How to Transport a Cake Long Distance
I’ve made wedding cakes for friends in the past, and I even made my own wedding cake this past summer. However, I had never had to transport a cake long distance.
When one of my good friends told me she was getting married in Chicago, I knew I wanted to make her wedding cake.
She has been an amazing mentor to me in both life, and with my business. She’s given me such incredible advice over the years, the least I could do was make her wedding cake!!
I’d made wedding cakes in the past, and I figured it’d be the same thing just in a different city. In the beginning of this, I don’t think I really thought through everything this would entail.
But then I really began to think about how much time and effort go into a wedding cake.
From buying all the ingredients for the cake, to all the tools and equipment you need. It takes me hours just to bake the cake layers and make the frosting, let alone actually assemble and decorate the cake.
It’s also an insanely messy process. My kitchen looks like a bomb went off in it after a long day of baking wedding cake layers.
My friend’s Aunt had a huge kitchen, and they offered to let me make the wedding cake there. She had a huge fridge and freezer, and told me she’d leave plenty of room for the cake in both.
Realizing I Should Make the Cake Layers and Frosting Ahead of Time
While that was a huge relief, I began to think about how difficult it would be to source all the ingredients in a different city.
To cover my bases, I started making an Excel spreadsheet with all the ingredients and quantities I needed. There were so many ingredients, it was a chore just to write down everything I needed.
As I worked on this list, I thought to myself, there has to be an easier way to do this. If I made the cake fully in her Aunt’s house, I’d be there for like 18 hours!! Or even longer.
She had a KitchenAid, but I was used to using my commercial KitchenAid to make huge batches of cake batter and frosting. Trying to make all the batter and buttercream in a 5 qt mixer would take a lot longer.
That’s when I slowly started to come around to the idea of making the cake and frosting in my own kitchen, and bringing them with me to Chicago.
I had never traveled with cake like this before. My friend Courtney of Cake by Courtney travels with cake layers and frosting all the time, for TV segments, conferences, and classes.
This helped me build my confidence in the idea and made me feel like I really could pull this off. Amazingly enough, my plan ended up working out great, thanks to a lot of careful preparation.
Prepping the Cake Layers
I make cake layers in advance all the time, so I wasn’t worried about wrapping and freezing my cake layers. As long as you double wrap the cake layers (in plastic wrap and/or foil, or a Ziploc bag), they stay fresh in the freezer for weeks.
Once I had baked and cooled all my cake layers, I wrapped them up and placed a cardboard cake round underneath each layer. This helps them freeze flat, and also adds stability when they’re stacked on top of one another.
I have to stack my cake layers to fit them in my freezer, because it isn’t very big. Appliances in Manhattan never seem to be quite big enough 😛
I kept the cake layers in my freezer overnight before my flight, and took them out to pack them about 15 minutes before I had to leave. I tried to wait until the last possible minute to take them out, much to my husband’s chagrin.
To transport the frozen cake layers, I placed them into a box the same size as the cake layers, and carefully placed them into my carry-on suitcase. I was able to fit the 9-inch and 6-inch cake boxes into a standard sized carry one, and added bubble wrap around the boxes to keep them in place and protected.
Carry-On the Cake Layers
I assembled the cake boxes a few days before all of this, and placed them in my carry-on suitcase to make sure they would fit. This is SUPER important to do ahead of time, so that you know everything will go smoothly as you pack the cake layers right before your flight.
With this in mind, I knew that my 12-inch cake layers were not going to fit my carry-on. I decided it would be best for me to carry that cake box in my hands. My husband helped pull my carry-on suitcase with the other cake layers, since my hands were full.
They were definitely heavy, but it was the best option for this trip. The flight to Chicago was only a few hours, and it wasn’t too bad having the cake layers rest in my lap during the flight.
I advise against putting cake layers in a checked bag. I feel like checked bags really get thrown around, and even with a hard-shell suitcase, that can be a lot for cake layers to handle.
They may be fine in the beginning while they’re still frozen, but when you get to your destination, they will likely have thawed and be more fragile.
If there’s no other option and you have to, be sure to place reusable ice packs or dry ice packs around the cake box to keep the layers chilled.
Prepping the Buttercream
Once I figured out the cake layers, it was time to tackle the frosting. I made 8 batches of frosting for this cake, just to be safe! I only used about 6 ½ in the end, but the last thing I wanted was to run out of frosting while assembling this cake in a different city.
I divided the frosting between 2 large Tupperware containers. The containers that have latches and an airtight seal are definitely best for this type of thing! I got mine on Amazon, which has great containers for this type of thing.
It’s important that the container is big enough to fit all the frosting and to allow you to re-stir it down the road. When buttercream is chilled and then thawed to room temperature, it can develop a bunch of tiny air bubbles.
A good stir with a rubber spatula will make it smooth again, but you need room to be able to work the frosting from side to side.
Being my neurotic self, I wrapped the containers in plastic wrap twice, once they were filled. I figured that way, if they exploded or something happened, the frosting would be contained.
I’m happy I did this, because one of my containers did break in transit.
Check the Frosting
Since I was carrying my cake layers with me, I had to check a suitcase with the frosting. I froze the tubs of buttercream before the flight, and then placed them in my checked bag with bubble wrap.
Even with that, my bag must have really gotten thrown around. The side of my smaller Tupperware had a huge crack in it when I opened my bag in Chicago.
Luckily, the frosting stayed inside the container and wasn’t really affected because it was still frozen. Big tubs of frosting take forever to thaw, which worked to my advantage this time.
Packing the Tools You’ll Need
After the cake components were taken care of, I set to work packing up everything I’d need to assemble the cake.
This included quite a few things. I tried to think about the entire cake-making process from start to finish. I envisioned each tool I’d used along the way, and laid them out in order.
I then walked through my plan to make and decorate this cake, and made sure I had everything. I was able to fit my tools in the zipper side of my carry-on with the cake layers.
The only thing I struggled with was the base of my cake stand. I love my Ateco 612 cake stand, especially for wedding cakes. It spins with ease and makes decorating so much easier, even with insanely heavy cakes on it.
The only problem was that the base is made from cast iron, and it’s pretty heavy. I was nervous is might damage the cake layers in my carry-on, as it was rolled through the airport.
I ended up putting the cake stand base in with the frosting, which worked out really well. I added in a ton of bubble wrap around my tools and the cake base, to keep everything in place and minimize any shifting.
Assembling the Cake
After we landed in Chicago, we went straight to the kitchen where I was going to make the cake, and put the cake layers and frosting into the freezer.
It’s a long story, but I had to fly out a week early because I was running the Chicago marathon. I signed up for it before I knew my friend’s wedding date, and it made more sense to stay in Chicago for a week than to fly to Chicago back-to-back weekends.
I left the cake and frosting in the freezer for a week. The night before I planned to assemble the cake, we took the frosting tubs out and let them thaw on the counter overnight.
I’m not kidding when I say it takes hours for that much frosting to come to room temp. It took over 8 hours, and I’m so happy I remembered to take them out in advance!
The day of the cake assembly, I took out the cake layers and let them thaw for about 30 minutes before leveling them. Next, I soaked them with simple syrup, then went to work assembling and frosting each tier.
I stacked the tiers and placed the cake in the fridge overnight before the wedding.
Transporting the Cake
The very last challenge was transporting the cake.
Some people may disagree with the “build before transportation” viewpoint, but I almost always assemble before transporting. It all comes down to your preference and your means of transportation.
An important part of cake transportation is a cake box!! I’ve said this before, but moving boxes from Home Depot make the best wedding cake boxes.
They come in a variety of sizes, are sturdy, and are so cheap! They’re less than $2 and can support the weight of a wedding cake.
I like to tape the box into place, then cut a flap on one side with an x-acto knife to allow me to slide the cake into the box. I then tape up the flap, and am ready to go!!
This cake was only three tiers tall and easily fit in an Uber XL. However, it was quite heavy!! Or at least for my little arms to carry.
I was lucky enough to have the help of my husband, who helped me get into the Uber and the venue.
Whenever I’m transporting a wedding cake, I like to hold the cake in my lap, so I can keep it safe during the trip.
Every Uber driver thinks I’m crazy and tries to tell me to put it in the back, but I refuse. I shift the weight of the cake during the drip, to help counter the various pot holes and sudden stops that are inevitable in any city.
The cake got there in one piece, and I added the flowers and greenery at the venue to match the bride’s bouquet.
Let Me Know What You Think
So there you have it, my advice on how to transport a cake long distance. If you’re as crazy as I am and have traveled with a cake like this, I’d love to hear about your experience! Or if you have any other crazy wedding cake transport stories, please share them.
If you have any questions I didn’t cover, please ask them in the comments section below 🙂
I’m making a wedding cake for a friend in March, and the wedding is a 5 hour drive from my house. I’m for sure going to make my layers and frosting ahead and freeze, but I’m debating if I should transport the whole cake made, or assemble there. My friend has a tiny kitchen, only one fridge, and a bunch of family staying there. I’m so nervous that assembly won’t go well, but l, I’m also nervous a decorated cake won’t make it 5 hours. She also wants Swiss meringue buttercream which obviously won’t crust! Its a smaller cake, 3 tiers 10” 8” and 6” so at least that’s in my favor, but it’s a hard decision!
This is a phenomenally helpful introduction to soooo many aspects of cake-baking for travel … your explanations (with photos!) about everything from pre-freezing and double wrapping the layers, to the necessity of using cake boards between the layers, to the importance of having extra frosting available, to double-protecting anything in a checked bag, to reminding us of the value of using moving boxes with a cut-in “flap” opening to tape shut after the cake is slid in, to having the “Wedding Cake Tutorial” video right on the web site … just fabulous! Thank you again, Chelsweets!
I have to know. Was there a plan B! Lol. Like what if your bag got lost with the buttercream or something crazy happened with the layers? Lol. I would have been a nervous wreck!!
Haha Ruthie I love that you think I’m organized enough to have a plan B!! I didn’t really have one, but I figured if all else failed, I could remake the cake layers and frosting in Chicago. I had a week between when I flew in and the wedding, so I could’ve ordered cake pans and the other things I’d need to bake.
But I was REALLY counting on it all going to plan! I was so scared on the plane, but really did carefully pack everything! So I think deep down I figured it would all work out.
haha luckily it did all go to plan 🙂
Wow Chelsey, this is so amazing! I’m so excited to start reading this website. You are amazing!!
Aw thanks Kate! 🙂
Thank you for sharing your experience. what is the reasoning for the simple syrup? I have never heard of that.
Hi Lynn,
Simple syrup helps keep cake layers moist, especially when you make them in advance, or are making big cakes that take a long time to decorate, like a wedding cake where they might sit out for a bit while your decorate. It gives me peace of mind knowing that the cake will be moist too!! Hope that helps, happy baking!
Great ideas and pointers. My family always want cakes when we come to visit now I feel confident that I can get them one ( in one piece)lol
Thanks Beverly! And that’s awesome, there’s nothing more fun than getting to bake / share cake with your family 🙂
Im making my first wedding cake. Its for 150 guests.
I could not tell from your pictures…what inch was layer each. Example..did you have 3 …2 inch thick layers for each tier?
My wedding is out of town so I am super nervous.
Love your videos. They are very helpful.
Hi Teri,
I like to make my tiers with 3 or 4 cake layers that are 1 inch tall, but I think most traditional wedding cakes are made with 2, 2-inch thick cake layers. Wedding cakes are nerve-wracking but so rewarding to make!! I go through some more details about making wedding cakes here that might help:
https://chelsweets.com/2019/07/08/how-i-made-my-own-wedding-cake/
https://chelsweets.com/2019/06/25/my-top-tips-around-making-your-own-wedding-cake/
I hope that helps, and best of luck! I’m sure your cake will turn out great <3
I’m thinking about starting a bakery and I just want to know your opinion on shipping cakes long distance. I feel like cheesecakes can be shipped (I’ve seen restaurants do that), but not so sure about buttercream. Do you think it’s better to just sell locally? Also, where do you buy in bulk, you said you get cake boxes per 100. Thank you, I absolutely love your channel and blog!
Hi Haley,
I have never shipped a cake, so I’m not really well-versed in that matter! I wouldn’t be worried about the buttercream spoiling (ABC can sit out for 2 days at room temp before spoiling), but I would be worried about the design / decoration of it. I’ve only really seen naked cakes (Milkbar style) ship well, and stay moist and pretty.
It’s definitely easier to sell locally, but there are lots of e-commerce bakeries that are doing great business too (a great example is Dana’s Bakery – but she does mostly cookies)! When I used to use cake boxes, I’d ordered them from webstaurant.com
Hope that helps, and best of luck with your future bakery!! <3
A few years ago I made a wedding cake and traveled 14 hours with it! It was a 3 tiered cake, but I covered each tier in fondant and put them in separate boxes. I even brought fresh succulents for the cake decor. When I got there, I stacked the cakes, decorated it, and got it set up at the venue. It was outdoors, and within seconds there was a gust of wind that knocked over the backdrop and landed directly on the cake. Completely crushing it! So it goes to show, even if you’re as careful as ever transporting, something else out of your control can always happen! Luckily I had also made 300 cupcakes so the guests could eat those. But it was disappointing that the couple didn’t have their “slice of cake”.
That is the craziest story Wylene!! I heart was literally racing as read that, that’s so heartbreaking!
You make a great point though!! You can only do so much in grand scheme of things. Thank goodness you made cupcakes too <3
What do you think about transporting a cake internationally!? I’m having my wedding in Cabo but live in South Dakota. Am I crazy? Haha
I have made many wedding cakes, including all 4 of my Kidd’s. I have done at least 3 wedding cakes I can think of at long distances. I have driven to my locations, and even taken along my kitchen Aid. I have also done the cake layers ahead, and transported in coolers. Wish I’d thought about making giant amounts of frosting ahead. I’d have rather don’t that than all the ingredients, and the mixer. We live by Kansas City, my son got married in New Orleans. His also had fondant (which I make myself) as well as was spice cake and cream cheese icing(challenge in the weather of NOLA in May-to be strong enough to support fondant covered cake) Definitely a challenge to create their vision in a foreign kitchen. Thankful for Vrbo and the ability to rent a house with a kitchen with the rest of my family ( cut costs, as well as fun).
Can I use a boxed cake mix for my home bakery will it work ? And if so how will I make it taste like a bakery cake
Wow! This is so cool! what an amazing job Chelsey!!! I am so impressed that your cake made it on a flight to Chicago. What a phenomenal comeout!
Hi Chelsey!
What about transporting a regular 6” cake?
Are going for a 8-10” box or you use an open one?
And where to find it? It seems that they rarely go over 5” or if they do it’s 14×14,8 boxes.
plus, I just need one ahaha. So hard to find a box. Selling to a coworker so I cannot assemble after.
Thank you for your wonderful and hard work, you are doing so great!<3
Thank you so much!
I’m making a wedding cake for my sister who lives 11 hours away, so this post helped a lot! I will be driving by car so I’m debating which way to transport the layers.
Would it be okay in a cooler with ice packs?
Thank you so much for doing this “Traveling with A Cake” blog! I have to do my goddaughters birthday cake. I was stressed out. You make beautiful creations, from what I see on my You Tube Subscription of your show. This helped me more than you know! I appreciate you! We are proud of you! Please be safe out here!
What a fun story. I made my son’s cake for his outdoor wedding in the midwest – a 24 hour drive! We made a big “freezer” box for the cakes which were wrapped and previously frozen and stopped along the way two times to get more dry ice. The place we were staying had a commercial kitchen where we assembled and decorated the cake before having to transport it to my daughter-in-law’s farm where the reception was – down 5 miles of dirt road! The cake was four tiers (250 person wedding, but I made a sheet cake too) and decorated with over 100 handmade gum paste flowers. The horrible end to this was that when I got there, they told me that they didn’t want to display the cake. There was quite a fight about that. They just wanted to cut it so that it would be ready to serve immediately after dinner. Apparently in this community, there is no tradition of displaying the cake and the bride and groom cutting the cake. There is cake out as part of the dinner buffet line. I prevailed, but not without a lot of hard feelings. Honestly, if they had told me that in the beginning, I would have just made sheet cakes and saved a lot of trouble. It was a beautiful cake though – each tier a different flavor as well as the sheet cake. And the gum paste flowers came out wonderful. I was able to save them and use them on their first anniversary cake as well as wedding cakes I have since made for others.
I am making 125 cupcakes and a two tier cake for my nieces wedding. (Last minute aunt help was required). I live in Colorado and driving 16 hours to California. Would dry ice be the best way to transport the cake layers to ensure they don’t get soggy. What tips can you help so I’m not emergency making a cake once I get there?
@Alicia,
@Carol,
Thank you for this post! I’m making a baby shower cake for my daughter in law and for my first grandchild! I live in CA and the shower is in Idaho! I’m flying so all your information is incredibly helpful. It won’t be a large cake so I’ll have it a little easier than you did with the wedding cake. Thanks again!
Hi,
I’m 15 and I am making a wedding cake for a friends family. I’m stressed about the transportation aspect of it all mostly. The venues only about an hour away but I was wondering what the best way for me to move it would be. It’s two layers so I didn’t know if it needed to be put together once I got there, or if I should put it together at home and try and get it there safely. Or some other way:) this is my first time doing this.
Hi Chelsea! I am from Australia and love your posts! I am making a small, one tier wedding cake for a couple that are having an intimate wedding about 9 hours from where I live. They are transporting the cake themselves. I use swiss meringue buttercream so thought as long as I steer clear of soft fillings, stabilize my buttercream and tell them exactly how to transport it would be fine. I was wondering if you had any tips for this [special boxes, dowels, etc.]? The last thing I want is for them to arrive at their destination and have a melted mess on their hands! Thanks so much! Molly ?
I live on the east coast, and my son is getting married in Seattle in July. When he asked me if I wanted to make his wedding cake, I was thrilled. Now I’ve been waking up every morning worrying about the details of how this can be done, with 150 guests expected, transportation worries, and hot weather.
I am so, so grateful for your detailed advice and suggestions! I am wondering, though, how you managed to keep the biggest layers in a box on your lap during the flight. Were you flying coach class? It’s hard to imagine the flight crew would let you do that. Also, do you think I’ll neeed to freeze the layers and pack them with dry ice for the flight, which will probably be about 6-7 hours? Or can I just freeze them until the last moment and hope for the best? Any concern about refreezing, if they’ve thawed?
I’m planning to fly out a couple of days before the wedding, and think it might be best to wait till I get there to make the frosting. He has his heart set on a vanilla genoise with lemon curd and fresh raspberries between the layers, and lemon Italian buttercream frosting; I may make the lemon curd before I go, but will of course get the raspberries there.
Any suggestions you might have will be deeply appreciated!
I will be making a yellow butter cake with 4 tiers for a wedding cake and have to transport it to texas so the cake layers will be frozen ahead of time do you know if I can freeze cream cheese frosting? And what is that simple syrup you sprayed your cake with.?
I didn’t think you were allowed to carry cake layers on your lap during takeoff and landing so what did you do with them during that time?
Hi Rachel,
I honestly wasn’t sure how that would go either, but when I showed the flight attendant what was in the box they let me keep it in my lap! I suppose you could also put it under the seat if needed though too!
Greetings,
MOB here, I just was told that the venue does not have a refrigerator for a 3 tier cake?. The bakery is delivering it , but my concern is that there is 4+ hrs before serving. The wedding is in a barn in the Mtns of VA. I am flying from Florida. Ideas please. I am trying to locate a tall cooler that the bakery can put the cake in until we serve it. Any thoughts? Suggestions?
Thank you
Diana L
Hi Chelsea,
My daughter is making a two tiered wedding cake for her cousin. The caramelised crusts are quite firm. I think she would be reluctant to trim the outer edges off incase the neatness of the circles is damaged but wondering if the syrup you mentioned would moisten the crusts a little and if you think so, would you be able to share a recipe for it. Thanks so much for all you help, it’s great to have access to so many tips! Cheers, Jodi from Australia
Hi Jodi,
If she’s going for a super white wedding cake, I would recommend trimming the caramelization off the sides with a serrated knife. It can seem scary, but if you chill the cake layers in the freezer for about 20 minutes before trimming them, it makes it so much easier to do!
The simple syrup would make the caramelization softer, and so will the buttercream. So if she’s just worried about the texture of it, she can leave it because it will soften from both those things. Hope that helps and that the wedding cake turns out great!! Happy baking 🙂
I’m making a cake for my Nana’s 100th birthday. It’s in the heat of August and a drive of 3 hours. I’m so nervous about everything, but especially how to get a cake that far without falling apart. It will be 3 tier chocolate with chocolate mousse. Is adding chocolate ganache too much? And it’s black and gold colors. Any tips, especially on transporting would be appreciated! I love everything you do, and learned all I know about cakes from you!
I think the chocolate ganache will help hold it in place! It usually sets pretty firmly, more firmly than buttercream. Some people use Styrofoam chests to help keep cakes cool, but I don’t know if you’d be able to find one big enough for that size of cake.
Are you planning to stack the tiers once your get there, or stack them and then transport it? If you’re waiting to assemble it, I’d recommend storing each tier in some type of cooler to help it survive the long, hot car ride!
Thank you!!! I love to bake but have never made a wedding cake not to mention transporting it across the country…TN to a rural part of Northern CA. Oh my. My niece asked me to do just that. It’s a great privilege but honestly a bit daunting. They have the tiniest home side-by-side fridge/freezer and no extra freezer space so I’m thinking a large cooler with dry ice upon arrival? Se wants a minimalist one tier gf/df cake but with like 8 layers so it’ll be tall. Now to figure out baking a hundred cupcakes in their little kitchen. ? Thank you for all these tips. You’re a life saver and an inspiration! ??
Hi Jennifer,
That does sound equal parts daunting and exciting! I think a large cooler would be a great work around, I hope it turns out amazing!! 🙂
Do you soak every cake layer with simple syrup every time you take any cake layers out of your freezer even when you are not traveling? What does the simple syrup do to the cake layer after you soak it? More sweet? More moist?
Hi Shaylah,
Great question! I actually don’t use simple syrup most of the time, because my cake layers bake up really nice and moist. I usually only use simple syrup on my layers if I’m making a cake a decent amount in advance, or if I’m making a big, tiered cake. Simple syrup just helps give cake layers extra moisture, which is important if the layers are sitting out for a while when you make a big cake (like a wedding cake) or if you make a cake several days in advance. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hi Chelsey. Thank you for these tips. I plan to freeze sponge cakes for two weeks, then travel 2.5 – 3 hours and either place them in a freezer right away or decorate the cakes then. Is it possible to refreeze sponge cakes after leaving them out for that long or is it best to decorate them then?