Fondant Cake: Transport Stacked Or Unstacked?
Decorating By Botanesis Updated 5 May 2007 , 7:15pm by tcturtleshell
Hi there!
I am transporting my first wedding cake next Saturday. I use Satin Ice Fondant. I'm having a dilema. The cake is going to have filling, so I'll need to refrigerate the cakes as soon as they are covered in the Satin Ice. While the fondant is still soft, should I go ahead and stack them (securing them with the dowel down the center), then refrigerate? Or refrigerate, then assemble the day of?
I started thinking I would refrigerate separately, but then I realized that the fondant would be firm, and may crack or break if it starts to settle a little.
What should I do to ensure that this cake gets to the wedding in great condition? It's a one hour drive 
Thank you so much cake goddesses!! 
My suggestion would be to deliver and then assemble. Fondant cakes are extremely heavy and unless you are a body builder, it will be really tough to carry or even move from your kitchen to your vehicle and then to the reception area.
Even if properly supported, stacked cakes can still be damaged easily in a vehicle. It's not just the rough roads, but the turns that can make a cake tip over. Gravity and G forces are just not great for cakes. 
Condensation from the cakes coming out of the refrigerator may also cause some problems. This can range from air pockets, the loss of side decorations, to stacked cakes sliding.
Good luck with your cake. I'm sure everything will be fine.
Michele
Not saying that Sugarflowers is wrong but I transport all my stacked cakes assembled. I dowel each layer & also dowel down the middle. I put the cake in a huge box (that I buy from the U-haul store) w/ non-skid shelf paper underneath the cake & the box so it doesn't move in the van. I've never had any problems at all. I've done all stacked cakes & transported them all assembled.
Thank you so much for the replies. The entire cake is going to be a 4 tier, 2-layer oval cake. If I do stack, it would only be the bottom 3 tiers, then the top one added on-site. I am most worried about ruining the fondant, once it dries.
AND...I'll be by myself on this one. So lifting it by myself might be a little work. The G force thing makes sense. If anyone else has had experience with this, good or bad, please feel free to make a suggestion.
Thank you so much!
BUMP
I transport all my cakes already stacked. Never had a problem so far. I do dowel them very good though.
I just hate the thought of trying to put the cakes together and finish them off with people watching me. I would be a wreck doing that. So they are always done and then dropped off.
If the cake is to heavy I've asked for a strong man to come out and carry it for me. Or I would bring a friend to help me carry it.
I always have my DH to help me~ I'm a nervous wreck when he's carrying it inside but once it's on the table I calm down 
Your not going to ruin the fondant, I promise. I always dowel down the middle. Just added protection 
Use that non-skid shelf paper. I'm telling you unless you have to slam on your breaks/lock them up/or have a wreck the cake isn't going anywhere. I have traveled 2 1/2 hours before & the cakes never moved. I had my purse up front w/ me & it rolled back & forth & even under my feet one time. The cakes never moved.
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