My family is throwing my mom a surprise party when I am in town visiting (I live 600 miles away from them!). They would like me to make the cake. The party is scheduled for the middle of my two-week visit, and I cannot bake or decorate at my mom's (where I'm staying). I am very new to this, and I'm not sure what the best approach would be. Any advice would be much appreciated. The cake will be entirely buttercream.
Can I bake the cakes before I leave to drive to my hometown? I was thinking of stopping at my brother's before I get to my mom's and storing the cakes at their house, (although they have 5 kids, so the likelihood of them getting into the cake is high!! 
). Then, sneaking over the morning of or day before the party to decorate it. Will the cake stay fresh? It will need to be baked approx. 9 days before the party. Should it be frozen? Refrigerated?
I'm just not sure what the best approach is.
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