I have to transport my first wedding cake to a location 45 minutes away. The cake will be covered in fondant, but it has 5 tiers. What would be the best way to transport the cake? Do you cover it during transport? If so, with what? Ahh I'm already nervous and its not for another 3 months! Help!

Get shelf liner, the no slip kind to put under your cake.
Are you transporting it already stacked? If so I don't know how you would find something to cover it. Alot of people on here feel that it's disgusting to transport a cake that isn't covered, personally I think if your vehicle is clean it's no worse (and possibly better) than letting a cake sit out at a reception with all those people walking around. My big concern about covering is for long trips and it's more about the sun than anything else, I would vacum the interior the day before you have to deliver the cake.
Drive carefully and make sure your cake has plenty of support and you should be fine.

I've tried transporting already stacked cakes and did not have such good luck. The vibrations, etc., caused the dowels to move around a bit and I ended up having to redo the bottom border of all the layers. My recommendation is to transport it unstacked and put it together at the reception site. Just my two cents....

If there is a way that you could stack them when you arrive that would be better. I have transported my fondant cakes not covered, I think that is fine. I also use shelf liner or what really works great for me is my silpats...if you happen to own a silpat, that really works in a car.

Thanks for the advice. I'm going to try to stack the tiers when I get to the reception. I've never worked with fondant before. How do you stack the tiers without indenting the tier below it with finger inprints?

Thanks

Absolutely build it there, that's expected at a wedding reception. Find out what time you'll be allowed in the hall and what time you need to be finished and out, and plan accordingly. Take an "emergency" kit of extra icing and tools, extra flowers, whatever you might need to fix edges or decorations once you get there. If you put a damp towel down in the back seat, the cakes won't slide around. I don't like to cover fondant, it gets moist and soft after a while. Just clean the car and let the air circulate around them. The fondant will be dry, so it won't really pick up much car dust (or in my car's case, dog hair).
As for putting your teirs down on your dowels on site, here's my suggestion: Have it pre-doweled and marked at home (toothpick out the diameter of the next cakeboard to sit on top for each cake so you know where you're aiming). Depending on the size, you can use two large spatulas to help you ease the cake down on the next layer. Having a helper is very useful. I just try to get it to within half an inch of my surface, hold with one hand and use a spatula to help me set down the other end. There will be tiny imperfections, that's what your extra buttercream is for!

Good luck!

how would you transport a cake with buttercream icing?
Just curious

I've transported already stacked buttercream cakes (though not enormous) and the trick for me was to make sure the cake was COLD. I haven't done many of them, but there were no problems with slipping or moving. And I never had to transport them very far.

Usually with a 5 tier cake, I put together the 3 bottom tiers, make sure they are doweled well. Figuring if your tiers are each 4 inches, I take at least a 13 inch sharpened wood dowel stick and place in the center of your top cake, then with a hammer start tapping the rod all the way down to the bottom tier. You will have a little left at the top, take some wire cutters, and snip it off to be level. This will stabilize the cake from shifting. I then carry the other 2 tiers seperately and put them on the cake when I get to the reception. I also take the 55 gal. clear bags, cut the bag open and drape it over the cake in transport, it is very light and will not hurt the decorations. Most of the time I use boxes though. I don't care how clean you think your car is, there is always a chance of hair or dirt that can get on the cake, but that is just me. If the cake is to sit for long periods of time at the reception area, you can still cover it with the plastic, to protect it from the elements. My DH made me a large box out of wood that has side handles to carry larger tiers. He also make a long board with handles on both sides so 2 people can carry a real heavy cake.The long board is similar to the ones the fire depts or military use to help carry out wounded people.

I agree with cupcake, very sound advice, stack some of the tiers so there is minimal work to do at the venue. I have delivered to venues to find other couples present who are thinking of booking at the same place, who want to see it "set up", and if you are at all nervous about doing cake stuff with an audience, you want to minimise your time there. Also there is often no available table to put all your tools/equipment so if you are going to be piping borders etc, bring your own small fold up table.

A long time ago I read to cover cakes in transport with netting...the kind you can buy at the fabric store. It allows the cakes to breathe but keeps tiny bits of fluff, dust and insects off the cakes. Because its so light, it won't crush the cakes or the decorations. Give'r at try.

Whether you stack it completely, partially stack, or leave unstacked, just remember that you have to carry that thing! And cakes are heavy.

since it's such a large/tall cake, dowel it all the way through with one big dowel, plus each tier. i would def use the no slip grippy things, i love those!!! it should be ok uncovered, i deliver mine uncovered. hope everything works out!

rollie cart!! for transproting pieces from car to reception