I need help! I volunteered to make a sheet cake for my sons DARE graduation dance months ago. I discovered tonight that the dance is tomorrow...Less than 24 hours. I also discovered that this cake needs to feed 148 5th graders.

Question 1)
make one HUGE FLAT cake OR TIER it? I have one 11x15 in the oven.

Ouestion 2)
What is easiest ( ) way to transport a HUGE cake?

Question 3)
Will someone shoot me???

Thanks in advance for all advice, sympathy, and admonishments!

Well, I'd be working 12 X 18 and I'd just make several cakes in different flavors. Decorate to coordinate.

I would make couple sheets and just let that be. Stacking will probably make it harder to transport.

I also wouldn't put a lot into decorating with this kind of late notice. If you have a 12x18 pan, I'd also go with that. You'll need at least 4 of the 11x15's.

Did they forget to let you know or did someone "just happen" to mention it to you? I had a similar "just happened to let me know" thing .... I have a standing monthly catering for a board meeting .... they moved it up a week and I got copied on the "reminder" email just 3 days before the new meeting date. Glad they let me know!

Boy--I feel for ya. I could be talking out of my hat but in a case like this I might run to my local big grocery store and buy some plain iced sheet cakes and then spend the time decorating them yourself (or even re-ice) with your own icing. I'd try and get two since it will be eaiser to transport -- you could start writing on the one cake and finish the sentence on the second for continuity or do the same with some kind of design that would theme them together. Anyway, good luck. you can always sleep when it's over.

I'm with leahs...I'd make (3) 12x18, one chocolate, one vanilla and one marble. Each will serve 54 (2"x2") servings, for a total of 162 servings. You can do one design to span all 3 side by side, or do identical designs on all 3.

Be sure and post a picture

If you have strong boards to put them on make your sheets 4" tall. That 11x15x4 will serve 70 which means you will need to bake 12 times If you don't have any bigger pan (like maybe a 14" sq or 16" round) you are going to be baking all night! The 14x4 yeilds 98 and a 16x4 should give you 100.
While everything is baking be sure you have filling on hand and make your icing - you're going to need a ton of it. With any extra time you can make some decorations - maybe mold Christmas candy trees, wreaths, etc.
Don't have choco on hand? Use fondant in the molds. OR cut fondant w/cookie cutters like snowmen, trees etc.
No fondant or choco.........better get to Michael's ASAP and stock up
Don't you dare forget pix.......step by step Hope you don't have a day job! I'll be praying for you to have energy and fun

I don't have a full sheet pan. I DO have the 14" Square and the 14" round, plus the oval Wilton set. Do you think maybe mixing the shapes? I dunno.....

Prolly be a better idea to stick with sheet cakes. How many 11x15's will I need? 6 right?

I found a couple of simple DARE designs. Perhaps put two 11x 15's together to make the congrats thing. Then put the other four around it in various DARE themes?

No, I was thinking you needed far more servings.....so a total of 4 11x15s or any combination of the other sizes you have will do it. Actually two 14" sq (2" tall) plus the one you already have in the oven should do it.
You can get the batter ready in the 14"er so you can throw it into the oven as soon as the ohter one comes out.
Putting the 11x15 in the certer & having a 14 sq on either side will look just fine. but,,,,,,but......butttttt do you have any kind of board to put the 14"ers on ?? It needs to be at least 16" sq.......so maybe you should stick to a total of 4 11x15s made into two 11x15x4". Each serves 70pieces 1x2x4 for a total of 140 servings. If you have time and want to make one other size for a few more servings you can....but remember not everyone is going to want cake

11x15 serves 35 (2x2x2"), so 4 would serve approx 140. Doesnt' matter if they are laid out in one giant sheet or if you double layer them as a 15x22 (cut in 1x2x4) ... 140 servings.

kakeladi.
I don't have a board. I am going to stop by McCoy's in the morning. I'll sweet talk them with cake balls so they will cut it for me.

indydebi,
I was only planning on making 2" cakes.

so I only need 4 cakes??? Why did I think I needed more?

Wait a sec...I think the light bulb just came on!

indydebi,
to make it smaller...ie easier transport...Instead of the one huge cake. I just take my four make them into a 4" tall cake and still get the same # of servings....WHOA! That sounds SO much better!

I know that people here tend to cut larger pieces....so do I accomodate for that or just give them a "cutting guide"?

Thanks for putting up with me...

How's this design? The Lion will be laminated paper....no gumpaste for you!

O.k. gal.........you're problem has me sleepless!!
I went to bed -- laid there about 45 minutes w/thoughts of how to talk you thru this racing thru my head........so I'm back up and here again.

YOu can do 4 11x15x2s or two 11x15x4s or two 15x22x2 - it's all the same amount of total sevings - 140. Which would you rather carry & which one can you get boards for? Plus if you do 4" talls you need filling - if you do 2"ers you can skip that......
Now, one more thing.......you said 148 kids....what about adults? Will there be adults w/them? Maybe you'd better add one more cake to be sure.

From your sketch I take it these will not have a chirstmas theme (which is what I was thinking). Looks like you've got it simplified just fine. With 2" cakes you won't have much room for strings.
I think you should be o.k. w/two batches of b'cream....maybe 3 just to be safe?
Are you just baking tonight & maybe making b'cream? Let the cakes cool overnight then start icing/decorating them in the a.m.

ooooooooooooo crud! I didn't even think about the adults! I MAY make a side one. I have my four 11x15 baked and cooling now. I am going to hit the hay for a few hours. I have cleared my schedule for tomorrow and will work on it all day. UGH!

Thank you ALL SO much! I dunno where I'd be without you!

Best of luck, our thoughts are with you. You will be able to make it work.

Well, I got it done with 30 minutes to spare. I would have been done sooner but..kids for some reason like to eat breakfast and lunch. My son said everyone LOVED it! I just did a vanilla cake with vanilla almond BC. The DARE lion is just a print out that I laminated, taped on a lollipop stick and stuck in the top.
When I went to pick up my DS, people were lining up to take home the leftovers...HAHHA. I actually got my board back! YAY!

Thank you all SOOOOO much for all your help and wisdom!

We're all so pround of you. It looks good.
Tell us what size you ended up doing. Is this just one of several or the whole thing?

Thanks kakeladi! I owe you for all the help you gave me! I did the four 11 X 15 and ended up stacking. So I guess it a is a full sheet 4" tall? This is the only one I made. It worked out just right.

So glad you pulled it off. When we have these things happen that takes us well out of our comfort zone and we pull it off, isn't there a tremendous sense of elation and belief? For a short while we feel we can tackle anything......until the next time. Seriously though it makes us stronger as people. For every down there is an up. Thanks for sharing your moments with us, felt for you every step of the way.

Good job!

Looks good! I woke up this morning wondering what you decided to do. Thanks for showing us.