I have been asked to make a 3D fire hydrant cake. If I make it even close to actual size it would be about 3’ tall. How would I safely transport a cake that tall? I understand the internal structure part, with a wooden base, a metal flange and a PVC pipe center dowel plus all the individual cake circles and cake supports in each inner tier, but the transporting part is very scary!

I would build it with a removable dowel sticking up the top so the box could fit around it — and deliver it cold — the hole from the dowel can be covered up with that final bolt on the top of the hydrant after delivery —

the dowel should also be inserted into some foam on top of the the bottom board — so it provides the staybility needed to stay upright on the drive— thecoldness is an invisible ‘adhesive’ 

and what I did was not buy any groceries so I would have enough room in my fridge -- and I would take out the pickles & onions & any stinky stuff, tunafish, etc.

if my box would not fit in there I made the box in advance, this hydrant will of course demand a custom box, so I had the box right ready so I could slap the cake in there and take it directly to the car --

and one other thing -- this might just be me but my husband would usually help deliver my cakes and he would do the driving -- well for some reason one time I drove with him in the back seat by the cake -- wow it was so much better because I was retaining control -- my anxiety was gone -- it was so refreshing --

that was early in my career -- later on, delivering for the places I worked for was also incredibly refreshing because someone else was on the hook for everything -- it helped cure the heebie jeebies of cake delivery --