How To Transport A Wedding Cake

by Sheila
(Cheltenham Glos.)

We need to transport a three tier wedding cake to the wedding venue and we want to be sure of it's safe arrival. All the tiers are rich fruit cake. The cake will be decorated with calla lilies, but these will be placed on the cake later by the bride's mother using tubed Royal icing as a glue. I will have attached ribbons to the cake beforehand and the calla lilies will be plastic boxes. What precisely should I use to pack the stacked cake in to ensure that it does not get damaged in transit?
Sheila from Cheltenham.

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Simple wedding cake decorations

Ask the expert

Answer:

Well, it's very sensible to transport the wedding cake undecorated. Delicate decorations are easily damaged if they're not protected. You can transport a wedding cake assembled or stacked, but it's better and safer to transport the tiers separately.

The bottom tier should have a base made of thick plywood in order to take the weight of the other tiers when stacked. It will also be a solid base for transportation. The plywood should be at least one inch thick. Other tiers should be placed on thick cardboard cake bases.

If you're using pillars to stack the cake, then it's really important that the cake is moved unassembled. It just won't hold up in the car if you have pillars on it. Transport the tiers and the pillars separately along with your decorations. I will assume that you're just layering the cake on top of the next layer and not using pillars.

In the car, place the cake in a box on a clean, non-slip, flat surface (i.e. on the floor or in the boot). A layer of foam makes a really good non-slip surface in a car and will also absorb and knocks or bounces. This will help to prevent the cake from moving. You can also buy large, sturdy cake boxes for assembled cakes (20" deep) which will add some additional protection and help keep it clean. Choose a cake box that is the same size as the cake board so you get a snug fit and the cake doesn't move around in the box. Ask someone to accompany you, so they can watch the cake and hold it steady if necessary.

 

If you can, use a car with air conditioning. The hot weather will melt the icing and ruin your hard work and your car! Also try and keep it out of direct sunlight. Ideally, the cake should be in a box, on a clean, flat surface and kept reasonably cool.

When you get to your venue, ask the manager to provide you with a trolley to move it. Don't try to lift it yourself. It will be heavy and awkward to carry and the last you want is to drop it! Place the cake on the table where it will be cut and served, this saves you having to move it again. Bring some extra icing and essential tools (spatula, decorating bag, flowers, etc) you might need, just in case there are any problems decorating it.

I would strongly advise to transport your cake tiers separately and assemble them at the venue. It will take more time, but it is safer.