Ok...I am doing a wedding cake for tomorrow.

Bottom 14" Orange cake with cream cheese filling and icing
Middle 10" french vanilla with rasberry filling and cream cheese icing
Top 6" Orange cake with cream cheese filling and icing.

The layers are each torted to make 4 layers each tier.

My question...concern...............

I am using hollow plastic dowels for support...the 14" layer is on a 18" masonite board with a 14" cardboard round in between. There are 2 cardboard rounds under the 10" and 6". I had planned to stack the layers at home and deliver it asembled with a wooden center dowel through all the cakes....the ride is lessd than 30 minutes........

Would you assemble at home or at site....this is the first time I have ever delivered a cake this size and I am going to give myself a stroke stressing over it!! I have never assembled on site...that scares me what if something happens and I can better do repairs in my own home.....

What should I do...what is your experience??????

PS - I have room to refrigerate the cake assembled or un-assembled over night tonight!!

I don't have a whole lot of experience delivering cakes of this size, but I would definatly assemble on site. Take a "first aid" kit just in case. All it takes is on person to cut you off and the whole thing gets slammed over. At most I would stack the bottom two (wider base, more stable) and then add the top on location. But for safety sake it would be best to assemble there.

If the path does not require driving over ruts or gravel, and you have someone to keep an eye on the cake, it would probably be ok to deliver it stacked. However, it will be EXTREMELY heavy.

I would assemble it on site. You will also need to add the base border around the two upper tiers, after it is assembled. Just give yourself a little extra time.

Be sure to make a careful list of what you need to carry in your work box. and check it twice before you leave to deliver the cake. You need to be prepared to repair finger marks where you stack the tiers.

I just went through this same thing last weekend and I had to travel less than 10 minutes with the cake. I would recommend that you assemble on site because of the weight of the entire cake.

Also, in your emergency kit, bring some extra fondant and shortening, because you never know what may happen. As was stated before, I went less than 10 minutes from home and we drove under 20mph with the hazards on and someone still cut us off!

Better safe than in cardiac arrest at the site!

I would think if you had it refrigerated it would be nice and firm and would be ok to set up at home and then deliver.. I've only done a few wedding cakes and I set them up at home.I used plastic straws as dowels but I did push cardboard sticks down into them to make them a little stronger..They all travelled very well and I had no repairs to make when I arrived.. I'm sure with the wooden dowel you would be ok.. I would refrigerate it though to make sure everything is nice and firm.. I'm sure there are other members on here with more experience in this that can give you some advice..
Good Luck..
Liz

I always stack everything onsite because this is less stressful for me than driving with a stacked cake, especially since I am usually delivering & setting up by myself. If you're on the fence, compromise. Stack the 10" and the 14" at home, put the 6" in a separate box, then all you have to do is stack the 6" when you get to the site.

i would assemble on site. less stress for you and the cake.

Definitely assemble on site!

I remember the first wedding cake I had to set up...I loaded up all my tiers and then drove like I had a bomb on board my van!! Instead of a sign that read "Caution: Cake on Board" I needed one that day that read "Caution: Stressed Out Neurotic Psyco Cake Decorator on Board"!!!

After 6 years of doing cakes I am amazed at how well cakes travel, sometimes even 150 miles away!

Good Luck!

I would assemble at home, since its your first BIG cake delivery-you will be totally nervous until its on the table. Just drive really slow around the curves/turns and you should be okay. I always add meringue powder to these large stacked cakes to make them stronger (recipe is in small pamphlet attached to can). I would dowel between layers too, getting some of the weight distributed more evenly will keep the cake more stable. Don't forget to put a large dollop of icing to hold your cakes in place on each cardboard and between layers. Be sure to take a patch kit with all supplies you used with you just in case. I like the masonite/wooden dowel combo for larger cakes, but its just personal preference! Good luck.

I'll usually stack the 2 largest tiers at home and assemble the rest on-site. It's not nearly as heavy to carry in that way. Good luck!

I did my sons wedding cake last October, it was a 16, 12, and 8" tiered cake. I assembled the whole thing at home except for the sugarpaste sprays I did on site. I had an half hour drive to the location and it took me probably 45 minutes. I rode in the back of the yukon with the cake while my husband drove. That poor guy got screamed at and verbally abused all the way there, HA1 I was so nervous I thought I would die. I'm with mocakes I needed a sign that said crazy, psycho, stressed out cake lady on board! It didn't help I was up for 24 hours making the cake. Everything turned out fine, no problems. I don't know if I would put myself through that again!!! Good Luck! whatever you decide!!!!!

Assemble on site!! That 14 inch is a beast and it's just easier to get to the reception early...give yourself plenty of time to set up. Once it's set up believe me the rest is so fun!!
Good luck!

Do you have any help delivering it ? Have you ever LIFTED that many layers, with filling, assembled on a masonite board ? How far will you have to carry it ? I'd vote for the bottom two layers and put the top one when you get there.....

I would set up on site. I would be more stressed trying to deliver all of that stacked than putting it together on site. Just make sure to take your first aid kit with you - it will be fine!

Thank you everyone for your advice!! I am feeling a bit better....of course I'll be ALOT better after I get this cake delivered tomorrow!!

I have decided to assemble on site! The thought of it shifting scares me to death!! And it is heavy even for the 2 of us so for ease of delivery...makes since to do on site!!! I do have my mother in law coming to help me and watch my 4 year old!! (Hubby is in Ga on business trip)

She is going to sit in the back to keep an eye on the cakes while I drive!

I went ahead and added all my daisy cascades so all I have to do on site is stack and do borders (or any touchups - man I hope there aren't many). I also added all my supports and the cake is in the fridge until morning!!

Wish me luck...I'll post pics after I get it asembled!!!

refridgerate that cake, and deliver stacked. Each of my cakes are delivered stacked and refridgerated. The size i do the most is 14,10 and 6, i can lift it by myself though. Make sure to stick it together with some icing to help hold it, and measure your car to make sure you can place that 18 inch base board flat on the floor. The vehicle i use i can only fit a 16 inch base board flat on the floor, for anything larger i have to improvise or borrow a car.

From my pilot days, I learned: When in doubt, DON'T! I've carried this over to all aspects of my life and it has served me well!

Glad you decided to assemble on site. The weight of the cakes that size makes it easier for on site assembly. I have done the stacked at home and almost killed my DH when he drove the cakes to the site. I won't do that again. GOOD LUCK!

I am so glad I stumbled across this post! I AM SO GLAD YOU ARE GOING TO ASSEMBLE ON SITE! I have my first wedding cake next month! I decided to assemble on site just a couple of days ago. We have a horribly long drive ahead of us with the cakes. Maybe 2-3 hours?!?! I have 2 little kids, also!!!!!!!!!!!!! And I live in WV with many, many, MANY curvy, BUMPY, pot hole-filled, awful roads!!!!!!!!!!! That's what lays in my future....Plus..... I have a truck........Luckily I have a fiberglass tonneau cover, so the cake will be getting a truck bed ride in Nov, but it will be covered. OMG! Does anyone have any extra Valium or something?!?! I've just overly psyched up myself.........I've passed out now!

I live in the mountains, so I understand about curvy and steep roads. The last anniversary cake I delivered was 2-16" layers, 2-12" layers and 2-8" layers (and a large double-stacked sheet cake); it was a very tall cake. I completed the whole cake at home and delivered into the valley (town) without any problems. I use lots of wooden dowels and masonite cake boards to make it really sturdy. I really don't think you'll have a problem, and it made it so much easier for me

Thank you all for the advice....I assembled it on site...and it really didn't take too long and the ride was so less stressful. I almost gave myself a heart attack worrying over this cake.

I haven't heard from the bride yet...she is on her honeymoon but promised to call with feedback when she returned.

Below is the cake...the Bride told me the florist was going to leave some loose daisies for me to arrange for the cake topper but when I got there I found this large topper...A little too big in my opinion but what can you do....I wasn't about to tear apart what the florist had done!!

I think it turned out Pretty good and I sure learned alot!!

I think you did a great job!

you did a great job..I think the topper is overkill on your beautiful cake! Congrats on the cake, and NOT having a stroke!

Your cake turned out beautiful! I agree the topper is a little too big but you have to work with what you have. Congratulations on a job well done.

You cake looks beautiful, you do excellent work. Now you can sit back and relax that the cake turned out so nicely, I'm sure bride will have wonderful comments for you and you will get additional work from the people that attended the wedding.

Congratulations! That is a really beautiful cake! I agree that the topper is overkill. Honestly, I think it would've been much prettier with no topper at all, but I like things simple and elegant. Anyway, you did a great job and I'm glad the stress is over for you!

Beautiful cake! You did a wonderful job!

It's really lovely. Great job and thanks for posting a pic for us to see!

I agree about the topper, but your cake is GORGEOUS. Glad everything went well for you

Wow, looks like we are split 50/50 on this decision!

I say assemble on site. The sheer weight if the cake would lead me in this direction, I would be afraid of tripping and falling into the cake!