Hey everyone!

I need your help...I have never baked a cake before and this thanksgiving will be my first time. I am starting out simple (with a cake mix). We are going to a cottage for thanksgiving with my in-laws. So, I want to make the cake at home on Friday evening and it would be served Sunday. This is the cake recipe:

http://www.kraftcanada.com/en/recipes/luscious-four-layer-pumpkin-cake-88186.aspx

Do you think this would be OK to make a head? If not, do you think I could do any of it a head of time?

REALLY appreciate any guidance!

You can bake the cake a couple of days ahead of time.

Cut parchment paper circles for the bottoms of the pans. Keep the cake in the pans after baking, and wrap well with plastic wrap when it has cooled to room temperature. Then it can sit at room temperature. Travel with the cake still in the pans, then it won't break up. Make sure you have a bread knife to slice the layers.

The filling has to be kept cold. You can mix the cream cheese and pumpkin and vanilla just before you leave home. Travel with it in a tub on ice in a picnic cooler. Use a tub big enough to add the cool-whip later (no extra mixing bowl needed). Put this in the fridge at the cottage until you are about to serve the cake.

Add cool-whip at the last minute and put the cake together the rest of the way.

This cake has oil so it should stay nice and moist. You'll probably find that it will taste even better after a couple of days! BakingIrene's ideas are great! Good luck.