I'm wanting to make my MIL a cake for her birthday. The problem is, it's about a 13 hr drive to get to their house and I want it to be a surprise. Would any of you even try this?

I was thinking about doing a stacked (6 and 9in), white cake with a raspberry filling covered in a white chocolate ganache and mmf. My first concern is the filling soaking into the cake if I use more of a preserve type filling, but I'm afraid a raspberry flavored buttercream would be too sweet?

My second concern would be how to transport it. On top of it being a long drive, it's through a rather hilly region. I definitely wasn't planning on stacking anything until we got there and I was thinking about putting each tier in its own box inside a cooler with ice packs. Does this sound ok? Any other possible suggestions?

I'm really new to caking, but don't really have a lot of opportunities to make and decorate cakes, so I hate to pass up any chances I might have. Thanks for any help!

You're a great daughter in law!

To keep my raspberry filling from seeping into the cake, I spread a very thin layer of icing first and then spread the filling on top of that.

As far as transporting I've never had to drive that far with a cake, but maybe someone else will have some advice for you.

The cooler with ice packs sounds like a good idea to keep them cool. I just worry about condensation with the MMF.

Good luck
Deb

I just drove a cake 500 miles to Indiana to my Bro's 60th surprise b-day party. I played it safe though--just one cake. It was a fondant covered hot fudge cake with the cream cheese filling and chocolate tools.

I got two foam coolers and got the cake all finished--I mean it was a tool box--I even had the lid open all 500 miles up there.

No problemo--I used blue ice freezer packs and wrapped each one in a paper towel to absorb condensation and slid them in a plastic bag and taped the whole thing shut. The coolers were laying on their side because it was an 8x12 torted cake.

We got it to the frige in our room. No worries. I put extra gelatine in the cream cheese filling--it's just cream cheese & sour cream and vanilla & lemon & sugar--it's killer with the hot fudge cake--spicey saigon cinnamon and cayenne pepper--the filling balances the (very mild) heat.

I used store bought fondant and I work extra cornstarch into it.

k8, you came to Indy and you didn't even CALL me?????!!!!

ok, then you're forgiven!

Thanks for the advice ladies!

k8, that's exactly what I was planning on doing with the coolers. Maybe I'll do a dry run with them and see how long I can get the ice packs to last and how much condensation is produced.

On a funny side note, we will be driving through Indy, lol. So maybe if I chicken out, indydebi can sneak in another order that weekend! Completely joking with that, although, I'm sure I would look like an even better DIL if she did it rather than me!

I'm 10 minutes north of I-70. Meet ya at the McDonalds on the exit ramp!