Store Cake In Warm Venue

Decorating By Snowflakebunny23 Updated 28 Jul 2011 , 10:19am by Snowflakebunny23

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Snowflakebunny23 Posted 28 Jul 2011 , 8:44am
post #1 of 7

hi all,
I'm making my friend's wedding cake in a few weeks and was going to assemble it at the venue the night before the wedding (4-tier stacked cake).

They just called to say that in the past, the temperature in the room has caused cakes to colapse so leaving it there overnight is really not a good idea!! Now I'm going to build it on the day but does anyone know any tips to minimise the risk of it collapsing? Thanks in advance...

6 replies
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Relznik Posted 28 Jul 2011 , 9:10am
post #2 of 7

I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving a cake out at a venue overnight, anyway, to be honest... maybe that's just me, though? icon_smile.gif

All you can do is make sure you have it really well supported. How many dowels do you usually use in each tier?

Make sure each tier is really level.

Make sure the table you put it on is level and steady! (I take a spirit level with me and if the table has the smallest amount of wobble, I get them to change it!!!!

Make sure the cake isn't directly in front of a window/direct sunlight or bu large DJ speakers!

There's not much else you can do, really.

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Snowflakebunny23 Posted 28 Jul 2011 , 9:42am
post #3 of 7

Like the idea of the spirit leveller on the table!
I was planning on using 8 dowells on the base tier, then 6 and 4. The venue has fans which they have offered to have on all morning to try and keep it cool.

Apparently they have a giant walk-in fridge which they have put cakes in in the past but surely that would destroy the icing and flowerpaste?

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Relznik Posted 28 Jul 2011 , 9:50am
post #4 of 7

8 sounds quite a lot, actually... remember, the more dowels you put into the cake, the more you're displacing. Unless it's a GIANT cake? But for a 12", I usually use 5. For the tiers above, I'd use 4.

Sorry if I'm teaching my grandmother to suck eggs, but make sure the dowels are a fraction of a millimetre higher than your sugarpaste - remember, they're taking the weight of the cake above. Put a blob of royal icing over the top of each dowel and that will stick the cake board of the cake above to it (use a firm cake board, not a flimsy cake card!!!) If there's a slight gap between the two tiers, just fill it with royal icing (think of a plumber or tiler sealing between a bath and the wall.... pipe it on, then run your finger along to wipe off excess). This will also help keep the cake in place.

Good idea to have the fans on for as long as possible to keep the temp down.

I wouldn't put a sugarpasted cake into a fridge. I'm sure others will disagree (seems to be a more common practice in the US). But I just wouldn't. Ever.

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Snowflakebunny23 Posted 28 Jul 2011 , 10:09am
post #5 of 7

No, definately not, I appreciate the advice. I've made a fair few cakes before but have never a 4-tier and I've never had to deal with temperature issues!

So you would suggest cake drum boards as opposed to the divider boards to separate them?

I would never dream of putting a cake in the fridge either...was quite shocked when they suggested it. I figured fridge=condensation...condensation+icing=very damaged cake!

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Relznik Posted 28 Jul 2011 , 10:12am
post #6 of 7

I would use either drums or the double thick cards, like these, are OK

http://www.almondart.com/shop/Boards.html

Good luck! Look forward to seeing your cake! icon_biggrin.gif

Suzanne x

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Snowflakebunny23 Posted 28 Jul 2011 , 10:19am
post #7 of 7

Thanks for the help Suzanne! I look forward to making it icon_smile.gif Sarahx

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