I just spent 5 hours on a Sofia the First cake and just received a call that her daughter has a fever and the party is postponed!  She is asking if I can freeze the cake for a later date - can I freeze a fully decorated fondant covered cake with gumpaste decorations?  It is a three tier fully assembled cake as well :(  Any help would be SOOOOO much apprecatied!

how long is it postponed for ? if its just a week to ten days my recommendation would be to refrigerate and not freeze if you have enough room. I have refrigerated cakes up to two weeks and gotten rave reviews. Do you have a good layer of icing underneath the fondant? I use a thick layer of icing im not sure if that makes a difference.

AI have heard you never freeze a fondant covered cake.

ive never Froze them, I only have refrigerated. I have had to make sevral cakes in advance due to scheduling conflict and I just let my customer know this and they have been fine with it and actually said it tasted fresher. I have heard of cakes drying out if they are in the fridge but I think that's only if you refrigerate without icing because I have never had this problem. If you refrigerate than have her take it out the day before you serve it I dought you will have any trouble

The party is postponed until next weekend, so 7 days.  I don't have a thick layer of buttercream - more just a crumb coat under the fondant.  Problem also is that the cake is 3 tiers and I would have to take out a shelf from my fridge to get it in which then places me in a situation where I have to figure out where to put everything!  Oh man.... 

When you refrigerate, do you wrap the cake or just have it as is? 

I attached a photo of the completed cake.

I have been researching and from what I can see if I freeze the cake then the fondant will get shiny and wet looking....

I've never done this, but a past member had done it and had excellent results, apparently. You'll need a lot of space in your freezer.

Put the whole cake in a box, or perhaps take the tiers apart and do this seperately. Wrap the whole box in several layers of cling wrap so that the box is as airtight as you can make it.

Put the whole thing in the freezer.

24 hours before it's needed, take the whole box out. Leave the plastic wrap around the box. The wrap should get wet from condensation, but the cake should not. Either way, leave it to sit until it's completely dry before removing the wrap.

If its oly a week I would definatly not freeze. I have heard if you freeze it gets that condensation look on it. If you just refrigerate you shouldn't get that but just make sure you don't "Touch" it until it completely thaws out. No I don't wrap it the icing and the fondant work as the "wrapper" I even wouldn't be against just not refrigerating if its only a week. The cake will be fine the only problem you might have is dust or particles from the air getting on it. If you can lightly wrap it in saran wrap to keep it clean just leave it on the counter

AOh wow! That is one gorgeous cake! I guess I would try and refrigerate it! I would maybe box it but definitely do not freeze the fondant. Can you take the layers apart so that it wouldn't take up too much space!

That is gorgeous ! If its only a week I would just wrap it lightly to keep dust etc off and probably not even refrigerate. the cake will not go bad in a week. just let your customer know the issues.

I thought of taking the tiers apart but if I do then the pearl border will destroy the fondant as it tears apart since they are secured down with Royal icing....   My friend suggested that I just give the cake to the customer and let her deal with it until next weekend but then I don't want anyone eating a week old cake that tastes off and thinking that is how I bake!

And I don't have a freezer that will accomodate the entire cake in a box - and I don't have a box that will fit it.

I think I will just have to go with the refrigerator idea (thanks, Connie!) and wrap it lightly with saran wrap since I don't have that thick later of buttercreamm underneath.  From now on I will do a thicker layer - lesson learned!

Thank you so much for the advice everyone and so quickly too!  It is such a shame when we spend soooo much time on these cakes and something like this happens.

AThat was my other suggestion was to give it to your customer and have her figure it out! However, if you want return business then I guess you need to do what you can! I am so sorry! This cake is absolutely beautiful!

I am fortunate I went to lowes and bought an inexpensive fridge I keep in my garage that I only keep cake stuff in. It comes in handy when stuff like this happens. Its a single door so I can keep sheet cakes as well as big tired cakes in. I also like to refrigerate any wedding cake I have to deliver over night before delivery so it travels better :) keeps the family out of the cake stuff to lol

I think you should provide it to the customer as it was her needing the delay.  You can give her several options, just as you are going through yourself.  If you had a fridge or freezer that you could store it as is, that would be one thing.  But since you are going to have to rework parts of it, let her have it.  She can make the accommodations in her or a friend/family members fridge or freezer or counter top.  Whether you keep it or she does, it will still be a week old, that is on her, not you.  At least she would have received the georgeous cake and can see it arrived in perfect condition.  If you hang on to it, you will be worrying about it all week. 

I agree take her a beautiful cake and tell HER to do what we all have suggested.

HAH!!!  I am about to make the call to the customer.  I think I will ask her to pick it up and keep it in her fridge.  I just don't have the room to accomodate the cake for an entire week in the fridge. My kids are having a hard enough time keeping away from it right now!

And I a buying another fridge for the garage for cake stuff!

AGood luck! You are making the right decision!

Wow, that is a gorgeous cake!!! I hope the client understands why she should hold the cake for the week and that all goes well.

I'm going to agree too that you should leave it to the customer to figure out, at least enquire whether she has freezer space for it, and explain that you don't, and that her only other two options are having the cake sit in your fridge for a week, and she pays an additional fee for you to re-assemble the cake, or she pays for a completely new cake. 

There was just another thread about this.  Fondant decorated cakes CAN be frozen.  It's just like anything else.  You wrap the box very well with plastic wrap, and even a layer of foil.  Thaw it at room temperature still wrapped.  This lets condensation form on the wrapper and not the cake.  It can take a while for cakes to come up to room temperature if they are fully decorated.  For an afternoon party, ideally it should be pulled out first thing in the morning.  Keeping it wrapped is key.

i would definitly tell her that she can keep it in her fridge for the week and it will still be good but since you do cakes there is your excuse for not keeping it in your fridge!! 

What a beautiful cake! I would refrigerate it. not sure about the freezer, but as other people have said, deliver the cake and let the client decide.

Yes.  She just made her problem your problem.

I would explain that the cake is ready - that you have no way to store it.  Recommend that she box it (let her buy the box) and either refrigerate it or leave it sitting in a cool place.  I wouldn't think it would need freezing or refrigerating as long as it's not in the heat. She can even just turn a big box upside down over it to protect it.  At least you have delivered what she ordered and when she ordered it and she can see that it was done properly.  What if she's not ready for it next week like she thinks?  It is still your problem at that point and it is such a beautiful cake - you have done an excellent job.  She should take the cake and pay you for it.

I agree with everyone's suggestions and have no new suggestions, but I wanted to say that the cake is beautiful!

That is such a pretty cake! 

This is the exact reason why my customers sign a contract and pay me 7 days before the event.  In my contract it states that even if they postpone or cancel an event, I will not freeze or hold a cake, the only option is to order and pay for an entirely new cake.  I won't risk refrigerating a cake for days at a time.

I would make arrangements with the customer to make delivery, and give her advice about freezing or refrigerating. This just isn't your problem, but helping her figure out a way to store it would be something nice to do. Beyond that, it's just not your concern.