The carrier base is 12". My cake pans are probably metric because they're between 8" and 9".

One of those thin rubbery potholder sized things you get to help open jars (used to get them as a prize at Tupperware parties back in the day) or something similar would stop the plate sliding around. Or lining maybe lining the bottom with thin flat gel packs in an even row.

a pie carrier or dish towels? or concoct something with large rubber bands. or put your cake bottom in the freezer with some water => ice to make a mold with a large zip bag (put your cake pan on top with some weights to form the mold) ... or just get some foam ... or a Childs car seat ...

mama invention will speak if'n ya listen

If you place a piece of thin sheet sponge (like a cut up yoga mat or one of those garden kneeling pads, or 1” foam from the fabric store) under your cake board, the cake won’t move and the little extra padding does help cushion your cake during transport.

I can see dcarch's suggestion working really well.

I can also see colleen's rubber potholder gizmos working. Another thought might be those non-skid sheets/pads for rugs that you can cut to size. They come in pretty small sizes...the last one I bought was 2' x 3'.

Would be interested in what you end up doing, plllog.

or buy an el cheapo styrofoam cooler and cut one of the walls to fit the cake pan and the inside of your box ...

or god forbid, call a bakeshop and ask how they would transport it ....

Quake Wax on the bottom plate?

I've always wondered how they ship really expensive decorated cakes. There's always the risk at some point of mishandling no matter how they're packed. I remember seeing delicate flower pot cakes similar to this one online for ordering. Crazy expensive to begin with even without the shipping cost. How do they keep the entire cake from touching something inside the packing?

So, Dcarch's idea sounds intriguing. It sounds very secure, but I don't know how to do it without compromising the integrity of this very delicate cake. There's marzipan covering it, but that's all that holds it together.

Earthquake putty would definately hold the bard in place. Good idea! I'll try the rubber/silicone first just so they can remove it from the carrier. I wonder if glue dots would be the thing. Like the quake wax, but a long knife could separate them.

I tried reading pro's comments on message boards, but they're very laissez faire about it. A few try to cool down their vehicles first, bit most toss the cake in and go, and say the a/c is for their own comfort and yeah, sometimes the cakes sweat.

There's a new kind of carrier for tall tiered cakes that has a snap together tall box with insulated cover, like what they use for food delivery. It's too tall and too expensive, and I think it might look reassuring to the clients more than spomething special. Luckily my friend doesn't need a fancy presentation disply, so the cardboard carton outside is fine. Or we could put my medium ice chest on its tummy and slide the cake and ice blocks in. That would be more fuss, but could work well. It's particularly well insulated for a standard cooler.

I'll have to do some more experiments... i have time.

Chloebud, I don't know what they do, but my father used to make carrying cases out of plywood for small art objects with lots of delicate parts. They still were better off rightside up, but could survive being mishandled. I would do something similar out of high grade corrugated board. Make a box the exact size with a sloped, fittded base and collars at the crease snd top of the pot part. An air filled bag over the flowers. They probably put extra gum or something in the flowers to make them stronger, or maybe they're marzipan. I'll see if I can find out what the do. Thanks!

plllog, that sounds like it would work as long as the container's kept upright and not jostled. I was just looking at Wms. Sonoma's site for their fancy cakes. Yikes...you can easily pay $90-$149 for fairly small layer cakes...like 6" and 8". I noticed the statement below regarding shipping perishable items. Tells me it's to mean shipping is $$$. We have a specialty cake supply store about a mile from home that's been here 30+ years. One of these days I might just ask them about shipping.

"Some perishable items incur an additional charge to guarantee perfect arrival. This might include specially insulated shippers and ice-gel packs to keep items cool until arrival."

Uh huh.

Thanks for all the info. That's actually useful. As in better to call a a bakery within delivery distance. :) Or learn to sculpt, :)

I'm actually more interested in food safety than perfection, though if the cake isn't knocked around that would be better. It occurred to me that the same friend was talking about getting a Yeti. So I'll ask her if I can borrow it. :)

The more investigating I do, however, the more I think it'll be fine if I just put it in a plastic bakery box in a cooler with some ice blocks. The coolers are so much better insulated now even if they're not roto-whatsit.

My guess is you'll be fine with the box, cooler and ice.