling
To scald milk is to make it hot, but not to the point of boiling it. It has reached the scalding point when bubbles form a ring against the side of the pan but don't appear on the surface ot the liquid.
This can be made on the top of a double boiler with the bottom section filled with boiled water or directly on the stove in a small heavy bottomed saucepan.
In a small saucepan over medium low heat, scald : 1 cup milk - for best results use whole milk.
Combine in a small saucepan:
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
pinch of salt
Very gradually add your scalded milk and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened. Cover and cook 2 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir a small amount of the hot mixture into :
1 egg, slightly beaten with a fork
Blend this mixture into the hot mixture and cook for 1 minute longer, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and blend in:
1 tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla.
Let cook. Makes 1 cup filling, enough to fill an 8-10 inch cake.
Variations:
Almond Cream - Follow basic recipe but substitute 1/4 tsp. almond extract for the vanilla and add 1/3 cup slivered blanched almonds at the end.
Banana Cream - follow vanilla cream instructions, but just before serving add 1 banana sliced
Coconut Cream - Follow recipe but add 1/2 cup desiccated coconut at the end.
Coffee Cream - Follow vanila instructions, but add 2 tsp. instant coffee powder to the scalded milk.
Butterscotch Cream - Substitute 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar for the white sugar and follow other instructions.
Chocolate Cream - Follow vanilla instructions but substitute 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa for the sugar and salt called for in the recipe.
Always let fillings cool down to room temperature before filling a cake. Refridgerate after filling.
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes

I thank you for the info on the pudding cups.....I did not know that at all, I will definately be more concious of that.

I do always use a dam with the coupler for any cake I fill, I learned that in my first night of wilton course 1.

The receipe for the pudding sounds good, I printed it off and I will have to try that on a future cake.

Thanks again!!

Hi Cake4you,
You are most welcome. Just thought I would mention the dam, apparently not all Wilton instructors teach this.
Hope the cake goes well.
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes

Sure are glad you are around Squirrley Cakes! You have such good information!

I finally got around to posting the picture of this cake it is in my photos, as you will see in the photo, I simple syruped it and baked and decorated on the Friday, I brought it to her on the Sat morn, it was the first cake that this lady had ordered from anyone that there was not any left, people were coming back for more but it was all gone, it was a 9x13 - 1/2 white and 1/2 choc, to serve 25 people, it was nice to hear that it went over that well.....and I did get (3) more orders from it!!! Whoo Hoo!!!

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for their input, you girls (&guys) ROCK!!!

I use a "sealer" recipe. Equal parts powder sugar to equal parts warm (to dissolve the sugar) water with about 1/2 teaspoon flavoring and a dash of salt. I eyeball these messurements. It also works as a crumb coat. Hope this helps!

I forgot to mention that a sealed, frosted cake should stay fresh for about 5 days