Defrosting cake and how tall can I make it without supports?

[PurpleGalaxy]

Hi everyone

I'm new here, and don't bake regularly, would appreciate any advice given. I'm attempting to make a cake for my mum's special birthday. She's an awesome baker; she normally does the baking, while I like doing the decorating. The baking part is NOT my strong point! I'm a beginner that way.

I've used Betty Crocker velvety vanilla cake mix today (2 boxes) which has given me 4 layers of 8 inch cake (around 2 inches high each). They turned out well, I let them cool right down and have put them in seperate zipped freezer bags, wrapped them in tin foil, and they are now in the freezer (her birthday is 8 days away).

1. When should I defrost the cake? Is 24 hours okay, and is it best to do it in the fridge? When should I take the tin foil off and take the cake out of the zipper bag?

2. Is it safe enough to stack the 4 layers on top of each other without support (they are around 2 inches high each)? I'll be using buttercream filling. Not sure whether to use fondant icing or buttercream cover for outside of cake; do any of these give better overall support to the cake than the other? The cake will be making a very small 2 minute journey in car.

Thanks so much for your time!

 

[Mona]

For defrosting your cake, 24 hours in the fridge is perfect. Take the tin foil and zipper bags off while it’s still in the fridge to avoid condensation. As for stacking, 2-inch layers should be fine with buttercream filling, but you can use cake dowels for extra stability if you’re concerned. Fondant offers better support for travel, but buttercream is easier to work with. For a short car trip, just ensure the cake is well-secured, and you’ll be all set.