Hello everyone,

I'm baking 2 separate birthday cakes for my kids birthday parties (they share a birthday). One will be a 2 tier circle cake, the bottom cake with BC ruffles, and the top cake MMF. The second cake will be a simple chocolate cake with chocolate ganache in between the layers and coating the cake. How early can I do the icing of these cakes, and how do I store them in the meantime? I have no cake boxes (although I could probably find some) and they won't be travelling anywhere - the party is at home. The party is at 3 in the afternoon, so normally I would just do the fondant cake entirely the night before, and leave the buttercream ruffles for the morning of the party but since I have the ganache one to do as well, plus a house to clean and running around to dance lessons in the morning I just don't think I'll have the time! I might have time to work on some of the cake the day of, but most likely not both the ganache one and the BC one. 

Any tips on which order I should finish off these cakes, and how do I store them?

Thank you so much!

If it were me, I would just get both done the day before and place them in a cool area of your home.  In my opinion, you really don't even need to cover them.  Just keep them somewhere where they are out of the way from being accidentally knocked into or touched.

I stored my cakes in the fridge

Thanks for the replies! Maybe I will keep them up high on a shelf in my basement where it’s a bit cooler. They won’t dry out if they’re uncovered for 18 hours or so? 

Once the cakes are crumbcoated - no matter what is used - they will keep fresh - not dry out - for 3 or 4 days.

Thanks very much for the help!

Okay one more question. If I leave them out, uncovered (for approximately 18 hours), will the buttercream ruffles not be rock hard? Would it be better to keep it in a cake case, or would that be too much moisture to keep the right consistency (for the BC)? I’m just apprehensive about completing them the day before because I have never done it, I always always do buttercream the day of.  But I  would probably have to wake up at about 5am on this particular occasion. 

what kind of buttercream? -- I always fridged my cakes

Just a standard buttercream with butter and powdered sugar (no shortening).

why not pipe a few ruffles on anything -- a plate even and put them where you want to hold the completed cake and see how it goes -- should be perfectly fine -- don't see why not -- but we will both feel better if you test it -- I love that kind of buttercream!

or better yet pipe them on the side of the cake pan -- see how they do -- you could crumb coat the small section of the side of the pan -- let that set up then attach some ruffles to that -- make sure the pan's not greasy --

hope all goes very very well 

That is an awesome idea, I will try that! Thanks!!

Buttercream does not get 'rock hard' :)  It can crust/dry to the touch but will not get rock hard.  Yes, you can box the cake or leave uncoverd as you wish w/o a problem,

Yeah sorry, bad choice of words. What I meant was concern over the ruffles getting too dry and “crusty”.

no yeah -- sometimes it does get unpleasant to eat if it dries too much -- just depends -- and you really need to try to box it a little if you can -- 

Maybe I will try to box it just to be safe! This might be a stupid question but can it be any box? or is there something special about cake boxes, lol? 

a clean box is fine -- plastic organizer type boxes are good too -- cause you don't want to attract ants or kid's fingers or someone tossing something -- it's great insurance -- good for you! 

we gonna get a picture? 

Yes, a picture I can do! 

thanks for everyone’s help!

Here are photos of the cakes! Overall I was fairly happy with the outcome. Not 100%, but the birthday kids loved them so that’s what matters. 

Lovely cakes, no wonder why the kids loved them!

How did you ended up to fix the dolls on the cake? It looks like you've put some transparent elastic band on their ankle?

They look beautiful! I love the piped ruffles.

Thank you! 

I Ended up using a toothpick up the back of their legs and then attaching that to the doll with these little elastic bands that they were attached to their boxes with. 

nice work -- so sweet!