Is It Better To Preassemble And Deliver A 3 Tier Cake Or Should I Assemble It On Site

Decorating By Pammiecakes4u Updated 26 Jul 2017 , 1:15am by Pammiecakes4u

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Pammiecakes4u Posted 19 Jul 2017 , 3:19pm
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I am making a three tier buttercream wedding cake (10,8,6) with fondant borders and decor. From experience would it be better to assemble and deliver. Or should I show up early and assemble on site? I am just trying to avoid cracking in butter cream and also fondent pieces falling off. Im still very new at this. I have done a few wedding cakes and I opted to assemble on site. I just hate the pressure of the crowd of onlookers. Plus I feel like if Im assembling at home if I need to fix an oopsie, I have all my supplies right on hand. confused I need advice!!

23 replies
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kakeladi Posted 19 Jul 2017 , 9:08pm
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I find those sizes to be very unstable for delivering.   I would suggest doing it on site.  Yes, we all hate the pressure of a crowd watching us but in the long run it probably will be safer.  Do as much as you can at home and take a kit of supplies with you.  Be sure to figure out *everything* you might need - even if you don't end up using 1/2 of it :)

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Pammiecakes4u Posted 19 Jul 2017 , 9:10pm
post #3 of 24

Thank you! Yes I do have a delivery caddy I carry with me full of everything plus the kitchen sink lol.  I kind of figured this would be the answer I got. I just wanted to pick some cake minds! 

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kakeladi Posted 19 Jul 2017 , 9:25pm
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I'm sure some others do not agree but that's my take on things :)

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nancylee61 Posted 20 Jul 2017 , 2:50am
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Hi!

I am making a cake for this weekend that is 14, 12 and 10 inch tiers. I always assemble on site. I know it's more nerve wracking, but driving with it assembled and he disaster that could occur if it tipped or slid??? No. I couldn't take the stress!!!!

Nancy

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SandraSmiley Posted 20 Jul 2017 , 3:19am
post #6 of 24

I have delivered with the cakes stack with success, but I prefer to assembly at the venue if possible.  On lookers do not bother me in the least.  I spent many, many years as a commercial artist with folks hanging over my shoulder watching me draw (before the days of desk top publishing), so nothing fazes me, lol.

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Pammiecakes4u Posted 20 Jul 2017 , 1:21pm
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Thanks for all the input. I took on cake designing directly after my personal wedding cake disaster. The cake designer was in a car accident on her way to my wedding. She was to assemble my intricate 6 tier wedding cake on site. Non of the tiers made it through the accident. Luckily the passengers of the vehicle made it out with just a little whip lash. So I ALWAYS want to do what's best to ensure the safe delivery of each of my cakes. The accident was totally not her fault and she did everything she should have. It just happened! But for this reason...I take it very serious! 

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katy_cakes Posted 20 Jul 2017 , 2:16pm
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So follow up question for all - - - what kinds of tiered cakes DO you feel comfortable driving with as assembled? Just two tier cakes?  Are the sizes she listed above problematic or are there other sizes used for a 3 tier that would be easier to deliver? 

I've only delivered one two tier so far and that was nerve-wracking! But it wasn't a long drive and it arrived in perfect condition. Maybe I'd be pushing my luck, then, ever trying a three tier! 

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SandraSmiley Posted 20 Jul 2017 , 4:23pm
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Most of the tiered cakes that I've made have been 10", 8", 6" and 4" and I have delivered them stacked except for the little top tier.  I use a thick base and drive a 1/2" dowel all the way through the cake from top to bottom and into the cake base for stability.  I actually secure the dowel into the base, then slide the cake tiers into place on the dowel (holes pre-made in the cake boards under each tier).  I put non-skid pads under the cake base inside the box and under the box when putting it in the car.  The cake is in a box that fits snuggly against the cake base all the way around so the cake cannot slide around inside the box.  My husband secures the box with a cargo net in the back of the SUV.  So far, I have had no problems and all of my deliveries have been an approximate two hour drive.

That being said, IT IS STRESSFUL!  I think all cake delivery is stressful, even when it is not stacked, but certainly more so when it is stacked. 


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kakeladi Posted 20 Jul 2017 , 7:25pm
post #10 of 24

If you look through my pix on here you will find many tiered cakes.  Most of them were delivered already completed.  Yes, there were several that didn't make it but most did.  Size wise, I think the larger the base/bottom cake w/at least 4" difference between the tiers is what travels best - like a 16,12, 9, 6 or close to those sizes.  When you take a 10, 8, 6 stack there is no real base there......it is just a very tall, thin tower and it *WILL* sway and probbly fall in transport :(  

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Pammiecakes4u Posted 20 Jul 2017 , 8:49pm
post #11 of 24

Well we cannot have that

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SandraSmiley Posted 20 Jul 2017 , 8:57pm
post #12 of 24

I guess I have been lucky then, because I have delivered several in that size and have had no issues.  Big, sturdy stick down the middle probably has something to do with that.

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katy_cakes Posted 21 Jul 2017 , 8:27pm
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Quote by @SandraSmiley on 1 day ago

Most of the tiered cakes that I've made have been 10", 8", 6" and 4" and I have delivered them stacked except for the little top tier.  I use a thick base and drive a 1/2" dowel all the way through the cake from top to bottom and into the cake base for stability.  I actually secure the dowel into the base, then slide the cake tiers into place on the dowel (holes pre-made in the cake boards under each tier).  I put non-skid pads under the cake base inside the box and under the box when putting it in the car.  The cake is in a box that fits snuggly against the cake base all the way around so the cake cannot slide around inside the box.  My husband secures the box with a cargo net in the back of the SUV.  So far, I have had no problems and all of my deliveries have been an approximate two hour drive.

That being said, IT IS STRESSFUL!  I think all cake delivery is stressful, even when it is not stacked, but certainly more so when it is stacked. 


How do you secure the center dowel to the cake base? What is your cake base made of? I've heard other people make that argument against a center dowel support UNLESS it's secured to the base as you are describing. 

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SandraSmiley Posted 22 Jul 2017 , 2:48am
post #14 of 24

I have used wooden bases and PVC as the central support.  In that case, I screwed the fitting for the PVC into the wooden board.  Usually, I make my own bases out of heavy cardboard and build it up until it is about two inches thick.  I drive the wooden dowel (that has been sharpened on the end) almost all the way through the base and secure it with hot glue.  I cover the glued area with foil, even though there will be a cake board between the base and the cake itself.  Here is an example of how the base looks when covered with fondant.  The two thin layers at the bottom are cardboard.Is It Better To Preassemble And Deliver A 3 Tier Cake Or Should I Assemble It On Site

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-K8memphis Posted 22 Jul 2017 , 3:55pm
post #15 of 24

sandra, that is a stunning awesome cake!

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SandraSmiley Posted 22 Jul 2017 , 6:41pm
post #16 of 24

Thank you so much, @-K8memphis ‍ !  Believe it or not, it is a wedding cake, my only one since starting my cake decorating hobby.

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youngj Posted 25 Jul 2017 , 2:26am
post #17 of 24

Sandra, I agree with you. I have always driven with my cakes assembled. Never had any problems, I guess we are lucky. In 4 tier cakes and larger I put a wooden dowel down the center of the cake, for 3 and 2 tier I do not. My cakes do sit in the fridge prior to delivering which helps a lot. When I worked in a bakery we froze our cakes prior to delivering, and they would come to room temp before cutting. (no one knew they were frozen for delivering purposes)

Again agreeing with Sandra, it is stressful. I suggest putting a sign in your back window saying "cake in transport" or something along those line. 

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katy_cakes Posted 25 Jul 2017 , 2:30am
post #18 of 24


Quote by @youngj on 1 minute ago


Again agreeing with Sandra, it is stressful. I suggest putting a sign in your back window saying "cake in transport" or something along those line. 

What does it say about me that I drive WAY more carefully when transporting cake, than I do my own children??grimacinglaughing

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youngj Posted 25 Jul 2017 , 2:31am
post #19 of 24

Plus the cakes sit on a cake board. There are a lot of great charts on how many dowels to place in each tier. Just don't over dowel it so its all dowels and no cake!

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kakeladi Posted 25 Jul 2017 , 7:22pm
post #20 of 24

Almost all of my tiered cakes were delivered completed/stacked w/o any center doweling......that was WAY before such thinking was shared on sites like this:)  And no, they were not chilled either.  Just left at room temp overnight.  I had very few failures but of course a few :) 

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Pammiecakes4u Posted 25 Jul 2017 , 9:11pm
post #21 of 24

Well fellow cakers! thank you for all of the feedback. I delivered the cake and assembled it on site. Let me just go on record by saying I will never do it again! I will always pre assemble from this day forward! You just cannot weight in every Factor ...heat ...atmosphere.. just everything in general that could happen while assembling on site. I would rather assemble it and deliver it and take my chances of something happening. At least at that point I can just keep driving LOL! to say that it was a disaster would be putting it lightly. I did assemble the cake and it did look good but it was the most stress I've ever had in my life as all of my fondant borders came sliding off while placing tears on top of one another. The venue if you can even call it that was supposed to be air-conditioned. It was a one bedroom trailer on the lake with a window unit air conditioner doing its best to keep the air cool while 20-plus people walked in and out over and over. I may have forgotten to mention I live in Texas and it was a hundred plus degrees outside that day. So from this day forward dowels will be my best friend!

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Pammiecakes4u Posted 25 Jul 2017 , 9:13pm
post #22 of 24

Oh and FYI I do already dowel...I will just be putting my trust in the dowels to do their job from now on. 

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-K8memphis Posted 26 Jul 2017 , 12:26am
post #23 of 24

i'm having an anxiety attack just reading your adventure -- i gotta go calm down stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye omg what a "venue" --

fwiw -- i deliver cold cakes in corrugated cardboard boxes that provide climate control -- it's hot & humid here in elvistown --


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Pammiecakes4u Posted 26 Jul 2017 , 1:15am
post #24 of 24

How do you ensure little to no condensation on cold or frozen cakes? It's so bad and I always swear off frozen or cold cakes every time I do it. But I love the stability of the cold cakes! 

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