Hello Everyone,

My first post on here. I'm a pastry school graduate and I've been making cakes for family and friends since 2008 and am just starting to do cakes for clients outside of that. I'm wondering if anyone has any tips on the best ways to transport cakes? This is something I DID NOT learn at school and all the cake shows never show what it actually took to get the cake there in one piece.

I know about stacking the cakes when you get to the venue and finishing them. But I think that only works well at a hall and for tiered cakes. When I do cakes for small parties, normally when I walk in, everyone is there, waiting to see the cake. I feel like coming into the house with a half finished cake isn't as impressive as walking in the door with the finished product.

Last night I did a 3D cake in the shape of a house for a house warming party. The cake looked gorgeous before transport, then after an hour car ride to the client's house, the entire front of the house fell off due to gravity and uphill points during the drive and I could not repair it. Needless to say, I'm extremely upset about it.

I just know there has to be an easier way!!!!! How do you guys do it? I know some people make their cakes "pick up only" but that makes me even more nervous, at least I know I can *try* to fix a cake if something happens while it's in my possession but if it happens to a client, I don't know how they'd be able to fix it.

Thanks!
Brittany

hi there and welcome!! i'm no pastry school graduate, but i do cakes (usually carved)for family and friends that i deliver to, that live 100miles away all the time!! I've only ever had one carved cake collapse on me and that was entirely my fault!! (i covered it in plastic b/c it was raining and never took the plastic off during the 1 1/2hr drive!! aghhh!!) the best advice i can offer is to make sure your internal supports are in place- a board in between a really high cake and then dowel all the way to the bottom layer to hold it all together works well. hth!

I'm only an amateur, certainly no pastry school here. This is just a hobby for me.

My husband drives me when I have a cake to deliver. I hold it in my lap. My husband is well adept to taking corners slowly and avoiding sudden braking when he's driving me and a cake. For large wedding cakes, I usually put the tiers (unstacked) in the back of my SUV and I sit in the third row (it splits) and watch them. I did drive a wedding cake over an hour away not long ago and I admit, it was stressful - I don't think my teeth unclenched until it was safely in the hall and assembled. I also keep my cakes cold. The cake being cold seems to help it stay together. I don't know how significant a factor that is, but I've never had a cake fall apart.

My husband used to drive me and I would hold the cakes and once he slammed the brakes too fast and the whole cake was on the dashboard,,
since then I use the non-slip shelf/drawer liner have moved 4 tier cakes assembled. Its even great for smaller cakes. Another thing I did is I have a small baby mirror on in the back of my car and I can see the cake from the rear view mirror .. kind of what you use for babies : )

For me i only ever travelled with one wedding cake assembled and id never ever do it again - it was fine, no accidents but the weight on my knee not to mention trying to get it in and out of the car and carried into the hotel - one slip and the whole thing would be ruined - i usually stack the bottom two tiers and then place the top tiers on at the wedding - i know what you mean about events - its not so much wow factor but watching all the diasters on Cake Boss and Ace of Cakes makes me realise its not something i ever want to happen!

Thanks for the advice guys. Delivering cakes have to be the most stressful moments of my life!!!! The relief felt after dropping them off is indescribable. I love the idea about using the non slip shelf/draw liner. I have a Scion XB so my trunk is pretty small but I will have to test it out and see how it does. Thank you for the tips everyone!

It's all about the support system.

May I suggest SPS?

|
|
|
V

what is "SPS?" haha

Vibration is the enemy when delivering, so in order to dampen the normal vibration in the back of my SUV, I line it with several layers of "memory foam"--I got some 1" bed toppers on sale at Target and cut them to size.

The cake box sinks into the foam a bit, but because the foam inhibits the transfer of motion, there is little to no vibration of the cake as the car moves.

I NEVER deliver a cake without putting that foam down in the car--even if it's a single tier 8" round!

Rae