Welcome to the Cake Decorators Q&A

when, should you start baking the cake. How much in advance. what are the back up plans should anything go wrong. when should you start decorating. Please give a direct answer. Some one has asked this question as well but there was not direct answer to this.

Hello qvkake

Sometimes it is better to give links to similar questions so a question is answered in the fullest possible way. Not everyone follows the same proceedure and not all cakes have the same shelf life. Since there are many experienced members on the site they all give different valuable advice or opinion giving a questioner more informed choices. Here I will try and be as direct as possible but it does not necessarily mean my answer is the right way.
All gum paste models, flowers and other decorations can be made months in advance and stored in card board boxes in a cool, well ventillated room. Do not store in pastic airtight boxes which will make decorations soft and limp.
Cakes can be baked a couple of weeks in advance and frozen. Fruit cakes can be baked months in advance, wrapped in cling film and foil then stored in a cool place inside an airtight container. Fillings such as buttercream or ganache can also be prepared in advance and frozen. Freeze fillings in airtight containers and keep well away from strong smelling foods.
Depending on the type of cake you’re using, the decorating can begin three or four days ahead of an event. so you would need to remove cakes from the freezer at least 24 hours prior to requirement. Not all cakes have the same shelf life.
Fruit cakes can be decorated and stored in cardboard boxes a couple of weeks in advance. Madeira cake,
from baking to eating has a shelf life of approximately 2 weeks, most sponge cakes are good for 5 days but remain of good texture for a couple more days. Paul’s moist chocolate cake is given a five day shelf life but will last longer as will most mud cake recipes. Cakes containing fresh fruit should be decorated on the actual day of the event, kept cool and consumed as quickly as possible due to fruits weeping and moulding. This is particularly more relevant in hot weather.
When decorating select the cakes with the longest shelf life to decorate first. There are many answers on the site which give more information. Some of the information is also contained in a previous question you saw. Just follow the links provided to see the information.
Fillings such as butter cream and ganache should also be removed from the freezer approximately three days prior to requirement. Defrost them at room temperature and re whip the butter cream to a working consistency before use. Ganache can be defrosted at room temperature and warmed in the micro wave on a low setting at 30 second intervals until it begins to softens. Decrease the time to a few seconds until it becomes spreadable. It is important to stir the ganache between each warming interval to prevent it from burning. Cakes with fresh cream fillings are recommended for refrigerating, they should really not sit out for any longer than an hour. Cakes with cream cheese fillings should only be kept out for a couple of hours in a cool environment.
To the best of my knowlege and experience, once cakes have been decorated with sugarpaste they should not be refrigerated. The moisture in the fridge can get into the sugar paste icing which softens and melts it. Some members have successfully refrigerated enrobed cakes, however, on the whole, rule of thumb is to avoid doing it. There are especially formulated fondant icings available on the market which allow decorated cakes to be refrigerated.
There are many more relevant answers to your question on site which can be accessed via the above search box. For ease of searching try using key words like ‘butter cream’ ganache’ ‘shelf life’ ‘ time line’.
For reasons of making search easier for members I prefer to set links to answers and also provide external links which may be useful. It is by far the most direct and informative way of accessing an answer as all the information on site is of importance to the many questions which crop up during baking and decorating. Many members have stated that persuing Q & A has provided them with a massive bank of information which they find invaluable.
The blog section also has much useful information as does the free/beginners section.
I hope you find this answer more direct.