How can I make DS's birthday cake in advance?

[Biscuitsandtea]

OK, so this is my problem. I really want to make DS's birthday cake for his party. I have wildly ambitious grand plans of making an amazing Fireman Sam Fire engine (totally out of my league in all likelihood but hey ho).

However, his birthday party is on a Saturday afternoon and we are away on holiday from the Monday to the Friday before. So how can I get it done in advance?

I don't want to leave it until the Friday night when we get back as we'll be tired, and I do not believe that will be conducive to getting a cake that looks at all engine-like . I don't want to do it on the Saturday as we'd need to farm DS out somewhere and it's his actual birthday so don't want to miss the day iyswim.

So would really need to do it before we go on holiday. I was planning to do a madeira cake covered in royal (?) icing (the roll out stuff - is that royal? Regal). But would it last if we made it a week in advance?

Any practical ideas or knowledge on how long cakes last gratefully received .

Oh, and one other question for you clever knowledgeable sorts. If I do a Madeira cake, do I need to marzipan it before putting roll out icing on? Or is that just fruit cakes that need marzipan?

Finally any other tips for general party cake making gratefully received. I am somewhat of a beginner.....

Yes to make life easier for yourself make a sponge and freeze it. Much easier to cut and sculpt if particially still frozen.

With a maderia covered in buttercream and sugarpaste its usually 2 weeks shelf life if stored dry and cool ie cardboard box. Never in fridge. You can cake fondant shapes and models well in advance and again storing well.

I would do some practicing now if you've never done it before. You will need to pop to a good cake store and buy ready coloured sugarpaste (regal ice) and roll not too thin.

Buttercream is best done 1:2 or 1:3 but flavoured well with what you fancy again a maderia in my opinion is better flavoured with orange/lemon/coconut etc - refer to Lindys cakes on the net its all on there. Follow designs off google image or Cake central. I've only done a few but you can pick up loads of tips.

Hi biscuit i'd consider making it early and freezing it, but obviously you can only do that with a sponge cake and then you have to factor in 'thawing' time!!

I personally wouldn't want to ice a cake a week in advance, icing has a tendency to go a little hard if left too long!

On the marzipan front, you can forego marzipan on the cake, but I would use a slightly thicker layer of fondant icing (especially important with chocolate sponge)

So that's not much help BUT here's an alternative...

Order a cake from m&s, just a plain white one and then make a model to go on the top? The model can be made in advance and stored in an airtight box then just be plonked on top, removes the need for any stress on the Friday or Saturday!!

Save the grand cake plans for when you have a little more time and just enjoy DSs birthday

I was just about to mention m&s, I noticed the other day they do the plain white cakes, or even buy the cake and Make the Icing and figures

Other (easier) thought is to make the cake in advance and freeze/thaw, then stick a pre-bought cake topper pic like this on the top?

And save your cake and icing sculpture grand plans for when you have ample time? You don't want to be frazzled for his birthday!

I've frozen cake before, and I have frozen the ready-roll icing. So I assume that it would be possible to do the basics - make the cake, buttercream it, then put the fondant/ready-roll icing on, and freeze it.

Then you could just add the remainder of the decoration (as in fine detail) at the last minute.

However, a cake topper might be a better idea, and save works of art until you have the time; you don't want to spoil your holiday worrying about cake decoration. :)

Oh and of you decide to go down the frozen sponge route, make sure you wrap it up really well, I'd wrap it up in tin foil and then wrap it it cling film