I carry mine on my lap at times - not very often. I just did a sewing machine cake that I held on my lap as I was nervous about its stability and wanted to be able to keep an eye on the dowels (disguised as the needle) and be able to grab it if the top toppled (it made it! whew!). It was more in my arms than on my lap though, so I was able to serve as a shock absorber and tilt the cake as needed to compensate for turns, bumps, and hilly roads along the way. And there were some pretty good hills. The floor of my van is level enough for most things but as you drive and go up and down hills and over bumps your vehicle doesn't stay level. Sometimes I just need that extra sense of security and control. Usually I'm delivering my cakes by myself though so I don't even have the option. It's funny that even the act of transporting a cake is done differently by so many people. Different strokes for different folks! 
I wouldn't have given second thought about putting a single tier cake in a client's lap. Heck, I would have given them a piece of shelf liner (AKA "grippy") and stuck it in their trunk.
I don't like carrying tiered cakes in my lap, but there have been instances where it has been the only option. In those cases I leave my center dowel rod extra long so it sticks out of the top tier. It gives me a "handle" so that my fingers never get near the cake and then when I get to the venue I use my snippers to cut it flush and cover with topper, flowers, or plug with icing from my emergency kit.
Put a level on your lap. Put a level on a car seat. It's not level.
It reminds of back in the day when people said a child was perfectly safe riding in a car on mommy's lap. Mommy would be able to protect the baby in the event of an accident.
Topsy Turvy cakes aren't level either. So your statement does not hold.
Put a level on your lap. Put a level on a car seat. It's not level.
It reminds of back in the day when people said a child was perfectly safe riding in a car on mommy's lap. Mommy would be able to protect the baby in the event of an accident.
Topsy Turvy cakes aren't level either. So your statement does not hold.
Technically, Topsy Turvy cakes are level. Done correctly, the base of each tier sit flush on each tier.
Watch Sharon Zambitos Topsy Turvy DVD. They are 100% level. The top edge is all that is at a angle...
TT pans are crap...
They don't bake even and it's not worth the extra $$$ when you can easily do it with normal pans. I make TT cakes all the time and they are perfectly level on the inside... it's just an illusion.
I've put cakes on my lap when I wasn't driving.
Once I made a two-tiered cake for a party that our family was invited to, since we only own a sedan, with 2 car seats and a booster seat, there was nowhere to put the cake (floor wasn't an option as it wasn't big enough).
I've driven with cupcakes and 1-tiered cakes in the trunk previously within 10 miles radius without any mishaps, for deliveries, so initially, I did put this 2-tiered cake in the trunk, after few minutes into the journey, I felt uneasy as we were going uphill, so I told DH to pull over so that I could hold the box in my lap, so that I could adjust the degree of inclinations (if any) when we were uphill or downhill.
The cake arrived safely and the customer loved it.
I have had clients go against the suggestions and bring someone to place the cake on there lap. Many have not made it to the party. Several with either sliding off to the floor, hitting the dash or more often boob prints in the cake... I advise them that placing the cake on the floor is better because depending how the driver is one in the lap can be hard to hang on to. And I hate the client who put the cake in the trunk with the golf bag tool box and tons of things to slide into the cake.. and that has happened more than once.
I am lucky that I have a shelf that was built that fits into almost any back seat. It sits with its front "legs" on the floor. and the back of the shelf has rolled up "pillows" that are covered with rug non slip.. and that makes everything sit level and with the lip around the shelf (also covered with non stick) cakes or what ever I put on that shelf sit and go no where. I use it for grocery shopping sometime s because the bags all sit so nice.. or christmas shopping.. so easty to just put things on the shelf...
I normaly deliver in my suv but when it is just a small short delivery the car uses less gas and this shelf has been a super life saver..
Yep, I've transported a two-tier on my lap too. The white wedding cake in my photos with feathery leaves on the lower tier had to be covered with the leaves while it was on the cake stand. The lowest row was the first layer on so I couldn't just add that at the wedding. When I finished the cake I realized I had to pick it up by reaching from underneath with one hand and couldn't really put it down in the car because it would topple over. Couldn't support it from underneath with something else since the leaves would have gotten knocked off. So I rode for 45 minutes on a winding road, holding a two-tier cake with one hand, trying to balance it on my knee. By the time I got there I literally had difficulty releasing my hand from the stand and my wrist was sore for the next two days. Probably won't be making that one again! http://cakecentral.com/gallery/2179022
The only cake I have had to hold on my lap (boxed) is my Caddy Wampus wedding cake.. we live in an area that has us driving up a 10km winding road that is all up hill.. I held the middle support pole all the way, although I feel that now I have transported the cake it would have done fine in the back of my wagon like all my other tiered, and single layer cakes that I have transported. I too are a fan of the non-slip rubber matting and always place a square of it under the actual cake board inside the box, and then a good sized piece between the box and the floor of the wagon.
I am lucky that I have a shelf that was built that fits into almost any back seat. It sits with its front "legs" on the floor. and the back of the shelf has rolled up "pillows" that are covered with rug non slip.. and that makes everything sit level and with the lip around the shelf (also covered with non stick) cakes or what ever I put on that shelf sit and go no where.
Can you take a picture of this shelf. This sounds interesting!!
When I was taking a class the teacher discussed charging for delivering a cake..she also talked about those who wanted to pick up the cake themselves..she made them sign a waiver for any issues that may concur during the trip. She helped some "pack" in the car but some didn't have a flat back either and either held it or put it in the back seat. It's chancy even when someone is delivering the cake for you..
lol I remember the first cake that had to be held due to lack of space, it was my husband holding the cake on a cake stand 2 teirs and bettercream frosting, it managed to make it over a windy, hilly dirt road with no issues, after that I said if this cake could make it in these conditions then I have a pretty damn good support structure LOL.. I havent been as freaked out about my cakes since then, I have had to hold 2 teir cakes on my lap before, they made it fine and it was better than putting it in the back of a pick up truck and the back seat was full of kids.
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