I'm hoping someone will enlighten me! I have officially made the decision to start doing wedding cakes. However, I am curious about one thing first. How do you all transport stacked cakes?? Which is the best way to do it? Is it better to transport an assembled stacked cake or assemble it once you get there? I have an order for one in March and I'm not sure which way to do it. And I need to know this anyway. I realize it's a stupid question!

Thanks, Anna

It is NOT a stupid question.

I prefer to assemble on site but you can assemble most cakes and transport. It really depends on the cake design itself. If you assemble and transport you need to put a sharpened dowel through all the tiers for stability. Either way take a cake "kit" to fix any repairs needed.
My preference is basically due to the bad conditions of the roads around here.
HTH

Thank you, that makes allot of sense. So if you assemble it on site do you still need tp put the dowel rod through the center of all the tiers? I'm assuming yes but not sure. Also, is there a trick to stacking them in a way that you don't get your fingers in the bottom tier? If there is, I haven't come across it yet! Oh, and thanks for telling me it wasn't a stupid question!

Anna

You also may need to take into consideration of the weight of the cake. If you stack a 3 or 4 layer cake it will become heavy. Think ahead, will I be able to lift it or have any help moving it?

To answer the finger question-
When putting your dowels into the lower tier, don't push them all the way in. Leave about an inch sticking up above the cake. Then place your upper tier on the dowels and let gravity push them the rest of the way. They may need a little encouragement to get the cake flush, so you can use a spatula to gently push.

To answer the center dowel question-
It depends. If it's not going to move at all, and it's not very heavy, and temperature isn't a concern, then you might not need the center dowel. But if any of these things are a concern, I'd rather be safe than sorry.

Thank you, thank you everyone!!! All excellent advice!! I had never heard of not pushing the dowels all the way in! I am going to try it next time! I think I am going to start making some practice cakes to put in my portfolio, also just for practice.

I think I would usually have DH to help me carry in the cake but it would be very scary!!! I'm a nervous wreck about my first wedding cake order. Hopefully it gets easier after the first one! Right?

I learn so much on this website!

Oh, so do I!!!!! I don't know what I would do with out CC!!!! I certainly would not be where I am today with out all the wonderful and helpful cakers on here! Cannot thank all of you enough!!!!!

Another consideration is if there are going to be any children at the wedding. I always use a center dowel when children are going to be present. You never know what could happen if they are playing near the cake. Not to mention guests who like to imbibe a little to much LOL.

I had one wedding where they wanted to set up the champagne fountain right next to the cake so (in their words) people could admire the cake while they were getting champagne. I kindly told them HECK NO!! The main cake was an 16" with a 10" stacked on top, more pillars with an 8" on that. All double layered and torted. It was a very heavy cake. And there was also 9 satellite cakes.

That's another very good point. At my DH's cousin's wedding two little kids just about gave me a heart attack! The were goofiing around right by the cake table and I could see the cake swaying back and forth from across the room!!! Their Mother was right there! DUH woman!!!!! She finally stopped them and the cake managed to survive but I couldn't believe how oblivious some people are. I've never been to a wedding reception where there were no children. I think you just helped me decide that the center dowel is always the best way to go! Better safe than sorry! Thank you!

Anna