I will post this a pics separate....cousin didn't listen about transporting, said the cake melted, denied he dropped it. He didn't go straight home after picking up the cake even though I told him to, he said his wife was holding it when the top started sliding-his wife was not with him when he picked up the cake
Such a shame. I am so sorry your cake was destroyed before delivery, it was so cute, and well done.
I would say the cake was definitely dropped, or possibly run over by a truck.
The tell-tale sign that it was not just "melting" (ha!) is that the back side of the cake appears to be in relatively good shape, no "melting" at all.
Since by the look of it there is no centre dowel it might have slit off while it was transported. Especially if it was held on someone's lap which tends to wobble and be uneven. And if it wasn't cool (anymore) I'd say that is what might have happened. Not saying it's your fault though since you gave clear instructions. .. Shame! Such a cute cake.
I should probably start using central dowels :) I never have because i never really knew how, haha and I've never had this problem, even with a 5 tier cake!! So I was feeling bad about it but I'm over it, he asked me to make a new hat and name plate which I did and now he said he can't come pick it up! I'm not going to the party bc I have something else planned so I made it for nothing! Oh well....at least I'm not feeling as guilty anymore ;)
One thing I always do is add some hard setting ganache to the center of my cake during filling/before fondant.
That way when I insert the center dowel it sort of "sets" up and holds together longer.I live in a very hot climate and this has saved me many disasters as the cake and buttercream start to soften.
I see....let me ask a question, when there is a central dowel through the whole cake, how do you cut the cake? Do you lift the tiers off the dowel or just cut pieces while it's still stacked? I ask bc I have always separated tiers and cut them individually.
Such a cute cake, after this though cuz would go on the "no more cake for u" list. Especially after you made a second hat and name plate and he can't pick it up!!!
Where was the cake put in the vehicle? It most likely was not on a flat surface which along w/'wild' driving caused the demise of your beautiful creation.
Center dowels can give false confindence. They are only to help hold the tiers together while transporting. I always made the dowel a couple of inches longer than the cake is tall so people (me or otherwise) can pull it out as soon as it arrived at venue. The hole is covered w/a decoration of somekind depending on the decorations used. (A leaf for flowers etc)
It is possible the cake did some melting - how hot is it where you live? If kept in a hot car for hours it could have slipped apart when handled but it would have taken some rough driving and handling for that to happen.
Was the cake cold when you handed it off to your clumsy cousin? If you refrigerate cakes and deliver them cold it will reduce situations like this. HOWEVER, if he didn't follow your directions you're not responsible. Who knows if he went a few places and left the cake in a hot car or something...He's not going to tell you.
I never use a center dowel, but I do refrigerate everything. it makes a big difference.
That was a very cute cake. If the guy was alone when he picked up the cake, he probably put it on the seat instead of the floor. That would cause the top tier to slide off. People under estimate the slants and an angle of the seats. It's been decades since seats were level and flat. That guy is guilty of cake homicide.
Yep, betcha he put it on the seat.
Hahaha!!!
All your responses are great :)
what is funny is that when I make a cake and take it with me, I put it on the seat, I use a baking sheet and towels in the crevices of the seat to make it flat, there's something about not being able to have my hand on the cake box that bothers me about putting it on the floor. The cake was cold but probably not cold enough because I drove with it for 40 mins and it sat in my car for another 30 waiting for him, I had the air blasting on it and I thought it was pretty cold but who knows!
Gscout73, my craziness comes from the fact I can't have my hand on the box :) I'm so weird like that, I know it doesn't matter but for some reason when I have my hand on the box I feel like I'm in better control, haha!
I feel ya, sweettherapy. I had a graduation cake on Sat for a woman who graduated med school. Three tiers so I had to transport in my trunk. My prob is I must be able to SEE it, and be sure the air conditioning kept it cool. So I had the back seats down and my rear view mirror angled so I can keep an eye on the cake. So, I feel your pain. You have to touch it, I have to see it. We're both hopeless.
Gscout73....your post gave me anxiety! Haha!!!
One trick I have learned is to give whoever is picking up a cake a piece of shelf liner to put under the cake. I use the non-slip kind that you can get from the dollar store. That way, the cake base or plate is not going anywhere. Works like a charm.
Have you checked out CakeSafe? It's a box designed for transporting tiered cakes -- plexi sides protect the cake and a center dowel holds it all together. Pretty much fool proof. But you have to deliver the cake and remove it from the box rather than have somebody pick it up.
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