I need to take a fully decorated 1/2 sheet cake 5 1/2 hours in the car. I usually transport cakes in the trunk so they stay totally flat rather than on the seats where I'm afraid of losing the cake at an angle. It is supposed to be 90+ degrees and humid. What is the best way to attempt this?
Can you fold your back seats down so the air conditioning reaches the trunk? I have done this and then allow enough time to cool the car down. The thing I like about this is that the cake is out of the sun and I don't have to worry about it. But don't know if this is an option or not.
Thanks for the ideas. I don't have enough clearance to put it on the floor, but my back seats do fold down.
I was planning on using buttercream and no filling. Does anyone forsee any problems with buttercream?
I have used a cooler in the trunk to keep it cool. Lay the cooler down on its "back", with it open and the cooler top flat on the trunk floor. Then set some set some dry ice on the sides next to the cake board. I have done this with the cake partially in and partially out of the cooler because it didn't fit and it worked fine for a one hour drive. Not sure 5 hours will work, but maybe.
If your back seats fold down, then put it in the trunk. Start yuor car about 10 minutes before leaving and have the air on so the car cools down before you put the cake in. I usually make my deliveries with a sweatshirt and a jacket on so I don't freeze while trying to keep my cakes from melting away! Gets some wierd looks on the highway when it's 90 degrees out and they see me all bundled up, but I haven't lost a cake yet! 
Just smile back at them and wave a gloved hand! LOL! 
BC (buttercream) sounds like a safe bet for the heat since it doesn't have to be refrigerated for a long period of time. However, keep in mind that doesn't mean melt-free!
I agree with what was said about above just making sure the car temperature is cool enough and minimize the sunlight let in.
I posted my recipe for High Humidity Buttercream in the recipe section. It tastes good and hold up really well when it is hot. I recently put a cake on my porch in the sun to test it for CC'ers, it was 98-100 degrees, I left the cake out for 6 hours and the icing didn't melt and the roses never budged.
Val
I posted my recipe for High Humidity Buttercream in the recipe section. It tastes good and hold up really well when it is hot. I recently put a cake on my porch in the sun to test it for CC'ers, it was 98-100 degrees, I left the cake out for 6 hours and the icing didn't melt and the roses never budged.
Val
Good to know! Thanks!
I suggest the cooler method mentioned above. I normally use a cooler with those gelly ice packs all on the bottom that way when they melt they stay flat and they don't risk letting the cake slide off them like the big thick plastic ones do. I cover with non-skid cabinet liner stuff and lay the cake on top.
To freeze them flat I place them on a cookie sheet and place another sheet ontop with a couple FULL coffee cans ontop (coffee is normally kept in the freezer for freshness anyway lol) and place in the deep freeze or at mom's in the upright freezer on the shelf and allow them to freeze over night or for a few days if I can. They normally stay frozen for about 10 hours depending on weather the cooler is closed or open 
Good luck
Also I wouldn't lay the seats down in the back unless you know that your trunk is fully sealed shut and no exahust fumes can get in. My trunk leaks just air no water or anything... but when the back seat is down the fumes come right in the car (little tiny bits but you can still smell it) it will get into the cake and make it taste like it as well as it can kill you if you have all the windows up which you will cause the AC will be on... I would stick with the cooler method if at all possible. (with the cooler SHUT it should seal out all the fumes and smells... it does in my car at least lol)
If the backseat is optional you can go to the flower shop or to walmart floral section and get foam and build up the back seat to make it level and just place non-skid mats on it so it doesn't move... I always have someone to hold it if I can't use my cooler in my trunk..
Thanks for the helpful hints.
Val, thanks for the recipe. I'll definetly give it a try.
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