I am making a three tier cake this week. I've already gotten underway but there is one thing that keeps nagging at me. You see, the buyer wants to pick it up. Normally, that wouldn't be a problem but since I need to add a specific border, I have to be the one to assemble it. Would it be crazy to stack it all and hand it over to her? Can anyone offer suggestions that might make it more road-worthy? I know it's silly but this is seriously keeping me awake at night. My husband says that once she takes it, it's her problem but I'd hate to know that something aweful happened to it before her party.

Is there any way you could make it with the Wilton hidden pillars and plastic plates so she could assemble it herself when she gets to her destination? I hate to put the borders on a stacked cake before driving, because even if it's dowelled well it does tend to shift a bit during the drive.

My three-tiered cakes are so well doweled that I would have no problem turning it over to someone. And remember, once they get it, it's their problem. If they slam on the brakes and the cake goes flying, it's not your issue. I dowel my cakes like this: 1 dowel per inch with a center support. For example, if I have a cake with 8, 6 and 4 inch tiers I would have 6 dowels in the 8 inch cake to support the 6 inch tier. 4 dowels in the 6 inch cake for the top tier (if it needs support) and a center dowel through the whole cake. Never had one collapse!

Is their a reason that she wants to take it herself? Maybe you could strongly suggest that you be the one to deliver it for her. Or, just assemble the whole thing and drive a wooden dowel down the center of the whole things and hope for the best! I have never had this problem before, usually everyone whats to have it delivered! Good Luck!

I told her that I would deliver it for a fee since the location is almost an hour away. I'm guessing that she just didn't want to pay the extra money. Sigh!

In that case just dowel it really well and make sure she signs off on the cake!

I've preassembled and delivered up to a 3 tier with no problem
just dowel all the way thru the whole thing
but four tiers? how far?

i dunno....deliveries make me nervous enough!

I'm going to make sure that she drives her SUV and tell her to bring a sturdy cookie sheet and lots of clean towels. Please keep your fingers crossed for this one!

Also insist that she DOES NOT put it on a seat. That the back of her SUV must be clear so you have a flat place to locate the cake. You will not let it go if it is to sit on the seat or the floor infront of a seat.