Hi 

I posted recently about a wedding cake that I am making as a gift. I got a lot of helpful replies - thank everyone - I haven’t been able to comment on my own post to thank everyone - each time I try my post disappears. The cake is a 3 tier chocolate Madeira, semi naked with buttercream. I have baked the middle tier layers and they are in my freezer. I don’t have enough space to freeze the bottom and top layers. 

How soon could I begin the layering and decorating?  They would the cake delivered to venue Friday evening for wedding on Saturday. 

Also anyone have any good ways to estimate amount of buttercream needed? 

Thanks ! 

wait, delivering the day before? that is dicey -- you have zero control -- who takes over the tesponsibility? depending on the particulars, I mean what if someone gets the munchies -- what if they walk on four legs, or six [shudder] -- what if the roof leaks -- what if the caterer, dj, florist or someone smushes it -- if you fridge it: what if the fridge smells -- what if someone stores some smelly fish in there -- could easily get damaged or leaked on in there -- what if it gets moved in front of a sunny window or by a hot stove or near the steamy dish room --

I mean there is no end to the what ifs --

all that to say I delivered to the already set up cake table -- I established that when they ordered --

determine how many recipes of cake you made, then figure how many batches of icing you would normally use -- then subtract a third or a quarter -- I like to have a nice thick filling myself and never wanted to cut it close -- but this just an idea of how to figure it out the way you want it -- since it's semi-naked --

you could start wed or thurs

what size did you wind up with?

just start another thread if it won't let you answer --

oh something else I thought of -- is their anyway you can freeze the other two tiers somehow? there's a bit of a difference in texture after freezing -- just a thought -- it's just minor though -- no worries

I have delivered on Friday for Saturday weddings a couple of times.  Unlike K8 I never entertained such what if thoughts! Never, never entered my mind.  That’s what the family wanted that’s what they got:)   It also made it possible for me to deliver the other 3 cakes I had that weekend:) 

Re b’cream estimates:  figure one batch of icing using 2 lbs sugar per cake mix.  I understand you are baking scratch but many/most cake recipes make about the same amount of batter which would make two 8” or 9” x2” layers (an 8x4 tier) .  So a batch of b’cream should be enough to fill, crumb coat, finish/top ice & decorate that size.  Since you are doing semi naked do as K8 said & subtract 1/3. Say the cake consists of 10,8,6 tiers ea 3 layers I would plan on only 2 batches of b’cream.