How to Transport Cakes During Hot Weather: Uk Heatwave
- Jun 24
- 9 min read
Well good gravy its hot out there at the moment and truth be told I am a royal grump when it goes above 28c.
For anyone reading this in warm countries I apologise in advance for my moaning about the temperature. Unfortunately us Brits are just not equiped to cope with 30+ degree heat. We are much more used to drizzle and highs of 22c.
Our homes are not designed for extreme heat.
It's rare we have air con in the house or workplace.
And some of us crazy people such as myself don't even have air con in the car!
Back to the point Tash!
Cakes!
And how to transport cake in hot weather when the temperatures start creeping up.
Whether you are a cake maker navigating baking, storing and delivering or if you are collecting your gorgeous bakes for a celebration, this guide should help.
With 10 years under my belt making wedding cakes and a further 5 making cakes for celebration customers, I have learnt a few tricks of the trade over the years.
Should a cake be stored in the fridge?
Short answer, not always.
Long answer, it very much depends on the covering on the cake, the filling and the decoration that has been used.
The cake coverings
Buttercream cakes - Absolutely yes! Buttercream will fully lose its shape at 28c and be a molten mess by 32c
Fondant cakes - This may split the crowd but I have never refigerated a fondant cake. Cakes have the tendancy to sweat when they come out of the fridge as they condensate, so that fondant is going to be stickier than a fly trap. However, people in humid and hot countries always refigerate. More on fondant cakes later!
Ganache cakes - They can stand up to a little more than buttercream! A white chocolate ganache covered cake will keep its structure until about 32c and completely lose the will to hold itself up by 37c. Fridge is best!
The fillings
Now this is an important one! Any recipes with fresh fruit, cream, cream cheese or other perishable ingredients 100% need to be stored in the fridge.
Salmonella in a heatwave would be horrific!
If you are yet to make your cakes with a ganache dam between the layers, refrigerating may be your only option here as well.
Buttercream bulging out of your beautifully decorated cake is going to look naff.
Don't know what im on about with a ganache dam, keep your peepers peeped for a future blog which will explain all. But essentially its a ring of chocolate ganache in each layer to stop all the delicious fillings oozing out.
The Decoration
Fresh flowers - On a buttercream cake yes! On a fondant cake is where it gets tricky. More on that to follow.
Wafer paper HATES moisture. Fridge only if 100% necessary
Fondant toppers - I don't mix fondant decorations with buttercream cakes for this very conudorum. Not worth the hassle so I recommend fondant cakes.
Fruit - Yes, in the fridge or add before serving.
The biggest mistake people make in hot weather!
Leaving the cake some where in the house where they have forgotten the sun will reach it eventually.
You put the cake on the kitchen side at the beginning of the day but by 2pm the sun has moved around and your cake is now in a direct sun stream.
When the buttercream starts to soften in a fondant covered cake, bulges start to appear on the sides!
I specialise in hand painted cakes. I use cocoa butter as my edible paint medium and when in contact with direct sunlight you go from beautiful masterpiece to abstract drip cake in the space of a few minutes.
How to transport a cake in hot weather
Now as I mentioned earlier, I am crazy and I don't have an air conditioned van.
I know! Coming from a cake maker that sounds mental!
So I have had to get creative with my cake deliveries.
Here are some cake travelling tips which will be uselful.
Keep the car cool before loading the cake in. In my case its windows open, fans on. Or whack that air con on before collection/delivery.
Avoid travelling at the hottest times of the day. Early mornings would be the best. Evenings as a second best
For anyone like myself who doesn't have air conditioning, get yourself a very decent coolbox. We have an Igloo cool box which has saved my bacon for the last few years.
Keep the cake completely flat and away from the windows. Or cover the windows if its safe to do so. Baby window covers are great!
Avoid long stops and plan your route. Traffic with no air con and a cake in the back is no fun I can assure you!
Can fondant cakes melt?
Yes! But not how you would think. The fondant itself wouldn't just melt off, especially if a couture fondant brand is used, but its whats underneath you should be worried about.
Fundamentally, you have sponge cakes being held in place by layers of fillings which soften in the heat.
The structure is only as secure as the fillings inside and the supports keeping the next layer up in the case of a stacked cake.
Top tip - If your cake is going to be on display for longer lengths of time i.e for a wedding, a fondant cake would be the best option. There can be a layer of chocolate ganache under the fondant and between the layers of cake. Dark chocolate ganache holds up even better than white chocolate and would be my no1 choice for warm weather.
Cake decoration to avoid in the heat
I touched on this earlier with toppers that should avoid the fridge but here are some decorations to avoid in hot weather.
Flowers - Sturdy flowers will be fine with a bit of heat. Flowers like roses and firmer dahlias, foliage like olive and perennial herbs. Delicate wildflowers should be added last min.
Painted details - Painted cakes can cope with a bit of heat, but should be kept out of direct sunlight. If the room is too hot for you, its too hot for any cake.
Very dark colours - Theres a chance very dark colours will bleed into lighter colours especially ganache or buttercream designs.
Fresh fruit - Your display window is dramatically reduced as soon as you add fruit, especially soft fruits like strawberries.
What about buttercream cakes?
I think you can tell by now im not a buttercream gal. And its not because I don't think they they look beautiful! I just personally am not a fan of having to store and deliver them.
They stress me out!
So my go to for a softer look would be a white chocolate ganache finish which holds up far better in the heat.
However. Top buttercream tips, here we go.
Keep them stored in the fridge
Keep out of direct sunlight when on display.
Don't display for longer than 1 hr. Less if the temp is in the 30s
Don't forget marquees and conservatories are effectively greenhouses and really flipping hot.
Travel during the coolest part of the day
A cake horror story
Many moons ago, 8 to be exact, I made my wonderful husband a 30th birthday cake.
I made three rookie errors with this cake.
The first was I didn't deliver the cake myself, I asked my friends to deliver it. Friends who I had given no prior warning to how to store and transport a cake.
The second was I didn't make sure the cake was refirgerated first. It was only April and I genuinely didn't think.
The third was I didn't speak with the restaurant prior to delivery.
A bonus fourth point. I was a massive tight ass and instead of using my usual sturdy bamboo dowels I used boba tea straws which absolutely couldn't hold the weight of the sagging and non refrigerated top tier.
Basically, I forgot everything I had learnt over the years and was too busy having a nice time and a few drinks with our friends.
Hot buttercream cake - Car journey on uneven seat - Boiling hot resturaunt - Cake death
Want to see my cake fail?
It still deserved a candle!
My go-to summer set up
Here's my top 6 decorating tips for a successful summer set up.
Don't overfill - Cake layers with loads of buttercream and compotes/jam will have the tendency to bulge the icing on the outside
Use a dam - A piped ring of chocolate ganache in each layer will stop all those glorious fillings spilling out
Ganache is best - As a final finish or as the layer under fondant, ganache is a must have for me!
A decent fondant - I use either Massa Ticino or Smartflex. They both hold up great in heat and humidity.
Tier stacking - Take stacked cakes over 2 tier unassembled. If you have to take it stacked because of the design I would strongly suggest a central dowel.
Boxing - Store the cake in a corrugated cardboard box. They absorb fridge smells so keep your cakes fresh and they repel external heat. Perfect for cake storage in any situation but especially in the heat. The ones with the windows may look fancy, but you will feel much more confident with this type of box I promise.
What to do if your cake starts melting
First of all, don't panic.
Very carefully move the cake to somewhere cooler.
Buttercream/ganache, get it in the fridge.
Fondant get it in front of a fan or if no other choice a fridge.
You can't do anything whilst the buttercream and ganache is soft, so get it cooled down and then re assess.
The worst you can do in this situation is panic!
Frequently asked questions
"Can I leave the cake in the car whilst i go to the shops?"
Abso-flipping NOT!
If you couldn't sit in the car stationary for half hour neither can your cake.
"How long can my cake be left outside?"
In a heatwave of 30c+ it shouldn't is the short answer.
Do the cutting inside or bring out for the cake cutting and candle blowing and bring it in.
Fondant - 1hr max window of time.
Ganache- 30 mins/ 1hr
Buttercream - Less than 30 mins
"I'm having a marquee wedding in July. Help!"
Ok, dont panic!
If you have hired a cake designer, they will go through everything that will need to happen. They are there to take the pressure off you both.
If you have a family member or friend making it, heres what I would suggest.
Opt for a fondant cake or ganache finish. Buttercream would be an absolute no for me.
If you have caterers on site, ask if the ganache cake can be stored in the fridge until 30 mins - 1 hrs before you come in for the wedding breakfast. Get a trusted family member to bring it out.
Have your fondant cake brought over later in the day when its cooled down, or hire/borrow a large cool box the cake can stand in upright. It can then be put out later in the day.
Consider cutting the cake earlier in the day. It can then be stored in the fridge until later when you come to eat it.
Get a big fan and have it directed at the cake. Remove just before you come in to the marquee
"How hot would it have to be to put a fondant cake in the fridge"
Today kind of hot. Its currently 36c and I wouldn't risk it with only a box for protection from the heat.
"I really want hand painting, but i'm nervous about it melting"
As long as you keep the painted part out of direct sunlight and the intense heat, it will be great!
Give it some shade or a fan and it will fine.
Treat it like Great Aunty Mildred.
She needs shade!
Well loves, I hope thats helped a bit!
Years of trial and error so you don't have to follow in my failed footsteps!
I'm going to be trying my hardest to add more useful content, so if you have found this handy, drop me a follow on Instagram or join my mailing list and I will let you know when the next one will be.
My plan is to add on some cake basics, including how to make some starter cakes as well as other behind the kitchen doors type of rambles.
Drop me a message if you think of any buring cake topics you would like me to cover.
Or if you have read this, had been contemplating making your own cake, thought "oh boy, that sounds naff to navigate" and wish to book a cake from someone who knows their shiznit, pop me over a message to book one in!
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