I want to make a cake as far in advance as possible and I'm looking for some tips. I'm having a party on a Saturday and my mom is flying out the Thursday before, and I'd like to be done with the cake by Wednesday night so I can spend time with my mom and have time to clean house and set up for the party and not be totally tied up with the cake. So here are my questions:

1. Can I bake and ice the cake and decorate it completely in buttercream and freeze it Wednesday and then take it out Saturday morning to thaw? Will it be ready by noon to eat and will the decorations suffer and lose shape in the thawing?
2. Or can I make it and cover it in fondant and then do I leave it out on the counter until Saturday or refrigerate or freeze it? Leaving it out on the counter seems weird but I remember something about not refrigerating or freezing fondant.

Any other suggestions? Covering it in fondant on Saturday morning is not an option, unfortunately. I just won't have time because I have a six-month old so I really need to be done with it Wednesday and be able to just pop it on the table completely finished.

Thanks!

I've frozen cakes before with success. Most what you have to watch for is when it thaws. Sometimes the colors run. But if you thaw it in your fridge before setting on the counter it won't sweat so bad. Be sure to cover it well so it won't taste like freezer and uncover for thawing.

the fondant covered cake can be frozen. just allow it to come to room temp gradually...like allow it to adjust in the fridge from the freezer then from the fridge to room temp.

I had success with my mother's bd cake...in my gallery. as far as the decorations go...if you have any that you can leave out ...gumpaste, fondant, b/c or royal that can be attached in a few minutes, I would leave them off and just freeze the basically decorated cake(with border)(s) and attach the other stuff after it has thawed.

How long is the thawing process for both buttercream and fondant if I put it in the fridge first? Should I put it in the fridge by 10:00 pm the night before and then it will be ready to put on the table at noon the next day? I'd prefer to serve it cold so it's fine if it stays in the fridge until the last minute.

Yes, what they ^^^ said It is totally do-able
It might depend on what you use for decorations. all4cake is right - some might be best left off until after it thaws.
As for colors that might run........if you can have the colors made up ahead of time......like at least a day or two there is less chance of a problem. The 'fresher' the color added the more chance.
There certainly is no problem w/baking, filling, stacking, icing before fzing. Even some or all the decorating might be possible.

When it is done, put it in the fzr *UNcovered* for about 30-60 minutes then take it out & wrap it well before returning to fzr until needed. This will keep from crushing/messing up any decorating. When you thaw it, leave wrapped in frig, but take wrapping off when you bring it out to room temp.

It would depend on what size the cake is and how long they were in the freezer.and how cold your freezer gets ... That seems like it would be sufficient for an 8"-10" cake. Check it around 10a.m.

Yes, overnight in the frig should be fine for even the bigger sizes depending on what all4cake said........how cold fzr and frig are and how deep )tall) the cake is.