# Saving the top tier



## jbd (Mar 17, 2008)

What are your thoughts on saving the top tier of the wedding cake?

If you go along with this practice, what do you tell the customer regarding packaging and storage?


----------



## lesstalkmoreroc (May 12, 2008)

I think this is a tradition that should of went out with the dodo bird. Traditionally the cake was a fruit cake, and the fondant kept it "fresh" so you didn't need to freeze it. But now a days it's far from a cake that will last 6 months.

Tell them to wrap it extremely well in plastic wrap and freeze it.

I guess if a marriage lasts 6 months now a days, they deserve something to celabrate with.


----------



## izbnso (May 12, 2007)

When I noticed all the pain and drama that went along with the couple trying to keep drunk uncle Al from sticking his finger in the top layer of the cake during the reception  I began the practice of "gifting" the bride and groom a six inch cake with less decoration but the same flavor profile. I bring it packaged and ready to go in the freezer. I usually put it in the mother of the bride's custody. I have always had a good reaction from this practice. The couple sees it as one less thing to have to worry about.


----------



## rat (Mar 2, 2006)

We usually invite the guests back to the restaurant for their first anniversary, we pull their BEO file and make them a small copy of their cake, the least I can do especially after charging 2-3 grand for a cake LOL!


----------



## bughut (Aug 18, 2007)

wrap well in cling film then a double layer of tin foil and freeze


----------



## chefpeon (Jun 14, 2006)

When I delivered a wedding cake, I always put a gift certificate for a "free" 6 inch anniversary cake good for a year from the date of their wedding and valid for 6 months after that. Requirements on the certificate stated that they must call in their order at least a week in advance, and they MUST present the certificate to claim their cake. No certificate, no cake.

No matter how well you wrap and freeze your top tier, a wedding cake sitting in the freezer for a year just isn't as good as a fresh one.


----------



## bughut (Aug 18, 2007)

Just realised, I'm thinking of a rich fruit cake with marzipan and royal icing, which is removed and re-decorated when the time comes.As long as the cake is packed well there shouldnt be any deterioration and the cake should be as good as day 1.


----------



## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

The first year in business many moons ago I had a Bride tell me they had saved the top layer and had it for their anniversary. She exclaimed how it was the best lemon champagne cake she had ever had.
I've never made that flavor and can[t imagine the science experiment going on in that freezer.
For over a dozen years now we have offered an anniversary cake in trade for pictures of the cake. They don't have to be professional or anything, but sometimes we leave naked cakes for the florist and never really get a chance to see the cake. We have thousands of photos which come in handy for the website and design ideas. paninicakes.com


----------



## oldschool1982 (Jun 27, 2006)

In the Catering of weddings we would offer to the Bride to freeze the top layer and then wrap it for storage. We would hold the cake until they returned from the Honeymoon or if they wished to, send a relative or friend to pick it up before that. Typically the cake was wrapped in parchment first, then PVC and finally foil. Since the cake was already frozen it held shape of things. The Parchment protected from the plastic, plastig helped for freezer burn or orders and the foil was just an added measure.

We told the Bride and Groom to remove the cake from the freezer and un wrap immediately before it would begn to thaw. Store it in a covered storage container like a tupperware and let it thaw for 3 days before the anniverary. Never had one complaint about the taste or condition and our Party consultants would follow up in case they needed a replacement for any reason.

I made sure our personal cake was handled that way so the DW would enjoy it again. It lasted until we made our move from Atlanta to Beaufort SC. Unfortunately it was prior to our anniversary when we went to pack up our stuff and since we had no way to transport the cake frozen during the 5hr drive.... we had to enjoy it in a house we had just sold with no furniture or utensils. Actually kinda funny when ya think about it.


----------



## pattycake2007 (Aug 12, 2007)

I drop off a cake box when I deliver the wedding cake. Then I tell them to put the cake in the refrigerator so that the icing hardens. Then wrap in saran wrap at least three times. Then wrap in tin foil. That usually keeps the cake relatively protected. When they are ready to eat it, I tell them to take off all of the wrapping while the cake is still frozen so that the icing does not come off with it.


----------



## stir it up (Oct 15, 2007)

it's also an old pastry chef's trick to use the question "would you like to save the top tier" as a way to "upsell" a little extra cake to guests who haven't even thought of this, by selling them the need for more cake than they need for their guests.


----------

