I finished this cake very late last night after working all day in the yard. I tented it to protect the top and this morning looked at it and wondered why, since I have a lid for the box. Hours of shoveling dirt for a new flower bed is my only excuse. So before I took off the tent I took a pic to post since ones have asked about transporting a large cake you can't put a lid on. This is what I do with wedding tiers etc that fit my box but are too tall for the lid. I use wide packaging tape a fix a plastic (or cardboard) 9x13 cake board to the inside of my box, then stretch plastic wrap from end to end, and then another piece around each side to seal. I use a sheet of rubber mesh shelf liner under the cake if it is small enough to shift at all in the box. Another sheet of the mesh goes under the box in the cargo area where the box rides in my car and it won't budge.

This is good to know. I delivered my wedding cakes in a similar fashion. My largest was only 10" but I did place the no skid shelf liner under the cake board in the box and then placed some under box in my SUV. No skid shelf liner works wonders b/c my cakes didn't move at all during the entire travel process.

Do you mind if I ask what recipe you used to make French Vanilla cake? I made french vanilla once before but didn't really like how it came out. It seemed a little dry than most of my cakes. I used french vanilla creamer in place of milk.

Did you do the same?

Actually it was a mix not a recipe. I think it was Pillsbury. I am trying it out and if I gets good reviews I may use it as is or doctor it. I don't like doing cakes from scratch and see no need since I like the mixes so well. I've been using DH classic whites exclusively thus far but decided to try some of the vanillas I've been hearing about. Judging from the part I cut off to level I'm not sure I'll like this one. I just bought some french vanilla creamer to try in my buttercream. Have you tried that? Maybe I shouldn't have experimented on a new cake and icing at the same time. Hmm... Guess I'll see this afternoon.

I have tried french vanilla creamer in my buttercream but it didn't taste any different to me. I only used enough to thin the icing anyway so maybe that's why.

CarolAnn...I've used this same method with my 3D cakes. It works great! I just taped the lid to stay open enough to fit the cake and covered the opening tightly with plastic wrap. You could see the front of the cake so it looked good too.

I wonder if the new press and seal wrap will work too? Just a thought.

i like that idea. where did you come up with that??

I don't think press n seal is clear like plastic wrap. I think it looks like parchment paper. I haven't tried it either but I hope to do so soon.

I have a friend who uses the press and seal. Seems like it's textured and sort of opaque (not crystal clear). I use the stretchable plastic from Wal Mart and love it. It's only $1.97 for 250 ft. It stretches and clings great but isn't a pain sticking to itself like Saran wrap. The press and seal would be expensive to use for cakes in my opinion. Check it out and let me know what you think.