Welcome to the Cake Decorators Q&A

Hello – I see plenty of answers regarding transporting cakes but while I am designing my 3 tier wedding cake I need to flush out the problems. If I cake a collar cake/ruffle type. Then do do you handle the layers to place on top of each other without leaving dull finger marks or melting my fingers through it. I still cant work out how you layer a collar (pure chocolate not coco form) without knock the sides on the layer below. I’m considering knocking the idea on its head if its going to be a mare http://www.vanillapatisserie.co.uk/#!untitled/zoom/cvh5/imageafq or http://www.vanillapatisserie.co.uk/#!untitled/zoom/cvh5/image1yx4.
ANy advice most appreciated. In the worst case I will do the easier option of cigarellos and coco ruffles (I do find coco form chewy through and surely more people wont eat it.
How much time do you allow. I’m attending the wedding and having to drive 20 miles there so I want to be able to chill and have a decent sleep the night before I start shaking uncontrollably!!! Its a gift cake and I havent done a wedding cake before – madness!!

It would take too long to try and assemble the chocolate wrap cake at the venue. If you look at the tutorial http://www.cakeflix.com/chocolate-wrap-lesson-2-ganache-and-coco-form, you will see that once the cakes are stacked and ganached Paul rolls out the coco form and begins assembling the first layer of ruffels right at the top on the cone. He carries all the way down from top to bottom so there is no handling of individual cakes. Once the entire cake is wrapped he adds other decorations. If you’re worried about transporting an assembled cake you cake get extra strong tall transporting boxes, here is an example http://www.sugarshack.co.uk/stacked-transportation-cake-boxes.html. The whole assembled cake is placed in the box and there is no need to handle tiers at the venue. If you get a few finger prints on the cocoform just gently rub them away using the side of your hand. Take a small repair kit with you such as extra flowers or other decorations. The cake in it’s box should sit on a non slip mat and be transported on a flat secure surface, like the boot of the car. Pad the box with a duvet or anything similar to protect it a bit more. You can decorate the cake two days before the wedding so no need to stress, just chill! If you’re adding fresh fruit as decoration it will have to be done on the day of the wedding, that won’t take long. x