hi guys ok so here is whats going on.. im doing a wedding cake for my friends wedding i live in CA and i need to drive to CO (which is about a 12 hour drive) anyways i wanted to get as much stuff as i can done before i leave. and im thinking im going to make the fillings (since they dont need to be refrigerated) and im a little lost on if i should bake the cakes here (CA) and freeze them and then fill ,crumb coat and cover in fondant when i get there (CO) . or should i just wait to bake when i get out there and also should i bake the cakes fill them and crumbcoat and then freeze and then apply the fondant?? and also how long do i let the fondant sit on the cake before stacking the tiers? im really nervous about stacking the cakes because im scared there are going to be gaps between each tier and if there are gaps how do you fix them??


THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR HELP!!! EVERYONE IS A LIFE SAVER!

I would make up as much stuff ahead as possible, it could be a big mess to try to do it there! If it's a basic fondant covering I would say get your cakes all covered in fondant, wrap them, freeze them (not totally solid, just to be really cold), and then transport. They will be "thawing" and ready to stack/decorate whenever you are! Just bring extra stuff for fixing just in case.

I have traveled with several wedding cakes for family also. I bake--fill and crumb coat--freeze--wrap well in Saran Wrap and place in an ice chest if layers are small enough. If layers are too large for that just bake--fill and crumb coat--freeze---wrap well and pack in boxes. On one of my trips I carried and left the cakes in the truck of the car over night because it was below freezing temperatures. I always ice and decorate when I get to the site after I have traveled with one for long distances. I make up my frosting, flowers, or whatever before I leave home. Be sure and carry your tools and any separators you will need. I forgot mine on one trip and had to purchase after getting to the site.

If you peg each layer the same height as the layer, you shouldn't have any spaces between. If so cover with extra icing, make fondant ribbon, or use real ribbon or flowers to hide any spaces. Just remember you will always learn something each time you do a cake---after-all that is part of becoming a good decorator.

Good Luck on your trip and with the cake.

No offense, but I can't answer your question as I find your post too difficult to read. Please use standard capitalization, grammar, and punctuation for ease of communication. Thank you.

prterrell - Well im very sorry its difficult to read. i just had so much to say and i couldnt get it all out or how to word it right!! lol anyways sorry.

cakebaker64 - if i do have a gap between the layers and i do fill it with extra icing, will it look different then the fondant?? I am also making Gumpaste Calla lilies to put on the cake as well, along with some scrolls around each tier so maybe that would help cover up any mistakes! lol im not quite sure what you mean by "If you peg each layer the same height as the layer, then it should come out all even"

Renaejrk - thanks so much for your help! i think im going to try and get as much as possible done!! thanks for your help!

Definitely bake where you are at. Colorado is high altitude, whereas most of California is near sea level. Your recipes are not likely to turn out as you expect them to up here. Not sure where you'll be in Colorado, but Denver is at 5280 feet above sea level, and where I live, just outside of Colorado Springs is around 7000. I doubt you'll have time to deal with testing and retesting possible adaptations to your own recipes when you get here to make sure they turn out right.

- Leisel

get some practice with tiered cakes before doing this one - you will learn so much from the first couple you do - you dont want to be learning big style on a wedding cake.
xx

One more thing, sicne you may be taking your cake to a facility that you're not familiar with. Bring along a copy of your food service permits and insurance info for the venue. More and more venues are requiring paperwork from vendors. Also, you might want to check if a CO venue will even accept CA paperwork.

[quote="Darthburn"]

why do you feel the need to criticize her grammar etc? can't read it? move on! why make such a snarky comment, you certainly didn't deserve a apology for her mistakes!

Sweetbaker1019, i cant be of help. i have nevermade a wedding cake, but GOOD LUCK!!!

Leah is right - check on the paperwork before hand. I live in Idaho and did a wedding cake for a friend in California. the venue wanted me to be licensed in California - which I'm not. I ended up making a dummy cake with only the top tier real, the bride and groom took that for thier first anniversary. I brought a 'stunt double' top tier, just in case. That was probably overkill, but I didn't want anything to go wrong.

LoL - Stunt double... I like it! Much more action / adventure than 'backup'!

THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH!!!! i take back my apology!!!!! she doesnt deserve it!!! lol

and also that dry ice idea is genius! lol and i also do agree with the altitude difference i lived in Denver and baking up there was very different. The wedding will be in Durango CO. Its a very small town at the corner of CO.

And about the permits! i would have totally forgot!! Does anyone know how and the steps to get them??

loopilu- thanks! im going to need all the luck i can get!



Darthburn- lol! i agree with you "stunt double" does add more action!!

AGAIN, thank you guys so much! i feel so much less stressed then i did before! thanks!

lmao,just had a little comic strip in my head of the 'stunt double' coming to the rescue! lol

Sweet Baker, please let us know how you get on!

What I call pegging is the support system for tiered cakes. If you have a 2010 Wilton Yearbook of Cake Decorating, the process is explained on page 116. There are several ways to peg a cake---using wooden dowels, using large plastic straws, or the "Hidden" Pillars by Wilton. I'm sure others have suggestions, just be sure on a tiered cake to put some kind of support under each layer. You don"t want the top layers to sqush the bottom ones--remember fondant, fillings, and icings are heavy

Good luck with your cake. By the way Durango is a beautiful area, but the altitude is different that CA. Has your friend checked to make sure the venue will allow someone to bring in a cake?

For everyone who snarked at my earlier statement:

Obvioulsy, I posted in hopes that the OP would reiterate the question so that I could help him/her.

If one feels inferior because someone else factually pointed out that you (proverbial) did not adhere to the minimum standards of written communication, the fault lies with you (proverbial), not the someone else. You (proverbial) have chosen to feel inferio. Nine times out of ten, it's because you (proverbial), know that you (provebial) messed up or slacked off. For some people that leads to defensive postering and pointlessly attacking the original observer.

In no way did I sneer at, belittle, or in any other way say anything that was in the least judgemental. Additionally, I preceded my remark with an indication that my purpose was not to offend, but to seek out more clearly (while indicating why the OP's original statement was unclear, in order to facilitate reiteration) with what it was that the OP needed assistance, so that I could provide said assistance.

The same courtesy cannot be said of all those who proceeded to take issue with my request. Anyone who makes fun of or criticizes someone else, for using proper English, is only making a display of his/her own ignorance.

Honestly, if someone is going to ask for my help, it is the least s/he can do to communicate the request clearly. It has become the very bad habit of some people to ignore basic grammar, spelling, and punctuation because "it's just the internet." However, one must remember that on the internet, words are all that exist to represent one's self. I, for one, prefer to present the best possible self to the world, and thus make every attempt to follow minimum communication rules. However, I am, myself, at fault for at times being lazy. I do try not to allow myself to slide.

I had, sincerely, wanted to help the OP.

After the OP's subsequent behavior towards me, I no longer feel the same sense of generosity. However, should the OP like my assistance, I ill provide it. Assuming, of course, I understand what it is the OP needs.

On a final note: had the writing of the original post been such to indicate that the authoer was not an English speaker and was, perhaps, using the assitance of online translators (which are notoriously inaccurate), I would not have posted my request. As this was clearly not the case, I mandate that what I state earlier was not in the least rude. It is, of course, your (proverbial) perogative to find it otherwise.

cakebaker64- thats what i thought you meant. i just didnt know that terminology lol im using those big bubble tea straws i like them alot better then the wooden dowels, they are so much easier to cut!! lol

loopilu- i will let you guys know how it went!!

You use actual drinking straws? Hmmm now THAT is an idea I can use!!

Yes, I use regular straws on my smaller tiers, but as the cakes get larger, I use larger straws. Has worked real well for me, however, I do not stack my cakes and drive any distance---will stack after arriving and put on any finishing touches then.

Good luck---I know you can do this.

o gosh cake baker 64!! lol i would never attempted to stack a cake and then drive such a long distance!! lol no way! way to difficult and stressful. o and also i talked to my friends about the permits and everything and she said that the venue hasn't asked for them or even mentioned them to her. do you think i should call and ask the restaurant just to be safe??

i know i can do this to! you have given me so much more confidence! thank you!