Hello,

I was just wondering how long do you think it would take to make this cake? I know that there are lots of variables, I am just trying to get an estimate on what I should allow for time.

Some of the things I am up against are, the wedding is 13 hours from where I live, it will be middle of summer for the date down south in the Carolinas. I am trying to decide if I will be baking cakes in my kitchen, which I am use to, or if I will bake and decorate down south??? I have also mention the possiblility of dummy cakes with a real cake to cut and kitchen cakes to serve, but I am not sure if that will work.

Oh, and one more thing, I do have a full time 40 hour a week job to fit in that schedule as well as two kids graduating high school and an eight year old

I want it to be beautiful, but I do want to keep my hair. So any suggestions that you could offer would be great. Also, I will be doing this as a wedding gift, but what value would some of you put to this cake?

Thanks in advance for your wonderful advise!!

Let see if this works...

If not, it is a 6 teir cake (very big). Square for the first four teirs and round for the two top.

You don't say if you will be driving or flying, or if you have a kitchen available for your use down south. I'm thinking 2-3 days for the cake if you hoof it, but then I rarely do cakes this large so don't listen to me.

I do, however, know from experience that going to another state and making a wedding cake there has the potential to become a major disaster. I flew to NY for my dd's wedding and made her cake in her tiny apartment kitchen (it was a 4-tier castle/fondant). I had shipped all my tools and equipment ahead so everything was waiting for me and I pre-made all the flowers and decorations and carried them with me on the plane, but it was still enough to make me want to drink heavily.

If you're driving, I would advise making the cake at home and going as far as crumb coating and freezing, then doing the final construction and decorating on site. If you're flying, you'll almost have to make it there.

For the value, I would go by $ per serving - that's one heck of a wedding gift any way you look at it.

You're right - lots of variables . You could do a practice cake using dummies, but that doesn't take into account that you won't be working from a familiar kitchen or that the temperature and humidity at that time of year will most likely play a significant role. I'm thinking I would estimate how long it should take...and then triple that time

I'd do as much as possible before leaving.

Make lists; check and recheck them, but realize you'll probably still forget something, so you could check to see what supplies will be available where the wedding will be. Think about how you would handle possible disaster situations, then if something doesn't go according to plan, you'll already have your plan B (or C...or even D) in mind.

Lots of luck to you!