I live in the UK and I wanted to make a cake for my friends baby shower, she lives around a 4 hour drive away (which is pretty much across the country here). If I make the cake I'm going to have to send it through the post, does anyone else have experience of this (I've heard of people sending cupcakes I think) or am I just plain crazy to pack my cake into a box and hand over to the royal mail?

I don't see how it could work. People don't understand the fragil nature of cakes, how to handle them, transport them...

I highly doubt the cake would make it to the shower in the same condition you sent it.

Any reason you can't drive it there? I know you said it is 4 hours away, that isn't too bad if you could make a weekend out of it. Spend sometime with your friend.

I mailed a cake to a friend through US Postal. Here is the thread that shows how I did it.
http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-5150443-.html

No, as much as I'd love to go down there, it would mean taking my two kids (aged 1 and 4) and I dont drive so I'd have to carry the cake along with them and all their stuff so It would probably be safer in the hands of the postal service. not to mention because I'd have the children I'd have to get a hotel so the trip would cost me about £100 before food and everything! I've made it quite simple and got a cake box, then I'm going to put that inside another box so It wont be able to move around because the board is kind of wedged in, but it wont be able to touch the sides either. I'll just hope for the best and see what happens!

Thankyou bettycrockermommy I will check that out

I wouldn't send it with RM. Why not try a courier company? We use www.interparcel.com a lot it is like a "bidding" service where you can get quotes from loads of courier companies at once. Write/sticker all over the box that it is fragile cake and must stay right-side-up (you can get the stickers at Staples usually). Pack around the outside with bubblewrap (between the cake and the box. It should be fine - I have couriered cakes before. With RM I am happy to send cookies, cake pops and cupcakes (either sugarpasted, or uniced with icing in a sealed piping bag ready for the recipient to ice themselves), but never a decorated cake which I have spent hours working on.

Here is my one attempt/success at shipping a cake - using the US Postal Service for a small-fondant-covered cake:

http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-6642073-.html#6642073%29

Thanks for the replies

I sent the cake with a courier today. It was actually cheaper to have them pick it up from my house and deliver it next day, than it was to send it royal mail first class.

I put some bubble wrap around the cake, but not too tight. It was stuck onto the 10 inch square board, and inside a 10 inch square cake box so it shouldn't be able to slide around. I then put the cake box inside a bigger box and lined that with rolled up nappies....just to go with the general theme. It seemed quite stable, I wrote fragile on the box and put arrows pointing up along with keep this was up on all 4 sides and the top. When the courier came to get it I carried it put flat, handed it to him flat, he then put it down to scan the bar code and then picked it up and put it on its side under his arm on his way back to the van. I'm not holding out the best hope!

I don't think my friend will mind anyway, she doesn't know about the cake so it will be a surprise anyway, so its not something she's looking forward to or paying for! I don't think I'd like to send them regularly! The packing and posting probably cost the same as the cake lol

Jenny

I've sent 3 cakes so far, all fondant covered, one through USPS, one through UPS, and one through DHL all arrived perfectly fine, with no damage!

Let us know how it worked out!!

Well just thought id update on how the cake went, it was die for delivery on Friday, but as my friend lives in a shared building the delivery man didn't knock on her front door only the building front door! So it went back.on Monday and it was fine. She said the baby blocks I made had come unstuck from the cake but apart from that it was perfect. Pleasantly surprised, though I hope she eats it quick as it was baked on a Tuesday and she didnt get it until the following monday...

Hi there! Can anyone help me by advising me on the best way to package and send cake pops in the mail? I am based in Dorset in the UK and I have just sent out 20 cake pops, which i wrapped in bubble wrap and then placed in a box which had air pockets each end and on top to secure the pops in place. I then sent them special delivery through Royal mail. Unfortunately when the recipient opened them 17 of the 20 were damaged! I just wondered if anyone out there knows a good/ and much better way to send them to ensure they don't get damaged??

Please help!!!
Thanks!

KHalstead.........How did you mail your cakes if you don't mind me asking. I want to send my mom a cake for her 75th birthday. Thanks