Cake Decorating Community - Cakes We Bake

I am making a 12x18 double layered sheet cake to take to my brother-in-law's surprise birthday party this weekend. The problem is that the party is 11 hours away. I have a box large enough to hold it and a piece of foam for the bottom of the box to protect it from the bumps of the road. I'm wondering if I should put ice packs beneath the cake to keep it cool or if it would be better to just leave it as is. I'm going to decorate it with buttercream on Thursday so it will have all day Friday to set in the refrigerator. My concern with the ice packs is possible condensation forming inside the box. Any suggestions?

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I recently traveled with four tiers, 5 hours for a wedding.  I stacked and decorated after we arrived.  I froze the cakes and then transported.  If your cake is in a box, frozen,  put blankets around it and make sure that it is protected as best as possible from the sun.  Also, make sure that it is on a level surface to transport.  If it is not snug in the box, put a non-slip mat under the cake as well as under the box.  Drive safely and you should make it.

Thanks, Linda. I'm worried about freezing it because the decoration on the cake is in dark blue, and I'm afraid that as it thaws the blue will run. I have to decorate it before we leave because we won't arrive until late at night and I don't think I'll have time to do it the next day. It will be in the upper 70s when we leave home but rainy and in the 60s at our destination. What a bad combination!

Linda - personally, I would think if it's chilled before you leave and you are heading to a lower temperature, then just leave well alone.  I don't see why a buttercream cake can't last that long without any issue.  Do you have airco in your vehicle?  Just turn that on now and again to keep the temperature stable.  I leave butter iced cakes in a tupperware box in a cool cupboard all week and they are always OK by the end of the week (this is my husband's lunch supply I'm talking about here - a slice a day!).

I think that's what I'll do., plus keep my fingers crossed. I know they are good for several hours or even a day on the counter. The box has a lid and plenty of air space around it, so the sun shouldn't be an issue. Thanks for your comments.


Katy Nott said:

Linda - personally, I would think if it's chilled before you leave and you are heading to a lower temperature, then just leave well alone.  I don't see why a buttercream cake can't last that long without any issue.  Do you have airco in your vehicle?  Just turn that on now and again to keep the temperature stable.  I leave butter iced cakes in a tupperware box in a cool cupboard all week and they are always OK by the end of the week (this is my husband's lunch supply I'm talking about here - a slice a day!).

Good luck - let us know how it went!

Crank up the AC in your car!  I travel with cakes 4 to 5 hours all the time... I usually do NOT stack them until I arrive though... I put each cake in a box with a piece of shelf liner under the cake then another piece of shelf liner under the box to keep it from moving around in the trunk.  I never freeze them.  and most of the time they are transported at room temp.  We have a Honda and I lay the back seat flat if it is hot out and crank up the AC so there is air moving in the car.  If it is not hot... I just put them in the trunk.  Most of the time I do all of the finish work there so they look nice.  Hope you have a great trip!!!!

And... I do not think I would use the foam... I would be afraid the cake would not sit flat and might cause it to shift.... the ice packs... I would not use them the heat is not going to be that bad it sounds like you might have some moisture in the air and you don't want any extra moisture from icepacks!

 



jeri c said:

Crank up the AC in your car!  I travel with cakes 4 to 5 hours all the time... I usually do NOT stack them until I arrive though... I put each cake in a box with a piece of shelf liner under the cake then another piece of shelf liner under the box to keep it from moving around in the trunk.  I never freeze them.  and most of the time they are transported at room temp.  We have a Honda and I lay the back seat flat if it is hot out and crank up the AC so there is air moving in the car.  If it is not hot... I just put them in the trunk.  Most of the time I do all of the finish work there so they look nice.  Hope you have a great trip!!!!

And... I do not think I would use the foam... I would be afraid the cake would not sit flat and might cause it to shift.... the ice packs... I would not use them the heat is not going to be that bad it sounds like you might have some moisture in the air and you don't want any extra moisture from icepacks!

 


The foam shouldn't be a problem since the board beneath the 2 layer cake is pressed board, not cardboard, and the box is only slightly larger than the cake board, with very little wiggle room. We will have our luggage holding everything in place in our station wagon. I think all will be well if we can just get away from here before the temps get up to the 90 degrees that is predicted. Where we are headed is only going to be about 68...better than the other way around. Now if I can just get them decorated tomorrow with the high humidity. I'll let you all know how it goes. Thanks for all your helpful suggestions.

Safe travels!  And I hope the cake makes it in stellar condition!  Will be thinking of you!  I know the anxiety of traveling with cakes!  You will do great and you will have a fantastic time too! 

I'm hoping for a good result. I had a heck of a time decorating it yesterday. My dear husband neglected to tell me that he turned the sir conditioning off in the house Wednesday night. While it was fairly cool outside and in, it was dreadfully humid. Myy frosting was turning into soup and the big cake was sweating. I reduced the amount of milk in the frosting and hope it won't alter the taste or make it too sugary. Then I stuck the cake in the fridge for the rest of the day to let it dry out. I have the dark blue frosting piped, but I'm going to wait to put the gold lettering on it until we arrive at our destination. I don't want to take the chance of it turning green and having to redo it.
The smaller cake turned out fine and is residing in my Tupperware cake keeper. All I have to do on that one is the edging because it was a tight fit in the keeper. I'll post pictures whether it's a fiasco or a success. :-P

Ah Linda - husbands eh.  Always think they know best don't they?  It won't be a fiasco, it will be fine.  Have faith lol!

Linda Wenger said:

I'm hoping for a good result. I had a heck of a time decorating it yesterday. My dear husband neglected to tell me that he turned the sir conditioning off in the house Wednesday night. While it was fairly cool outside and in, it was dreadfully humid. Myy frosting was turning into soup and the big cake was sweating. I reduced the amount of milk in the frosting and hope it won't alter the taste or make it too sugary. Then I stuck the cake in the fridge for the rest of the day to let it dry out. I have the dark blue frosting piped, but I'm going to wait to put the gold lettering on it until we arrive at our destination. I don't want to take the chance of it turning green and having to redo it.
The smaller cake turned out fine and is residing in my Tupperware cake keeper. All I have to do on that one is the edging because it was a tight fit in the keeper. I'll post pictures whether it's a fiasco or a success. :-P
Disaster strikes! I can't believe this!! The air in our car picks TONIGHT to STOP WORKING. And of course the warranty on our car just expired too. We are going to try stopping at the dealership an hour away from where we live to see if they can slap a bandaid on the stupid thing. Meanwhile, I'm freezing every container and ice pack we own. I'm going to wrap them in towels and put them around the outside of the box in an effort to keep it cool. At least where we are headed is cooler than here. Lets hope it's enough.

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