How To Transport A Wedding Cake

Knowing how to carry a wedding cake is crucial, regardless of whether you are a champion baker or have been charged with picking up and delivering the cake on a special day. 

If you want your cake to be the centrepiece of the reception location, it must be a work of art with multiple tiers, complex sugar work, and frosting. Additionally, it needs to be properly supported and structured.

It is easy to transport a wedding cake and ensure it arrives undamaged; however, to make this a reality, you must follow all the straightforward measures outlined below.

If you don't pay attention, you could end up with something in the trunk of your car that appears completely different from how it did when you first started the trip! 

How to Transport a Tiered Wedding Cake

1. Do all the decorating before stacking the tiers

Several discussions on baking forums have been written by folks who intended to stack their tiers in the opposite order of how they would be decorated. Handling the decorated tiers is difficult and nerve-wracking. While stacking the cakes, you must avoid touching the sides. If you start with a more manageable task, you will have more chances to correct errors. 

2. Stack the tiers of your cake at home

It is strongly suggested that you do the stacking of the tiers of your wedding cake at home. (It is important to note that the guidance in this paragraph is not intended for tall cakes, such as those with more than four layers or those taller than 16 inches.) To move the stacked cake as one piece, you must first ensure that the bottom layer is firmly supported by a cake board capable of bearing the weight of the entire cake, and then use a swirl of frosting to glue the bottom tier in place. 

In addition, if you decorate the cake with ribbons, you should attach them to the layers before stacking the tiers on top of each other. It will prevent the frosting from becoming scratched or smudged. (If you read the post about the bridal cake, you may have noted that the top tier of this cake is similarly ribbon wrapped, even though it does not appear to be in the photo displayed above. It is because the ribbon used for the top tier had to cover up the seam that separated the tiers. There is an exception to the suggestion that the ribbon comes first.) 

After stacking the tiers, you must pipe some additional icing around the base of each tier. You can do this in any pattern or design that coordinates with the rest of the cake decoration. It helps to conceal the seams, but it also acts as a glue to keep the layers where they should be. It provides a nice incentive for each tier to remain in your chosen position. 

3. Properly dowel the cake tiers

To provide adequate support for the structure, make sure each layer is dowelled before stacking. Use wooden dowels since they are sturdy and narrow, allowing you to cut them uniformly with a single stroke. Additionally, they can easily handle the weight of the cake layers that are stacked on top of them.

It is very crucial that to carry the cake, a long wooden dowel that has been sharpened is driven down through the centre of the entire cake. The cardboard cake circles supporting each tier must be carefully bored through until the dowel reaches the bottom. When the cake is already on the serving board, many bakers accomplish this by pressing the dowel's point down into the board.

It completes the process of ensuring that the levels will not move about. The cake will remain upright and centred thanks to the dowel in the centre. 

I have read a few terrifying accounts of cakes falling apart around the wooden dowel placed in the centre of the cake. It is an incredibly remote possibility unless several other things have turned negative. If the baked cake is a hot mess, by which I mean it is underbaked or overbaked. It may be crumbly or sludgy, indicating that it needs a structurally strong foundation. If the cake tiers are not secured to the cake board with a swirl of icing, they can slide right off the board if sufficient centrifugal force is applied while the cake is being turned. 

4. Chill the cake for 24 hours

Cake served cold. It is a step that you should take. The application of cold buttercream is similar to donning armour for the cake. You can touch it without leaving a fingerprint if you do so carefully. It also means that it will assist in maintaining the cake's shape while it is being transported. When the frosting is cool, it won't slide down or about when you encounter the inevitable bumps in the road because it won't be able to move. People, this is cold cake. Cake served cold.

If you do not have enough space in your refrigerator to safely preserve the entire stacked cake (without other things that could potentially contact it), chill the tiers individually in containers that offer protection. However, it is advisable to cool the stack as well, even if only for a short time, because the frosting that you pipe to mask the seams between layers will also help bond the stacked tiers in place better if it is cold. It is true even if you do this for a short period.  

5. Use non-skid padding

Every big-box retailer should carry non-skid drawers and shelf liners in its inventory. It is a tightly packed grid with very minimal padding. When it comes to transporting a wedding cake, this material is going to be your best friend.

Simply remove any unwanted items from the trunk of your car and vacuum the area so that there is as little dirt and dust as possible. My vehicle, a crossover SUV, has a cargo area that is completely flat and open. It makes it easier to move the cake into the vehicle, and it also creates a clear area around it so that it won't come into contact with anything else. I recommend borrowing one if you still need to own an SUV or minivan but need to deliver a nice cake to a specific location.

After that, place a fairly large piece of anti-slip padding down directly in the middle of the space that constitutes the trunk. I utilised many pieces of non-skid cushioning and placed one on top of the other nearby.

Proceed with caution as you carry the cake to the vehicle and set it firmly on the padding that prevents slipping.

Have you taken into account how hefty the cake is? The weight of a cake with multiple tiers cannot be understated. This weight will press down on the padding that prevents slipping, which will assist in keeping it in place! 

6. Make your car cold

Although your car is not a refrigerator, you should try to get it to behave as closely like one as you can. No, this will not cause your cake to dry out unless perhaps you have a naked cake: the frosting is a moisture barrier for the sponge underneath. Moreover, most cars do not have AC vents in the trunk area, so the air will not blow directly on the cake. Turn the air conditioning to its highest setting and make your vehicle as cold as possible. 

Before you place the cake into the automobile, give it at least a five-minute head start. It is of utmost significance on dot and humid. It would be better to keep warm by wearing a jacket in June than for the frosting on the cake to melt. Additionally, because your cake will have been stored in a refrigerator before being transported, maintaining a low interior temperature in the vehicle will reduce the likelihood that the cake will start to sweat while you are driving. 

7. Drive like no one else is on the road

One trip in the automobile will do it. A crucial and nerve-wracking drive into the countryside. If you proceed slowly, though, the other motorists on the road won't intentionally collide with you. If they cannot get around you, they will simply have a more entertaining excuse for being late. Do not give in to any pressure that might cause you to drive in such a way that would put your lovely wedding cake in danger. That is something that would destroy my heart.

Therefore, drive as if there is no one else on the road. Put on your turn signals if someone is following too closely behind you or if you know that you will be driving unreasonably slow in an area with no passing lane. And after that, pay no attention to the other vehicles.

Trust is the final and certainly not insignificant component you need for real driving. Have faith in God and pray. You were in charge of the doweling, the chilling, and the padding that prevents slipping. This was designed to be transported to the event's location. You're just doing what needs to be done, regardless of the consequences. 

Because of this, whenever you have to slam on the brakes to avoid running a red light at the bottom of a long hill or whenever you roll right over a huge pothole (because the other option was sideswiping a minivan), you just have to trust and pray that the cake will be okay because there is nothing you can do about it from the driver's seat anyway. 

How to Transport a Wedding Cake

READY-ASSEMBLED VS ASSEMBLY-ON-SITE

Assembly-on-site 

Tiered cakes that are exceptionally intricately decorated, extremely heavy and delicate should ideally be brought in separate portions and constructed on-site. One or even two persons will have difficulty lifting and moving heavy, fragile cakes. Even without having to go through many doors and gates to reach the actual cake table at the venue, there are risks involved with lifting and loading items into and out of the vehicle. 

It is also possible that you could sustain injuries to your lower back or ankles as a result of this, which could keep you from working for some time and limit the activities you can participate in (if you have wedding cake orders coming in one after another, you run the danger of disappointing your other customers!).

If the cake weighs more than 10 kilogrammes, I suggest sending it in sections, with each tier encased in its box, and then assembling it at the venue, where the layers can be arranged in the desired order and the finishing touches added. Be sure to bring along all of the components for the finishing touches, as well as a toolkit that contains piping bags that have been fitted with tips, palette knives, paintbrushes, and components such as royal icing, edible glue, sprinkles, and buttercream. 

Ready-assembled 

Cakes that are less substantial, more sturdy, or smaller can be simply sent pre-assembled. When I say "easily," I don't mean that you are free to do whatever you want with it; you have to exercise extreme caution. However, you can deliver it ready assembled, so you don't have to make arrangements for on-site assembly.

Buttercream cakes stacked and dowelled can be frozen overnight, making them more durable throughout their travels and allowed to thaw in transit. However, cakes wrapped in fondant are not allowed since the fondant would become mushy and discoloured if it absorbed moisture. 

Packaging

As was noted earlier, it is recommended to package each cake tier separately in its box if you will be transporting an exceptionally weighty or highly ornate cake. Alternately, higher ready-assembled cakes can be stored and transported in cake boxes that are tall and deep. 

Box extensions can also be utilised to add height and support the lid of the container. You could use two deep box bases to construct the box lid. You must use tape to keep the extenders and lids in place.

Be sure to cover any gaps left behind by the extenders using either board extenders or cling film.  

There is controversy about using rigid cake boxes instead of regular cake boxes. When passing over a cake, the recipient may incorrectly assume that the box is robust enough to survive any shocks, which is different. 

Although a solid box can surely aid against certain tiny bumps, it offers limited additional protection and a false sense of security. If there is an accident on the road and the driver needs to make a sudden stop, there is no way that a cake could survive that, regardless of whether it is stored in a regular box, a hard box, or even a titanium container, for that matter.  

The cake-mobile

No matter what kind of vehicle you decide to use for the delivery, the cake should be positioned such that it is on a level surface, with any empty spaces surrounding it filled in and free of any items that are free to move and could potentially roll towards it. I've heard one too many tragic tales from people who create cakes about how their customers throw the cake onto the back seat of their car and then find a crushed-up mess when they arrive at their destination. At all times, at all times, on a level, flat surface.

If it's a hot day in the summer, make sure the air conditioner is on and try to get an early start to avoid being in transit during the warmest part of the day. Additionally, you should be extremely careful about leaving the car in direct sunlight at any service station stops or other places.

And I hope it goes without saying, but DRIVE CAREFULLY - making sudden bends and harsh stops or failing to slow down for speed bumps may cause some harm. I hope it goes without saying. 

Communication

It may be one of the MOST crucial components of delivering a wedding cake, but it's up there. I'm not making this up; I've heard of cake makers who went to all the trouble of designing and creating a bespoke wedding cake with a couple, only to be in an absolute panic on the day of the wedding because they did not have the full correct details of delivery and were unable to get in touch with the bride and groom on the day of the wedding (duh!). I'm not making this up; it's happened.

The following is a list of the fundamental particulars that you are responsible for preparing in advance:

1. The complete and accurate delivery address; to verify it, enter the location into Google and see if it appears correctly in Google Maps and Google Earth view; also, check to see if the venue has a website where additional information can be found.
2. Details about people who may assist with any questions before the event, such as the bride, groom, wedding planner, venue management, and a contact for the event day.
3. Instructions regarding parking, loading limitations, and road conditions (such as steep or bumpy roads) fall under the logistics category.
4. Assembly and storage: a clarification on whether or not you will require any assistance with placing or assembling the cake when you are on-site, such as time, a cart, or the availability of electrical plugs and a sink.

How To Transport A Wedding Cake To The Venue

The frostings and fillings

When travelling a long distance with a cake, especially when the weather is hot, you should use a frosting that won't melt and seep and steer clear of soft fillings like pastry cream.

Cakes covered in buttercream melt more easily in the heat than those covered in fondant. Choose a buttercream that contains egg whites, such as an Italian or Swiss meringue buttercream, if you will use it for decorating. They have a touch more solidity than buttercream made in the United States. However, even at 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit), they will become pliable and begin melting at higher temperatures.

In addition to the butter, you could also use shortening to give it even more stability. This is because shortening can withstand heat better than butter does.

Above 29 degrees Celsius (85 degrees Fahrenheit), a dark chocolate ganache frosting will become more malleable than buttercream, although it will withstand the heat somewhat better.

Hold off on adding the finishing touches, like the topper for the cake, until you get to the event's location. If you decorate the cake with fresh fruits or flowers, it is better to do it at the venue where it will be served. 

The cake tiers

When planning to carry a wedding cake, the first thing to decide is the shape and size. How many levels will it have in total? Layers make it cumbersome to transport. Add support inside the cake to remain stable.

If there are a lot of layers, it is preferable to package them up in pieces and then assemble the cake at the location where it will be served. However, there are situations when the cake needs to be pre-assembled before it can be served. Cake supports and dowels are necessary if the cake is to be transported. 

Cakes with 2-3 tiers

Because they are a manageable size, smaller cakes can be packaged already assembled. Dowels and cake boards should be inserted in the middle of each layer to ensure the structure's stability. Regardless of how airy and fluffy the cake base is, a stacked cake will significantly impact the dessert's overall weight. Dowels are used to help support some of the weight of this. 

Cakes with 4-6 tiers or more

When transporting larger wedding cakes, it is advisable to do it in pieces with separate tiers. When cakes are created to be extremely tall, one or more layers may be composed of styrofoam covered in fondant or frosting. These 'fake' layers were put on top of the bottom real cake layers, making them appear part of a real cake.

It makes it much simpler to transport a tall and elaborate cake while ensuring it remains pristine. In most cases, foam is used for the upper tier. As a token of the occasion, the couple will frequently keep it in their possession. It must have been covered in fondant for this to work; buttercream or ganache icing will not do the trick. 

The cake boxes

When transporting the cakes, you should use sturdy cardboard boxes or plastic carriers with a close fit. It will prevent the cake board from moving around inside the box and damaging the sides of the container. Cake supply retailers sell cardboard cake caddies capable of holding cakes with two to three tiers. Because it is difficult to get an appropriate box, it is recommended to build cakes that are any taller than that at the location where they will be served. Put a non-slip pad in the bottom of the box so the cake board has somewhere to sit while it's transported.

The box should be constructed of sturdy cardboard resistant to excessive bending and flexing. It does not have to be a specially designed cake box; a strong moving box can still transport cakes. Create a doorway by cutting a slit in the side of one of the box's sides to provide a flap that may be used as a doorway for sliding the cake in smoothly. Ensure you raise the box not using any of the handles it may have but rather from the bottom.

When you get to the location, you can cut the box around the cake down to size so that you won't have to slide the cake out of the box a second time and risk colliding with the side of the box. 

The transport

If you transport the cake in the car, you should check if it has a functioning air conditioner, particularly if you have a lengthy drive ahead of you.

The cake boxes must be positioned on a flat surface. It can be the vehicle's floor or the back if the seats can be folded to an entirely flat position. Place some towels or a non-slip mat at the bottom of the car to prevent the cake boxes from sliding around. Ensure that the air conditioner can also cool the rear of the vehicle.

Take precautions while driving and avoid going over speed bumps fast, suddenly stopping, or making sharp corners. After arriving at the location, you should determine where it will be placed before unpacking the cake from the vehicle. You don't want to be seen with the cake in your possession for longer than necessary. 

Cake repair supplies

Bring along the tools and materials that you will need to do any touch-ups or adjustments that might be necessary, as well as the tools and materials that you will need to complete the final touches.

Take with you:

• Extra icing on the cake
• Tools for cakes include your levels, a smoother fondant, and an offset spatula
• Flowers made of gum paste and delicately arranged minimal ornaments
• Figurines and cake toppers are used for decoration
• To hide any flaws, fresh flowers that can be eaten are used
• Any supplementary equipment that you may require

Tips For Safe Driving With A Wedding Cake In A Car

To provide the highest level of protection for your priceless cargo, you should drive carefully and refrain from making sudden stops when carrying a wedding cake. Additionally, you should have a designated caretaker accompany you during transportation and keep the vehicle's interior cool and well-ventilated. 

Drive Cautiously And Avoid Sudden Movements

It is essential to manage the shipping of a wedding cake with the utmost care, whether a three-tiered cake or a miniature cake. When behind the wheel, avoiding jerky movements and driving calmly is essential.

Even minor disturbances in the road can cause the fragile cake layers to sustain significant damage, ultimately resulting in a costly catastrophe.

Consider decorating the cake tiers only a little in advance and leaving the finishing touches until you get to the venue to reduce the likelihood of anything going wrong during transport. In addition, consider the possibility that the arrival time will be delayed due to road congestion or adverse weather conditions and make appropriate preparations by building buffer time into the delivery plans. 

Have A Designated Cake Caretaker During Transport

It is essential to design a cake caretaker who will accompany the cake while it is being transported. This individual should be in charge of managing and monitoring the cake. At the same time, it is being transported and should also be responsible for repairing any damages that may occur along the way.

It is essential to pick someone who can be relied upon and has previous expertise working with delicate things like cakes.

Purchasing a reliable transport method and appointing a responsible caretaker are two things that can give you peace of mind while ensuring the security of your wedding cake during transport. 

Keep The Vehicle Cool And Well-ventilated

The wedding cake must be kept at a consistent temperature while being transported. Ensure adequate ventilation in the vehicle, especially if you will be driving during the warmer months or in a region with a hot environment.

Priming the air conditioner to its maximum setting before transporting a cake is one of the most efficient techniques to preserve the cake at a cool temperature. Keeping the temperature inside your vehicle comfortable is important in mitigating the risk of a catastrophe.

You can also maintain a colder atmosphere around your cake using insulated packing or chilling accessories like freezer packs. Remember that exposure to high temperatures can cause buttercream cakes to melt or become excessively soft, which might threaten the cake's structural integrity. 

Wrapping Up

The work of transporting a wedding cake can be challenging, but with adequate organisation and preparation, it is possible to do this chore in a way that is both secure and risk-free. Important considerations include using appropriate packing and support, selecting the appropriate vehicle and location, driving carefully, and maintaining clear and effective communication with the client and the venue.

It is important to remember to refrigerate the cake before transporting it to add stability, use cushioning that does not skid or a robust cake drum while in transit, and construct the cake at the venue, if possible, using the necessary tools and supplies.