I'm a little annoyed at my BIL. I baked a cake for his bday on Saturday, spent hours decorating it as a fire helmet on Sunday (had to order the black fondant and luster dust ahead of time) and gave it to him Sunday. Needless to say, I spent a lot of time on it this weekend. Initially, I wasn't going to make him a cake b/c he's not deserving, LOL. He was going in to the city to work on MOnday. He didn't want to bring the cake to work w/ him b/c he thought they'd make fun somehow (what firehouse wouldn't appreciate cake?). Anyway, he said he'd be back Tuesday. Well here it is Wednesday and i'm concerned how the cake is going to be 4 days later. Haven't heard from him but he'll probably show up tonite b/c he wants to borrow something from DH.

Is the cake still good? It's a doctored mix w/ shortening only buttercream and sleeve filling. It hasn't been refrigerated b/c it's covered in fondant.

I think it will be ok--obviously it won't be at it's peak, but I think it will still be in decent shape.

Your brother in law sounds like a very rude person, by the way.

Here's a scary thought--I had a customer that ordered 4 pies (with meringue) and 2 cakes. They were still eating them 2 weeks after Christmas--and they had not been refrigerated. They were sitting in a room that was a bit cooler than the rest of the house, but I don't think I would have eaten them. BTW--they are still alive and no ER visits...LOL!!!

The cake should be fine if it's been stored in a cool place. But, it will begin to go downhill pretty quickly over the next few days, because the buttercream begins to degrade the fondant from the inside. The moisture in the cake will also sort of "migrate" out of the cake and toward the board and frosting--this makes the cake dense & dry and the board & frosting wet & heavy.

In your shoes, I'd tell him that if he can't pick it up AND eat it up by Friday night , well, my family will be having a party for him "in absentia" and that we'll let him know how great the cake WAS !

You went to a lot of trouble for him and you shouldn't have to worry that he would share a cake that is past it's prime with friends who would wrongly assume that you make cra&&y cake!

Rae

Thanks guys! My BIL is 30 going on 13 and it's wearing thin. He still hasn't picked it up, no call either. I tried to send it to work w/ DH today but he just had surgery and couldn't carry it. Everyone is out at my work today so no point bringing it there.
Mel- i can't imagine eating pies & cakes 2 weeks later! OMG
I guess we're just going to have to cut into it - my son will be thrilled.