How to Store, Transport and Serve a Fresh Cream Cake

How do I transport a fresh cream cake?

Carry the box flat, low and cool: on the car floor or in the trunk, upright on a stable surface, with the air conditioning on in summer. Our cakes are freshly prepared with carefully selected ingredients, and these steps follow our cake care guide. Before you leave, make space: clear a flat shelf in your fridge for the box so the cake can go straight in when you get home, and decide who will carry it from the car. Here is the order from pickup to the fridge:

1. Clear a flat space first. The car floor or the trunk works. Do not use a seat, even with a seat belt, and do not hold the box on your lap.
2. Pick the box up gently and keep it level. Do not shake it or tilt it.
3. Drive smoothly. Avoid sudden braking, sharp turns and hard acceleration.
4. In summer, keep the car cool. Use the air conditioning and keep the cake away from direct sunlight, heat and hot cars.
5. In winter, protect the cake from freezing. Do not leave it somewhere cold enough to freeze during the trip.
6. Go straight home. Refrigerate the cake in its box within 1 hour of handover.

If you are picking up from our Markham kitchen, pickup is free. The windows are Monday to Saturday from 2 to 6 PM in one-hour blocks and Sunday from 1 to 2 PM; holidays are set separately. If a courier or a family member is collecting for you, give them this list.

Our pick Black ForestDark, sculptural accents with airy fresh cream and berry toppings; three sizes.6″ · 8″ · 10″ · serves 6–22From $79.95 Choose size

How long can a fresh cream cake stay out of the fridge?

Keep the total time at room temperature to 2 hours, or 1 hour on hot days. Count the time on the counter and at the table together, and keep the cake cool in the car. Real dairy cream softens within hours at room temperature, which is why the clock matters for a fresh cream cake. If you want to compare the two styles, see our guide to fresh cream versus buttercream.

A few ways to stay inside the limit:

• Keep the cake in the fridge until the moment you are ready to serve it.
• Cut and serve quickly; do not leave the box open on the table for the whole evening.
• On a hot day, treat the limit as 1 hour and plan the timing before the guests arrive.
• Keep the box out of direct sunlight and away from heat while it waits.

How do I store a fresh cream cake?

Put it in the fridge, in its box, as soon as you can. Our care guide asks you to refrigerate the cake in its box within 1 hour of handover, and to keep it there until you serve it.

Do not freeze the cake. Freezing can damage the cake's texture and flavour. The cake does not need warming either: enjoy it straight from the fridge.

For a cake delivered in the evening, the delivery windows run from 5:30 to 10:30 PM. When it arrives, check it, then put it in the fridge in its box. If you planned a party for later, the same rule applies: it waits in the fridge, and the room-temperature clock starts only when it comes out.

How long does a fresh cream cake last?

A fresh cream cake is best enjoyed the day you get it, and leftovers keep in the fridge overnight. Plan to serve the cake on the day you get it, and put leftovers back in the fridge in the box: they keep overnight. If you are not sure you will finish a cake, order a size that matches your guests; the size guide below helps.

A coffee slice is a slim 1 by 2 inch finger, less than half a normal dessert slice. These counts are a guide only. If you are between two sizes, go bigger, because leftovers keep in the fridge overnight and are still good.

How do I cut and serve it?

Take the cake out of the fridge when you are ready to cut, remove the decorations, and serve it cold. Wiping the knife clean between cuts gives tidier slices.

Here is a sample evening. You collect the cake at 4 PM and chill it in its box by 5 PM. It stays in the fridge through dinner. At dessert you take it out, remove the decorations, cut and serve within the 2-hour limit (1 hour on a hot day), and put what is left back in the fridge.

Decorations are for display. Toppers, picks, wires, ribbons, candles, figurines and fresh flowers are not edible and should be taken off before cutting. Keep small decorative parts away from young children. Fresh flowers, when used, should never be eaten. Please read our allergy information if anyone at the table has an allergy; our kitchen handles milk, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts and tree nuts every day and cannot guarantee that any cake is free of any allergen.

If you want everyone to have a proper slice, choose by the "serves" number. If it is a cocktail-hour party or an office event with coffee, the coffee-slice number is the better guide.

What should I do in each situation?

Use this table as a quick reference. Every row comes from the same care guide and delivery information.

Delivery is to the lobby by default; add Door-to-Door in the cart to have it brought to your unit, and expect a tracking link or a call before arrival. Delivery fees and areas are on the cake delivery page; core GTA delivery starts at $4.95 for orders of $30 to $85 and is free from $85, a guide that your cart confirms.

If you are planning a cake for a gathering, Black Forest comes in three sizes, from $79.95 for a 6 inch, $109.95 for an 8 inch and $144.95 for a 10 inch, with dark, sculptural accents and airy fresh cream. Birthday Buddy is a plush-style character cake with a happy face and a striped candle, from $69.95, $99.95 and $134.95, and it has an Express version for same-day. Browse the rest in the fresh cream cakes collection.