Hello everyone . I'm really new to the site and still making my way around, so I apologize if this question has been asked already.

I'll spare you all the boring details, but basically I've been asked if I can make a cake that wont be cut or eaten until about 8 days after it is baked. Because the cake will be travelling in a vehicle for a few hours, I said I would only do this as a fondant cake.

I've told the person asking that I cant guarantee the cake will taste good after that long, but that it should be safe to eat. Now that I've said that though, I want to make sure its true before I commit to anything!

How long is too long to leave a cake out before it is no longer "safe" to eat? I'm tempted to have her freeze the cake and thaw it out before needed, but I dont know what will happen to a fondant covered and decorated cake as it thaws. Any advice/suggestions?

my local Health Department says 5 days.

Make the cake. Put it in a box, double-wrap with plastic wrap and then wrap in foil. Freeze. The day before the cake is needed, set it on the counter. DO NOT unwrap until just before serving. It will be fresh and wonderful.

I just traveled 1400 miles with 2 frozen cakes. The fondant cake was for my son's wedding. It had been frozen for 2 weeks. I set it on the counter the day before the wedding, added final decorations the next morning and it was perfect. The bc cake is for graduation tomorrow morning. It's been in the fridge since yesterday. I'll set it out this afternoon and add final decorations tonight. I'm expecting it to be perfect as well. No worries.

A Chocolate mudcake layered with ganache - ganache undercoat and fondant cover WILL last.

Most Australians use a variation of the mudcake for most celebration cakes and the average decoraters timeframe is bake on Monday for a Saturday function. The cake is good to eat for at least another week.

You must bear in mind that this advice is assuming you follow good hygiene practices in your kitchen, make sure your cake is sealed completely in the ganaching process ( thick smooth coat, non-whipped ganache and no air pockets)

Recipe in my signature

Yikes, if a health department says 5 days I should definitely never tell anyone that longer than that is "safe". How long they choose to keep it is their call, but I won't encourage keeping it longer.

Thank you jgifford and ApplegumPam for those tips! I had doubts that a fondant cake would thaw properly, but if you've done it numerous times before then its obviously doable. I notice you mentioned adding final decorations AFTER thawing. I should probably pass over the decorations in a separate container to be added later then.

I am definitely going to give this chocolate mudcake a shot . Excuse my ignorance, but what is the difference between whipped and non-whipped ganache? I didnt know there were different ways to make it! Mine is made my heating cream and pouring over chocolate.