K, I have to do a 4 tier square wedding cake this weekend for a few of our friends getting married. I have baked all the cakes and frozen them already... when is the earliest I can start doing this? I was thinking Thursday but would I be able to take them out on Wednesday already? The wedding is Saturday.

I also have a question on coloring. She wants a deep red for the scrolls, how do I mix the colors for that? Would it be red & black or red & burgundy... it's just a little darker than normal red.

And finally... transporting! Ugh, I'm SO worried about this! We are taking my parent's Concord because it's much roomier than our small Saturn but we still have to bring all of our bags, myself, my husband AND our 9 month old baby along with these 4 decorated cakes... I hate to put them in the trunk but I was thinking at least one is going to have to go back there... should I put the biggest one back there since it'll be the heaviest and probably won't move? I thought maybe one on the floor in the back so I can keep an eye on it and then hold one and put the other by my feet in the front... I just worry about that one in the trunk since I won't be able to check on it till we get there and it's a 2 hour drive, many bumpy roads...

One more thing... does anyone know where the serving charts are for square cakes? I'd like to print one out for the bride... thanks everyone!!!

Here's a bump.

Okay, here we go!

1) Can you put the large layer in a cake box (cake supply store?) of some kind? If not, wrap it well in Saran and use the rubberized shelf paper under it and it won't move. THEN use larger cake pans to put your other cake in. Shelf paper under the CAKE and also under the PAN.....again...no movement!! Here's a thought: Can you put YOUR travel stuff in the back seat and then put the all the layers in the trunk? That would be my first choice. Don't forget to take your REPAIR KIT. Just in case! LOL

2) You can take your cakes out of the freezer on Wednesday evening late OR if you need to earlier just put them in the fridge and they should be ready to decorate on Thursday.

3) I really have only done a dark red one time and I used red candy clay with black gel paste worked into it. I've never done it will b/c. SORRY!

GOOD LUCK and POST PICS! You'll do fine!
Lots of "Good Travel Vibes" to you!

Beth in KY

Thursday would work fine. Cakes dont' take long to thaw ..... I can usually work with mine after just a couple of hours out of the freezer. They're a little easier to work with when they are partially frozen and/or cold.

Serving sizes are easy for square cakes .... just do the math. Wedding pieces are 4"(tall)x2x1. So an 10" cake would be cut in 5 rows (2") x 10 rows (1") to equal 50 servings. A 14" cake would be cut 7x14 = 98 servings. If you're not confident about using exactly 2x1, then I'd subtract one row .... i.e. on the 10" cake, figure 5x9 rows; on the 14" cake, figure 7x12 or 7x13.

Start your red out with pink before you add any red to help you get a red color. Then begin adding other colors like maroon or burgundy to get the one she wants. Remember that the buttercream will dry about 2 shades darker. Also make up in advance (24-48 hrs)as the color will intensify as it sits.

thanks about the color, I will definetely do that with the pink... about transporting... if you saran wrap the cake won't that ruin the decorations? Just curious, I've never heard of doing that... where can you get that paper to put down so it doesn't slide?

We get that non-skid mat stuff next to the contact paper in the store. (like Meijer's or Wal-Mart)

Could also start out with orange to make red as well - good luck!

Quick side question: I have the same issue for next week, but I was wanting start decorating early in the week (teacher full time/cake decorator part time). Can I decorate and then refreeze them until the morning of the wedding? (all bc icing) I won't deliver them until about 4:30pm so they will have plenty of time to thaw during the day.