BIRTHDAY CAKE - KIT! How far in advance do I make it?

[QS]

I bought a birthday cake kit and I wonder how far in advance I should make it?

My sons birthday is on 6th june, and that is when his party is. Can I make it already on the thursday, or is the friday before the best?

I'd do it on the Thursday. Just cover the cake with the sugarpaste as soon as the cake has cooled completely to keep it fresh.

Then you can decorate straight away or leave the finishing touches til the friday.

So.... If I freeze the sponge, when do I add the jam and the buttercream???

QS - I would do your sponge (madeira works very well) and freeze.

On the Thursday evening, I would get the cake out of the freezer to defrost. Make buttercream and put in fridge (or you could make this now and put it in a tub and freeze to save time).

On the Friday morning, fill with jam and buttercream and cut to whatever shape is needed. Cover new shape with buttercream. Put in the fridge whilst you get your modelling paste ready. Once you have sorted out your paste, get the cake out and give it another going over with the buttercream and then do whatever decoration is needed.

Do not store in a box as the fondant/paste will sweat. Just put a clean tea towel over it and leave in a cool place.

Thanks, that is very good advice bellavita.
What do you think works best, buttercream or apricot jam as "glue" under the sugar paste?

Buttercream.

Have just been into the little icing/cake decoration shop in town this morning to look for stuff for my next project.

I am going to make a chocolate box for my mum's birthday in September.

What jam do you usually use in the layer together with butter cream?

I would use raspberry jam. Is that ok?

I used raspberry jam too. Making my mouth water now.... yum

QS you have lots of good advice already on here so I will just add one thing:

If the weather stays warm, I would recommend doing the assembly/decorating as late in the evening as you can face. Sugarpaste is a nightmare when it is too warm - it gets too soft and all falls off - not that it should be too much of an issue with a basically flat cake like that.

Good Luck - it looks like a good kit.

Lol, I picked a cake that seemed pretty easy. Never attempted anything with sugar paste before!