help,
the last 3 wedding cakes I've delivered have either fallen or icing melted or shifted, please help! I use an air conditioned van and dry buttercream on all my cakes, the last one I delivered the bottom parts of the cakes melted but the tops didn't I had to redo them over again, help is greatly appreicated. Debala

I don't know but here is a bump...

Are you transporting more than one layer tiers already stacked upon one another? I found out the hard way NOT to do this! If I have a stacked cake, I transport the cakes in seperate tiers and stack them and finish decorating on site. I do make sure to place the dowels in each tier for support before moving the cake from my home. I use large boxes (they don't have to be "cake delivery" material...just boxes to put each tier into). I use soft towels to line the bottom of the boxes before placing each tier into its' own seperate box. Then, I crank up the AC and cover the entire group of boxes with a dark colored sheet or light blanket (something to catch the heat from the sun through the windows, instead of the cakes!) I know it's sometimes difficult, but I have learned to always get the earliest time I can deliver and set up. That allows me plenty of time to decorate the finished product on site. This has saved me lots of trouble, and the cakes turn out beautiful. Hope this helps!

Suzian Cunningham
www.suzianscakes.com

I wish I had the answer to that question that happend to me the last delivery I made... Now I have vowed to NEVER delivered stacked again...All I could think of in my case is that I didnt put my cake in the refriderator My cake was to big for my fridge...So It didnt have time to firm up...A mistake I will really try to never make again. I am interested to see what kind of responses this thread gets.. good luck..

yes, you must transport them individually, especially if they are bc. sorry to hear that.

I've always transported my stacked cakes in one piece. In fact, the first wedding cake I ever made was a four tier - 16,12,10,8. I make sure I have enough dowels for support (at least 5 or 6 per tier - sometimes even more for the larger ties) and I always, always, refrigerate overnight prior to the event (no matter what). I clear out the back of my SUV and usually my mom and I sit on each side of the cake while my husband gingerly drives to the venue.

By the way - I live in Floriday where it is dreadfully hot and humid so the A/C is definitely cranked up to the hilt

I usually transport them already stacked. However, I turn on my car's AC up to 30 minutes prior to putting the cake in. I have been known to put the cake in the freezer for a few hours before transport too. I don't like to decorate without a turn table or in front of the wedding family, so I don't decorate on site, unless it is an emergency situation.

For those of you who freeze or refrigerate your cakes prior to delivery do you find that the buttercream perspiers when it hits the heat? I was wondering about that for my july 7 wedding cake..I didn't refrigerate because I was worried about the icing sweating...

What kind of BC recipe do you use? I've never had a meltdown in 25 years. (Outdoor wedding .... 90+ degrees .... HIGH humidity ..... cake sat outside for 5 hours, plus the 1.25 hours drive time .....no melting). I dont' refrigerate, freeze and the delivery van a/c is at 'normal'.

I also ALWAYS transport unassembled.

I have never had a melt down either but I was just wondering if the icing would get moist from going to cold then hot?

Make sure you car is garaged, or parked in the shade before you get it. I'd start the car and turn on the AC about 5 minutes before you put the cake in. Install window shades on all the windows to help block direct sunlight. Refrigerate - or freeze -cakes several hours before transporting.

Or you can make all your deliveries at midnight.

I have delivered cakes both ways - just depends on cake and distance. Are your cakes very cold when you are loading them? If so - the cold to hot might be the right idea. With the humidity right now - I don't count on anything!

I do this multiple times every weekend.

I deliver stacked or partially stacked.
I have never refrigerated a cake.
I remember to turn on the A/C in the SUV about 3 minutes before we load up.
It's hot here in the summer.

I use SPS not dowels. I truly believe that a shifting dowel is the culprit in your problem. Dowels are the primary reason cakes falll, IMO. They are evil!

I've posted about SPS including full instructions for use on several threads around here.