Welcome to the Cake Decorators Q&A

I am using the sturdy stacker system for a four tier wedding cake. Can I decorate my tiers several days before wedding on the stacking system without the cake going mouldy especially my fruit cake.
Thank you

Hi Blueberry

How many days in advance are you decorating? The fruit cake will be fine, they last for months , sometimes years.
What are your other cakes? If they are sponge they will be good for five days from the bake date to serving. Paul’s moist chocolate cake recipe has a good seven days and some people have said it lasts longer. Maderia cake, depending on recipe will stay fresh for approx two weeks from baking to eating. Anything with fresh fruit has a much reduced shelf life unless refrigerated.
All of this is reliant on preparing and storing conditons. As you are decorating directing on the stacking system, I would recomend that you wipe down all it’s components with alcohol (spirits) so it’s clean and sterile.

🙂

Hi MIWL
The wedding is 4th November and was going to take the cake on the Friday afternoon as it’s my sons’ wedding and I need to get ready on the Saturday.
I have made Paul’s chocolate and a Madeira and a vanilla sponge all of which are now in the freezer. I was going to take them out Sunday evening ganache on the Monday and Put fondant on them Tuesday and decorate Wednesday and a Thursday on the stacking system as I wasn’t too sure if I put the on the stscking system decorated it would spoil whe I am trying to hold it. So I was going to put them on the stacking system Wednesday ready to decorate. Have you used this system before? Are the cakes going to be ok for Saturday? I am taking the cake in a large wedding box in the boot of a car. I was more concerned the cake might be dry or worse still mouldy with the tube going right through the middle of them. Feeling very nervous about all of this as it’s my first wedding cake. The cake will be stored in my kitchen in cardboard boxes. Nothing in the cake is fresh i.e. Paul’s ganache and lemon curd in Madeira with buttercream and jam in the other. Would you decorate on the stacking system or before I use the system. The cake is Art Deco design.
Thank you

The fruit cake and chocolate cake will ok but not so sure now about the madeira as it contains lemon curd. Is the lemon curd commercially made or home made. Usually it has to be refrigerated because of the eggs. Sponge cake stays at it’s best for approximately three days before starting to stale a little. I would be inclined to stagger the time over which you take the cakes out of the freezer. Fruit cake and chocolate first as these are the most stable. Maderia after these have been filled and covered and lastly the sponge to keep them as fresh as possible. Is the ArtDeco design minimal or is the decoration assembly going to be complex?
It’s best to keep the cakes in the coolest place in your home , which sometimes is not the kitchen.
I haven’t used the stacking system but it is used satisfactorily by lots of decorators. I just recommend that it is wiped down with some vodka or another spirit to sterilise it before placing the cakes on it.

The lemon curd is supermarket bought. I have to decorate the base tier with minimal art Deco but the next tier is gold sequins. I am limited to time too as I work full time so I am conscious about waiting til the last minute to decorate.
I can take the cake Friday afternoon to the venue. Shall I just leave it in the large carrier box til I arrive on the Saturday after the ceremony or would it be ok left out on the table overnight already set up. I cannot set up in the morning as I am going to the wedding so I have no time, that why I though the stacking system would benefit me but I am now having reservations because of the time limit to decorate before the cakes went stale.
I will ganache the maderia on Tuesday and keep cool so should be ok til Saturday.
You are so helpful to me I am sincerely grateful for all your support.

I wouldn’t take the cake out of the box. Have you asked the supervisor of the room if it will be safe left overnight with them? When I was doing wedding cakes, I was rarely allowed to leave cakes overnight because apparently the venue insurance did not cover them for theft or accidental damage. It’s mainly because there are other people in the room such as florists, cleaners and people setting tables. It’s best to confirm that the cakes will be safe.
If you leave them, my dvice would be to take photographs of all the cakes from all sides to show that they have been left in perfect condition and have member of venue staff to witness.
I know from my own experience how stressful this is for you as I have been guest in two of the weddings I did and a Christening too! One wedding was at a venue down a long crater filled lane. I took a five tier cake there at the crack of dawn to set it up which took two hours, then back home to change to go to the ceremony. I did the same for my own wedding but at least we did know the owners of the hotel so they locked the room up.

ps. If the chocolate cake is the sequined tier, it will be fine to get on with it in the time line you indicated. It’s really the sponge which would need more attention.

Yes the chocolate is the second tier with sequins on so Thursday ok. I need to think about the top tier as I was going to do sponge but looking st your answers to several other questions I need to rethink. Any ideas please to put on the top tier?
I have purchased cake cards for the cakes. Do you think it’s better to have bought drums?
The only other alternative my daughter in law (to be) said was to leave the cake in box and set up while the guests are having drinks and photos done. Thought it might take a bit of time to do that. The venue is quite far from my home which impacts on my time on the Saturday morning that’s why I thought Friday late afternoon.
I did think about hotel insurance and thought they may not want the cake on their premises til the Saturday.
I have a dilemma!
Thank you for all your help.

How about a carrot cake for the top tier? That way you’ll have no problems to bake and decorate in your timeline. Carrot cake is oil based and will stay fresh. Use white chocolate vanilla buttercream for the filling and white ganache for crumbcoat instead of cream cheese, which will not keep. If you want cream cheese flavour, try LorAnn oil food flavour.
Mrs Jones’ has a great carrot cake recipe on the site which would be ideal. Mrs Jones adds extra flour to her recipe for which she gives ratios if the cake needs enrobing with sugarpaste. You could then stack all your cakes without worry and get them to the venue on the Friday. providing the venue will allow you to leave them there overnight. Here is the recipe:

Carrot Cake