The company I work for just invented some really helpful things for wedding cake delivery. No more cutting the bases of the cake board at the reception site as well as some carriers for the cakes so they don't get wet if it rains.
We are in the process of refining everything but I wanted some feedback from other bakers out there. Would you be interested in something like this for your business? I've found the inventions to be really helpful and cuts down on the stress. I also think it helps give you extra time if you have a lot of deliveries.

What I would love to have is precut half inch foamcore in rounds AND squares! That would be super helpful!

Yeah, I don't cut anything at the reception site... I don't know what you could mean either.

Yeah, I don't cut anything at the reception site... I don't know what you could mean either.

Why would you cut a cake base at the reception?

Why would anyone cut the boards at the reception site? I've never heard of such a thing.... the idea confuses me!

I think we're ALL confused OP.

We always frost the cake layers on boards that are bigger and then cut them before stacking. I thought this was standard practice. What is everyone else doing? Do you stack the cakes then deliver? I don't use fondant so my cakes have less stability. The carriers are for the single layers and they have handles and lock into place. you can also stack them so you can fit more cakes into your car. I used have each layer just sitting in the back with non skid under each tier. I can't see how anyone can deliver a cake with it being frosted on the same size board and not having problems picking it up or damaging the icing.


(I guess I don't understand the new invention either, and I've never had to cut the bases of the cake board at the reception site. Perhaps the new invention is using the correct size board to begin with??)

Because we put the cake on a bigger decorative board. That's what you carry the cake by. It's standard practice. And no, you wouldn't cut it. This is the board that gets the satin ribbon trim around the edge. Or am I missing something now too?

I don't know how everyone else does it...but I use a board cut to the exact size of my tier. Then I put the finished cake on a larger square of foamcore that's covered with press and seal wrap. That goes in a box on a piece of nonskid liner. When I get there, I lift the square of foamcore out of the box and use a long straight spatula to pick the cake up enough to get my fingers under it. I only push the dowels half way into the cake, and then the weight of the next tier will push the dowels the rest of the way in, while giving me time to get my fingers out from underneath.

Cakes go on circles the same size as the tier, and I deliver all of my cakes (fondant or buttercream) completely assembled.

Even if you were to assemble the cake on-site, each tier should be on it's own size board, and you can just place that on a larger board just for moving around. You're wasting time and materials by needlessly cutting down larger boards... especially at time of delivery.

I also use a board the same size as the cake layers... and then it's put on a plate or base.....

I actually put my individual tiers on the same size board, then put that on top of a slightly larger board, ice according to that boards edge, and pop the cake and it's original board off of that when it is nice and firm. Perfectly border free tier every time. Nothing to hide. But I still end up putting a ribbon or something on it. But I don't have to!

I use a Italian buttercream that does not crust. I would make a complete mess if I tried to transport, pick up or mess with at all. Also I would hate sliding anything under the layers for fear of moving the dowels.

I use SMBC, so I know about non crusting. I don't know why you would slide anything in between your cake and it's board. You'd be disrupting the border first of all, and threatening the structure for sure!

I, too, only use IMBC... again I transport and deliver all of my cakes fully assembled.

If you assembling on-site, you slide a spatula under the same-sized cardboard, and it would in no way interfere with the dowels.

In all honesty, I have NEVER heard of anyone transporting and assembling cakes in the way you described (having to cut the boards down on-site).

I am getting confused.............

It isn't that difficult... I ice my cakes on a cake size board and transport that on a piece of foamcore with a non skid mat. When I am ready to stack I lift the cake on its cake sized board with a spatula and stack it.

Some cakes are assembled before delivery and some are assembled on site. SMBC, IMBC, Fondant, buttercream, assembly & delivery is the same.

As far as what to transport in I use boxes and sometimes I use lidded plastic totes and I have found that the clear plastic File totes with a closing lid that latches and has a handle on top works great for transporting individual tiers .

I don't really understand what these New Inventions are or are for.

I say if it aint broke why fix it lol

Can you please attach some pictures of your invention so we can understand better what you are talking about. It sounds interesting! Thanks

lol..please..Im confused too..photos!
Edna

So how about when you frost the cake do you put the foam core under the cake size circle so you can pick it up? I always put parchment strips around the cake so I can clean up easier.

Also how do you transport a five teir cake? I would think you would have problems with shifting. I drive on some bumpy roads.

When I frost individual tiers I really don't put anything else under them (although as I said, some people will place the cake on its own-sized circle on a larger circle just for ease of handling--I do not), because I've gotten used to handling them (lift it off the table with an offset spatula and place your hand underneath, never touching the sides... set it back down use the spatula to lower it to the table). I don't put parchment or anything down when I am icing the cake, because it would only get in my way. I ice cakes on a raised turntable and smooth the sides using a bench scraper, which would, of course, also scrape up anything that may have gotten on the deck of the turntable as well. Clean up is minimal.

A well constructed cake is easy to transport... I dowel every tier, and stack the cake over a central support dowel. I've never (knock on wood) had a cake slip, shift, or fall apart during delivery.

I slip a spatula or hamburger flipper underneath, and pull the cake towards me until I can get my fingers only underneath it. I never touch the sides. Then, I stack on top of the straws that are not all the way poked down in to the bottom cake. Position it, let it go, gravity pulls it down. No mess, no marks, no nothing. If it needs help pushing down, I'll take a thin skewer, and push down through the cake, in a spot that will be covered by the next cake, or I pipe a small dot to cover the hole.

I must say I've never heard of this before either.

I'm curious as to what your bakery is using to cut the boards down? If you're cutting them down to size, do you compromise the icing/design of the cake? I would think there would be a lot of nicking or even pieces of cardboard getting in the icing...

O.k. am I seeing plexiglass rounds with a circle cut out in the center to fit your hand in so you can slide it off the turntable and the larger round/square just pops off... But OP, if it's such a great invention, then be like Billy Mayes (sp?) and show us the POWER of this "invention"...

I'm with the others, who on EARTH has to cut off a base board other than a... as Carlos Mancia would say... DEE DE DEEEEE... for not using the right sized one in the first place... Maybe that was shown on Martha ONCE, but ... Besides, sawing off the cardboard/foamcore, whatever, leaves "dust" and no one wants those shavings in the icing anyways... Again, 99.999999% of all bakers and decoraters big box to Susie Homemaker all just use the right sized base to begin with...

Oh shizzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.