Hi everyone, although I have had sponge at home for a good week (but in airtight container) how long is it advisable to bake sponge and or decorate it before needed. I have my first wedding cake to do (as a gift to bride) but don't know how u ladies bake, crumb coat, fondant, decorate and stack 3 or 4 tiers for the big day, especially if u are a guest too!

Please would someone give me a time line to follow!, Many thanks

Hi,

I don't use a sponge cake recipe BUT I'm assuming that you can use it just the same as we would any other cake recipe. You can bake yr cake ahead of time (days before) if yr pressed for time and wrap n freeze until yr ready to filling, cover and decorate. You take yr cake out a few days before the event. Let it thaw out completely while still wrapped and all condensation is gone. **CHECK FORUM ON HERE FOR INSTRUCTIONS ON FREEZING\\THAWING YR CAKE**. Then proceed as usual, filling n covering. Remember that a fondant covered cake W\\O PERSHIABLE FILLINGS will last days IF NOT CUT!! Which gives you time to work on it too.

So with all that said, me, myself. I would start with baking at beginning of week, wrap n freeze til wed night. Thaw out, cut n fill n crumbcoat on thurs and continue the rest up til hrs before its due. Just to gv me an hr or 2 to get myself ready for the event. This is just the way I would do it. Maybe our other cake buddies will have an answer for you as well

HTH

Sponge cake has no fat which means a shorter life. If possible, can you use a recipe with a higher fat content?

Thanks for your replies. This is prob what I would do, just is a lot for me to decorate 3 or 4 tiers in 1 ro 2 days!! (maybe I'm too slow)

When I say sponge cake, what I always use is prob more of what we call in the UK as pound cake? I weigh the eggs and use the same amount of everything else, eg flour, butter, sugar, so it does have quite a bit of fat.

i think you should be asbolutley fine if you freeze! my party sponges are all that recipe and usually i bake wedensday, fill/crumbcoat thursday, fondant and decorate friday ready for cake on saturday and its always fine, perfectly moist and in good nick

Thanks Cath, thats the timetable I usually use too. I will just have to work faster as it usually takes me at least half a day Friday to decorate one cake, let alone 3 tiers!

Hence why the freezer shall be your best friend at this point lol! Also one of the reasons i prefer to make teired cakes from fruit, though not many that want them these days lol!