Does My Cake Have To Be Cold To Transport?

Decorating By stephsweetreats Updated 30 Jun 2015 , 6:58pm by SquirrellyCakes

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stephsweetreats Posted 29 Jun 2015 , 11:26am
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I keep reading that most bakers send their tiered cakes out cold.  I use SPS (have sent a few small two tiered out without it, but still with the column supports), but I'm freaking myself out reading horror stories. I'm mostly talking about two tiered cakes.   I do have the "once it leaves my facility it's on you policy" and I give customers the spiel on being careful, drive slow, level area, etc. , but am beginning to think I'm the only one not chilling the cake.  

The reason I don't chill them is mostly because of fridge space.  I'm a small bakery, so even though I have a large fridge, there's not a ton of extra room in it, and the large Bakery Craft boxes I use for tiered cake wouldn't fit through the door. (And there's no room for a bigger fridge). 

I've also had issues when I use to just be an at home baker with refrigerating any sort of fondant and having it sweat or having fondant decorations becoming sticky.  I have heard that placing it in cardboard would reduce this. I do use cardboard boxes now that I have a business, but still don't want to risk it.  I live in humid climate so it makes the sweating and stickiness worse.  

So I"m just wondering if anyone else doesn't chill the cake? Does using SPS make this ok?  


8 replies
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Whiteflower1 Posted 29 Jun 2015 , 2:18pm
post #2 of 9

You do not have to refrigerate fondant or transport. You would absolutely have yo refrigerate a buttercream cake for transport. Hope this helps!

Marianne

White flower cake shoppe

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KsCakes09 Posted 29 Jun 2015 , 2:49pm
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I refrigerate all my cakes...fondant & buttercream.  I find that it makes the cake  much firmer and a lot more stable for transport.  I'm only a home baker though so I only take on as much as my fridge can hold.  

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ropalma Posted 29 Jun 2015 , 2:55pm
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I do not refrigerate my fondant cakes.  I leave at room temperature and find that the fondant sets up pretty firm and sturdy.

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leah_s Posted 29 Jun 2015 , 3:20pm
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I have transported/delivered nearly a thousand wedding cakes.  NOT A SINGLE ONE WAS REFRIGERATED/DELIVERED COLD.  You do NOT have to deliver a cake chilled, fondant or buttercream.  As you all know, I only use SPS - every cake, every time.

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stephsweetreats Posted 29 Jun 2015 , 3:28pm
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Thanks for all the input everyone.  leah_s I use the SPS (like I said I have done a few without it) but the only reason I did it without the SPS was because I felt like I could get the pre-poked hole to line up.  Or at least I was unsure whether or not it was lined up so removed the plate because the cake kept spinning.


 I think I finally got it lined up for sure on the last few cakes.  You are definitely the SPS expert, is there a certain way you can tell for sure that everything is lined up like it's supposed to?  I always worry about it not being lined up and not being sturdy because of the hole not being lined up.  I usually just use buttercream to stick the cake board to the plastic plate.  I've thought of doing carpet tape, but worry that if I misplace the cake at first it will make it that much more difficult to move.  

Quote by @leah_s on 51 seconds ago

I have transported/delivered nearly a thousand wedding cakes.  NOT A SINGLE ONE WAS REFRIGERATED/DELIVERED COLD.  You do NOT have to deliver a cake chilled, fondant or buttercream.  As you all know, I only use SPS - every cake, every time.


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leah_s Posted 29 Jun 2015 , 6:15pm
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I don't think I even understand the won't line up part of the question.  You use the SPS plate to poke a hole in the cardboard that the cake will sit on.  Then you take a metal skewer or knife point and enlarge the hole in the cardboard.  Enlarge it a little bit.  There's no way you'll miss hitting the peg.

Buttercream always works fine for me.  put some on the SPS plate that the cardboard will sit on.  Put some on the cardboard side that the cake will sit on.  Nothing can spin.


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stephsweetreats Posted 29 Jun 2015 , 6:23pm
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leah_s yes that's exactly what I do.  When I go to stack the tiers I can't tell if the peg is in the hole or not (lined up).  Maybe I'm just not enlarging the hole enough causing the plates to slide but I do use a skewer and make it large.  I'll just keep trying  :)

Thanks!

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SquirrellyCakes Posted 30 Jun 2015 , 6:58pm
post #9 of 9

I have never used SPS, but after reading leah_s's many posts extolling the system's virtues, I am thinking I have to give it a try. Sounds like it gives her a lot of security.

I don't refrigerate fondant covered or buttercream iced cakes.  Tiered or not tiered. The only time I have is when the filling required it. My home is always set at 70 f.

I use cake drums or heavy bases or plastic separator plates for the base. I double board the cake tiers. I use wooden dowels mainly but a few times I have used bubble tea straws for smaller tiered cakes. I use a centre wooden dowel through all tiers. I don't transport more than three tiers stacked. I only transport on non skid mats on the floor of an air conditioned vehicle with no sun shining directly on the boxed cake. I use new moving boxes to transport cakes.

I haven't made the huge volumes some of you make but I have never had a problem. 


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