I should have come here before I started but I didn't realize I was going to have a problem. I have a four tier cake due this Sunday (6, 8, 10 & 14). The cake is a scratch lemon cake with a blackberry filling. I thought I was doing a good job of not overfilling the layers and I did use a fairly firm buttercream for my dams but I am concerned about this thing sliding around when I deliver it as it seems pretty wiggly. The delivery will be at about 2:30 PM on a day that is expected to be about 80 degrees. I use SPS so every tier will have the legs in it before I leave here. The drive is about 40 minutes away and at least part of it will be on a gravel road with the potential for a few potholes. The cake will be chilled and my car has air conditioning, although it isn't super chilly.

 

Normally I deliver stacked and don't even think about it since I use SPS but the slippery filling has me worried. The design is pretty simple, just a four tier stack with rough icing and some plastic succulents that I'll put on at the venue. So I guess my question is, would you risk stacking it with the slippery filling or should I accept that I will have to stack on site? If the SPS is in I am pretty sure the layers with it will be stable while driving but I'm concerned about it if I stack them and the top tier (6") won't have legs. 

 

Please help me decide what to do? I'm a little stressed at the moment and could really use some help to get this thing to the venue without it becoming a disaster. (My mom just had two heart attacks and a stroke and is in the hospital as I type so my brain is only half here.) Thank you!

Sorry to here about your Mom.

I use SPS all the time. I did get a hairline crack in a cream cheese buttercreamed 3 tier on potholey roads but that is the only time I ever had a "problem" - the hairline crack was at the back luckily and was the kind of thing only a baker/decorator would see anyway. I think in this case, if you stack on site you would be much happier and reduce your stress level. Insert the legs and plates before you leave, as you have planned on doing anyway.

Oh, I and I can barely lift a 4 tier stack anyway, so I would take it in 2 or 3 parts to begin with!

Thank you. I think you're right that my stress level will be lower if I do it that way. It's not like I have to have a perfect finish with the rough icing. She wanted rustic so I that's in my favor! With the SPS legs it should be stable, right? My brain knows this since I've used it dozens of times but I need reassurance today apparently.

 

As for carrying, my husband is the muscle and my lovely assistant so he gets the job of carrying it around. :D He's done it before but I'm sure he'll be happy not to have to do it this time. 

I have a similar cake that I'm delivering today - with temps hitting 111*F, I can tell you what I'm doing.

 

Mine is a 4 tier, 6"/8"/10"/12", white cake, raspberry filling, stacked with SPS and I normally deliver totally assembled. This time, I have had that sucker sitting in my fridge since completing it yesterday so that it will be nice and cold and sturdy.  Instead of having it fully assembled, I have the bottom two tiers assembled and the top two assembled.  I will transport it like that and then finish assembly at the venue (where I am hoping that the A/C is cranking!!). I too am worried about the heat and the filling - plus, I'm worried that with the heat and the stress that I wont be able to keep that sucker level as I try and heave it to its table.

 

Good luck!

Welll.....Here I go!  112* in the shade!  I've had my a/c running in my car for the last 15 minutes!

YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!!

Success! Lots of sweating (on the cake AND me) but thankfully the venue was icey cold and the setup was could not have gone any better. :)

AGlad to hear dukes. I am really surprised at the weather here lately. The.beginning of the week was really odd. Dry, and not as hot as August generally is,more like it was still June. Then BAM! Here came the stifling, choking, heavy hot humidity the past few days. Gross! Yuma is usually around the same as Phoenix. Glad you had success today. Without clicking your profile, I believe you are in Phx. if I recall from past.convos.

I'm so glad it went well Dukes! Mine is in the fridge in two sections waiting for delivery. It seems much more stable now that it's nicely chilled and I feel much better about driving it knowing it will be in two parts. 

AZCouture - Yes, I am in the Phx area and YES, the weather has been nutty!  I was in NH for most of the summer and there were days when NH and AZ had about the same temp.  Then, we get home and BAM! Here comes the 110.  It is brutal for cakes & my electricity bill.  Even after you told me that you exclusively use meringue based buttercreams - I'm still scared! lol! How can it not melt?!  What do you keep your kitchen temp set at>

A

Oh, about 76 right now. I do my most of my work really late at night and really early in the am, before the sun starts beating down on the house. It's not bad, but not exactly fun this time of year. I look forward to winter when I can have a fresh breeze blowing thru the studio. ((sigh))

What does SPS stand for?

Ahttp://happycakesbakes.blogspot.com/2012/02/how-to-stack-tiered-cake.html

SPS: Single Plate Seperators

I delivered today and it went without a hitch! I had the 14 and 10 stacked and the 8 & 6 stacked at home and well chilled. When we got to the venue we put the two together, covered up the seam and put the flowers on. I am really glad I decided not to deliver the thing completely stacked just because I might have had a nervous breakdown. :D Thank you for the help!