I usually have one or more of my kids help by holding a cake while we travel to the venue. They slide if I put them in boxes and it's so stressful getting them there. How do you all get your cakes out the door safely?

First I use SPS as my support system, so I know the cakes' are not moving.
Then I put non-skid mat in the back of the SUV. Set the cakes on the non-skid and off we go. I was taught NOT to box for delivery. I can travel with stacked cakes, no problem. Easy.

non skid is key, even with a small cake or one tiered. I tried having a cake on my lap once.... yeah, never again. I used Stress Free Supports in tiered cakes over 2 tiers, and I also don't assemble until I get there for weddings.
Both are just personal preferences- SPS works great too, and I know plenty of people who deliver fully assembled with nary a worry.
I also never box wedding cakes, just another step that can connect fingers to cake icing.

non-skid material is a MUST. I use my 18x26 baking sheets with non-skid material to transport an unassembled cake, like in this pic: http://www.flickr.com/photos/55969028@N00/3557930383/

If I put the cakes in a box, a small square of non-skid goes in the box, under the cake. then non-skid goes under the box when I put it in the van.

Even my assembled cakes are placed on my 18x26 pans with non-skid under them.

Cakes should be transported on a flat surface (not someone's lap).

I'm not a pro, just an avid hobbyist. Most of my cakes are delivered to family members about 2 hours away by car.

I place a large sheet of upholstery foam in the back of our small SUV (rides rough!). In the kitchen, I place another sheet of upholstery foam on a large square of thick plywood, then place the cake on the foam. I place a large cardboard box upside down over the cake.

Most of my cakes are two tiers, and are transported fully assembled.

So far not one slip, slide, ding or dropped decoration. And I mean our SUV rides rough - 99 RAV4.

This is a good place to repeat myself.

I normally transport cakes in separate boxes, as the city and area I live in is extremely hilly, with winding turns.

I learned my lesson in May, when I tried transporting a 3-tier cake without a center dowel. The tier supports held, but when I went around a turn, and with it being so warm out, I ended up with a cake that was leaning, and not just a bit. There was no place on the way to stop and purchase a long dowel, otherwise I would have corrected it before I got there.

I so much want to buy the SPS, but the infrequency of use does not justify the expense at the present time. Perhaps all my nieces and nephews will get married soon. Then I'll have need for it.

Theresa

You do realize that for a four tier cake, SPS will cost you under $17?

I use a non skid material and I use a dowel in the center and just take it slow and I usually do not have any problems. The tallest I've delivered was a three tier any more tiers I assemble on site.

i deliver a cold cake, using a non skid mat, and riding flat in the back of the car. I deliver all my cakes stacked, never thought to do it anyother way until i started visiting the internet, haven't lost one yet and i travel some very ruff roads. The only road i worry about the most is if i have to stop at the end of my road the cake would then be sitting on an angle. The other thing i worry about is if i have to take a cake through the round about, because although its been in a couple of years still no one seems to know how to drive through it and they don't like to yield the right of way.

leah_s
I am not sure I really understand how the SPS works. Is there just that little notch holding the cake in place ? No center dowel ? I've looked at it, but guess I can't wrap my brain around how it works. Can you pm me with information?

I can't PM you any more than what's in the sticky at the top of the How Do I? Forum. There just isn't any more info. Maybe if you print it out that would help. You do not need a center dowel with SPS - it's quite secure.

Sources for SPS are:
Global Sugar Art
Oasis Supply
If you can buy wholesale, Bakery Craft (the manufacturer)

I use SPS, and use royal icing to glue the cake board to the plastic plate..only had one cake topper slide on me and that was a very hard sudden stop. No damage to the cake, just slid a little.

I box all my cakes in a special box we made that the sides drop down and the cake slides inside a holder with a non slip mat in it. I like this as it keeps the sun out of the box and also keeps people from wanting to "help" when we get to the venue. It also keeps the cold in the box (i transport all my cakes cold) I dont understand the "finger" thing...you can poke a cake without being a box as much as in the box! haha!

Our van is lined with the egg crate stuff you put on your mattress then non slip mats. And we have A/C in the back, so it stays cool back there.

My DH wants one of those new Ford commerical vans in the worse way. I saw Duff went and got himself one!

Lots of talk about the SPS could someone please explain what the sps system is. Thanks

[quote="Mommyofseven"]Lots of talk about the SPS could someone please explain what the sps system is. Thanks[/quote]

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read my siggy

Thank you leah_s that helped. I found this link on that thread. http://media.cakecentral.com/files/sps_104.pdf

Yep, those are my instructions.

I've read those instructions a million times and I still don't get how the little notch holds the cake in place!!

Hmmm.... No box? Don't you worry about dust, hair, lint etc getting onto the cake?

I absolutely LOVE the sps system, that is all I use. And I don't find it to be expensive at all. I consider it piece of mind. I also use non slip matting under the cake circle in the box as well as under the box. I found my yoga matt works perfectly as a grippy mat in my car. (you can figure out I don't use it for it's original purchase ) I bought a magnum to use as my delivery vehicle and it all works great.! My windows are tinted and in the warmer weather I Pre-cool the car before I put the cake in for transport. i have delivered both stacked tiered cakes and cakes which I stack and assemble on site. I love being able to drop and run though.

Does anyone have a source for the non-slip mats? Are they a certain brand? Thank you!

May I just say Indydebi, I love your picture! very fitting for your personalitity!!! awsome. I need to find a good avatar.

Sorry,, carry on........

You can usually find it anywhere they sell kitchen wares, It comes in a roll ,all different colors, I think it's used for lining kitchen draws. Not sure of the actual name of the stuff. it cuts easy and washes pretty easy too.

looks like:

http://www.organizeit.com/pogripit.asp

My Walmart carries a pretty good selection of this stuff.

Ahh! Thank you very much for your responses!

About the peg:

The icing that you put on the SPS plate holds the cardboard onto the plate.
The peg goes into the hole you punched in your cardboard so that the cardboard can't go sideways.
The icing that you put on the cardboard holds the cake to the board.
And so on.

The legs lock onto the plate.

Everything's tied together, just like the bricks and morter and joists and floors in your house.

And unlike dowels and cardboards. The cake may be iced onto the cardboard, but that cardboard is just sittin' there on top of those 1/4" dowels. Which you have to *hope* you cut exactly even.