The wedding is next Sat, the 28th. If you haven't read my gazillions of posts, then I should tell you that I am not a professional, just a crazy friend that likes to bake. I will be making a 4 tiered/stacked cake as well as 3 9x13 two-layer cakes. I the tiered cake is the wedding cake, and the sheet cakes are for the kitchen - not display (so they don't have to look beautiful). The display cake is chocolate w/peanut butter filling, and each of the 3 sheet cakes will be different. (One carrot cake, one yellow cake w/strawberry filling, and one chocolate cake with cookies & cream filling).

I will be starting to bake/wrap/freeze this weekend. When should I start taking them out to thaw and frost? Would you do the display cake first or last? I am supposed to have the cake there 2-2:30 on Saturday. (And by the way, I've never stacked a cake before - I do have the sps ready, and will be watching Sharon's stacking dvd this weekend) Oh, and I also will need to make roses for the cake (an 11-9-7-5 - actually the 5 is iffy - it's all up to me)

Please help! I'm trying to keep myself from freaking out....

I would take them out of the freezer on Wed/Thurs and let them sit in the fridge to defrost. This way here you have time to crumb coat and ice them. You can make the buttercream roses ahead of time, put them in a container with wax paper and put them in the freezer. Same with fondant roses, minus the freezer! If you have never made a fondant rose before, try Duff's method, its pretty easy and makes a nice flower. As for stacking you should be ok with the sps system and the dvd will give you lots of good tips. I like to stack my cakes cold, I've had issues with the icing bulging.


Good luck!!! And don't freak, it will be fine!

If this is your first tiered cake, it's going to take twice as long as you'd expect. It won't take long for those small layers to thaw, so I'd take them out of the freezer just an hour or so before you're ready to start. By the time you ice the smaller tiers, the larger ones will have completely thawed.

I'd do the tiered display cake firstit's going to take the most time, so knock it out of the way first. You should be able to whip out the 9x13s in less time, hopefully with no surprises.

You can start making your roses NOW, while you're baking the layers over this weekend. If they're buttercream roses, they'll need time to air dry so you can pick them up to place where you'd like. (I disagree with princesscatt. If you put them in a containerthey won't dry, and if you put them in the freezer while still wetthey'll just return to the heavy wet roses that they were after thawing which could droop or melt. Don't be surprised with what you get after freezingmake sure your roses are stiff enough to hold their shape without freezing.)

Ok, thanks - I'm actually going to print off your replies - I have notes all over the place for what I have to do yet! And I'm glad you mentioned the flowers. I was thinking of getting started this weekend. I'm now kicking myself for doing the 11-9-7 - I'm starting to understand why most of you have a larger difference. I'm hoping I have enough room to fit the flowers I'd like to.

If you have the pans, you could switch to 14-10-6...plenty of room for flowers that way.

I don't have any of those pans. If I had more time I'd order more.

I just use the wilton 3" deep ones that they sell at walmart or michaels. Not much difference between those and the few magic line pans I have, at least on the round ones.

I feel like I've over researched everything - to the point where I can't make decisions on anything because I have too much flying around in my brain. What I've read has made me just think "NO" to any Wilton pans. But you think they're about the same as a Magic Line? I'm sure they probably are fine... Hmmmmm..... then I'd have to refigure how many servings...

Is a 2" difference between tiers really a problem for bc flowers? Should I rethink this with one week to go?

The base I have is about 12" so I don't want to go bigger than 11" - what if I used the 11" and did and 8 and a 5? I have ML 5"'s.... and ancient dark non-professional bake king 8's..... Maybe just get Wilton 8'....

No, scratch all that. I have the sps for the 9 & 7 tiers already. Eeek. It will just have to work somehow.

You should do fine with the flowers with the 2" difference. If you're piping borders, do those first and let them crust, then add the flower on top.

I suppose if they don't really fit, I can just make a mound at the top.... was hoping to scatter them more though. I am making them now. I'm so glad I started - I'm afraid the icing needs to be stiffer as they seem to be "relaxing" a bit. The poor bride really wanted peonies, but of course they're not in season. Her bouquet is supposed to be peony-like roses although she really doesn't know as her mom ordered them for her. So I'm really trying to make them more peony-like. A left-hand rose tip helps curve them over the center nicely, but I'm afraid they're a bit more carnation-y than peony. I'm sure she'll be happy though.

At least the icing will be fairly simple - just plain/smooth. She gave me some 1.5" ribbon for the base of ea cake and it has a two-toned diamond pattern on it - a bit much as it is, so I don't want any more business besides the flowers.

I think this is going to be a super tense week for me. I'm afraid I will be posting here like crazy - please don't leave me! lol!

Just remember...a 2" difference between layer sizes is only 1" difference all the way around. It is not too much room...Sorry, I don't mean to get you freak you out ...just wanted you to have that in mind.

That's exactly why I am freaking. There's just no way I could get another set of sps plates in time now.

I'm sorry, I think the base is actually 13". I was looking for a 14" with no success. The bride's mom bought this one for me to use so I need to try to make it work.


Eeeek. I hate to say it, but this experience is showing me that I do NOT want to be a professional cake baker. I don't mind so much for anniversary parties, but this is downright scary. Too much to come together in a short period of time. And the expected perfection level is higher. At least from myself. I truly appreciate the talent here - you all are amazing!!!

If you can't find the size of base you need, go get a couple sheets of foamcore, cut circles in the size you need, glue them together, and cover with decorator's foil or fondant or the shiny side of white freezer paper