Knowing how to transport a wedding cake without mishap is a skill that every cake decorator must have. Truth is that it’s not only wedding cakes that can be a headache to transport. Large multi-tiered cakes are also usually delicate to handle. For this reason, we would share some tips on what to do to ensure that your cake gets safely to its destination
If you have been in that situation where you have had to hold your breath until your cake arrived its destination then this article would be of great help to you.
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Table of Contents
How to Transport A Wedding Cake – Expert Tips
In this segment, we would be sharing some tips from experts who have had the joy of transporting countless wedding cakes without tears.
Here are some of their expert advice:-
Decorate Appropriately
By this we mean that you should decorate the cake with the knowledge that it would be transported.
First step is to ensure that the cake is structurally sound. How would you achieve this? Here’s how:-
(1) Ensure that all the tiers are commensurately sized. Place the tiers according to weight; especially if you are making different types of cakes for each tier. Bear in mind that different cake recipes weigh differently. For example place denser cake recipes at the base and the lighter ones in top.
(2) Reinforce your cake tiers with dowel rods.
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(3) Use the right base (cake drums).
Next, do not affix any delicate decoration or accent onto the cake until you get to the wedding venue.
In the same vein, leave all finishing touches to the cake to be done after you have set up the wedding cake.
Finally, prepare for any emergency that comes up at the venue. By this we mean that you should have an onsite decorating kit and some icing. With extra ornaments and stuff to repair any damage that may have occurred in the course of transportation.
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Box Appropriately
Next step ito safely transporting your wedding cake is to box the cake properly. Any cake that is above 10kg should be boxed separately to be assembled at the venue.
It would be risky for you to attempt to transport a cake that is above 10kg already assembled. So box each tier individually. Then pack all the finishing touches and on site decorating kits to take to the venue. These include piping bags with icing(buttercream or royal icing), edible glue, pallet knives and all.
If your cake is less than 10 kg and without fragile decoration and accents, then you can go ahead and assemble it at home before transporting.
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Freeze Buttercream Wedding Cakes Before Transporting
If your cake is a buttercream cake, you can freeze it so that it would be solid before you transport it.
Remember that to thaw a frozen cake, you don’t take it from one extreme temperature to the other. You take it from the freezer to the fridge then to a cold van for transportation. That way it would thaw in increments and not sharply.
Also note that you don’t freeze fondant covered cakes because of condensation.
Place on A Level Surface And Safeguard
Always ensure that whatever vehicle you would use to deliver the cake has a level surface where you would place the cake.
Next ensure that there are no moving objects around the cake. Aside from that, also make sure that there is no space between the cake board and the cake box. If for any reason there is, try to stuff the space (very tightly) with soft material that wouldn’t damage the cake.
Do not for any reason place your wedding or multi-tiered cakes on the backseat of a car. Always remember level surface is the keyword for safety when transporting a wedding cake.
Temperature Control
This step is very crucial especially if you refrigerated the cake before transporting it. Ensure that the temperature in the vehicle is cold. Furthermore, it is best to transport a wedding cake very early in the day to avoid the heat of the day.
It is also better to leave the cake in the reception venue (which has to be cool of course) than to struggle through the heat of the day and sometimes heavy traffic.
When you transport a wedding cake, try to avoid rush hour traffic. We all know how drivers can be during rush hour. So if you can avoid heavy traffic, please do.
check out this video for some inspiration on how to deliver your cake in a temperature controlled box.
Know The layout of Your Display Venue
Check out the venue of the wedding or party and know the layout of the place. Find out whether there are stairs to the hall. What is the clearance between the stairs and the roof? Check the width and height of the doorways. This would help you know whether you can pre-assemble your tiers or do so at the venue. This is apart from the fact of the weight of the cake.
It is safer not to transport a wedding cake to a venue you have not either visited or have full disclosure about.
How To Transport A Wedding Cake – Conclusion
Remember that at the foundation of all the points we have discussed is the fact of a properly leveled, stacked and decorated cake.
If you start off with an unevenly stacked or leveled cake, you stand the risk of your cake not being structurally sound.
We recommend that you read some of our other articles on cake decoration ; you are sure to pick up a few more pointers:-
- Cake Boards – Covering the Bases
- How To Store Fondant Decorations
- Wedding Cake Stand – Elegant Cake Display
- How To Stack A Cake
- Gum Paste Flower Cutters- Creating Edible Flowers
- How To Make Fondant Cake Decorations
Also watch the accompanying video to see how to make your tiered cakes structurally sound so that it can be transported safely.
We had earlier stated that it is safer to assemble heavy multi-tiered cakes at the venue. However, this first video would come in handy if you find yourself in a situation where you absolutely have to assemble your cake before transporting.
This second video shows you how to package the cake properly for delivery.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H67LAluKlO0
How To Transport A Wedding Cake – FAQS
How Do You Transport A Cake In Hot Weather?
The issue of transporting a cake in hot weather would mostly affect buttercream or whipped cream cakes. If the wedding cake you intend to transport in hot weather is any of the above, then it needs to be refrigerated. Then when you are ready to move, you then remove the cake from the fridge and place it in a refrigerated box.
A refrigerated cake box is a cake delivery box that is filled with ice and insulated. There are different ways of ensuring your cake remains cold during transit and we have discussed them in our main article about transporting wedding cakes. Also check out the videos for tips on how to make portable refrigerated boxes.
How Long Can A Wedding Cake Sit Out?
The length of time that a wedding cake can sit out depends largely on the filling in the cake and the type of frosting used.
If your cake has no perishable filling and is covered in fondant, it can sit out overnight. But for cakes that has perishable fillings and icing, four hours is the maximum time to be left without refrigerating.
This is actually why it is not recommended to make wedding cakes with perishable fillings and icing. An example of this combo is fresh fruits as part of your cake filling and whipped cream as the frosting. This kind of combo is best left for parties and get together that are held at home where you can bring the cake straight from the fridge to display and then serve without much time interval.
How Do You Cover A Cake For Transport?
Wedding cakes or any cake for that matter is best covered if you would be going through dusty terrains or feel that the cake might pick up dirt in transit.
Follow these simple steps to safely cover cakes or transporting:-
For fondant covered cakes, use hamper nylon/wrapper. Spread out a good quantity of hamper nylon/wrapper on your table or countertop and place the cake on it. Ensure that the wrapper is wide enough to cover the cake with extra for clearance on top. Then wrap up the cake as you would a gift hamper.
Buttercream covered cakes would be smudged by the above method so just stick some toothpicks into the cake. Then drape some length of aluminium foil over the cake. The toothpick would ensure that the foil would not smudge the cake.
Can I Take A Wedding Cake On A Plane?
You can take a wedding cake in a plane but you have to first consult with the airline that you intend to use. This is because airlines have different policies concerning transporting food items.
Knowing what these policies are would help you know how to box the cake and also whether it is worth the trouble of flying with the cake.
Furthermore, the location of delivery is also important; find out what the regulations are about coming into the place with items such as wedding cakes. This is if you are embarking on an international trip with the wedding cake.
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