Decorating & Moving Cakes/Desserts

[i-klek-tic]

I've never quite figured this out, I see all these wonderful pictures with beautifully decorated cakes/desserts on plates and other "sets". but how do you after decorating the darn thang, move it?

I've read about decorating on the presentation plate with parchment strips and then pulling the parchment from under it, but I worry that I might do it wrong.

Also, is there some kind of a spatula thing that you can use to move your cake?

[the pie lady]

You can buy cardboard rounds that come in all sizes from any cake supply store- for example an 8 inch cardboard cake round will fit perfectly under an 8'' cake. You will never know it's there until the cake is actually cut into and you can move the decorated cake anywhere.
You might be able to talk the bakers at the bakery counter at the grocery store into selling you a couple as well....
does that help?

[i-klek-tic]

Funny enough, I get the cardboard circles. I buy usually bigger than the cake though and wrap them with foi, but silly me, I never thought of buying them the exact size, thats a really good idea, i can see it working in my minds eye now.

Thank you

[mehgan]

I know that Michael's and Jo-Ann's sell cake rounds for pretty cheap. I got a set of 6 10" ones for about $6. I also buy the cake boxes with the windows in the top, they're only about $1.50 depending on what size you need, and I usually end up reusing them for different occasions.

[fitnfree]

I also buy the cake boxes with the windows in the top

Yes, those really are a huge help! When I make a triple batch of Christmas cookies for church, I use one of those big cake boxes to put the cookies in and that works great, also and then no one has to worry about returning my dish. 

[Natashya]

Nordic Ware has a cake lifter. It is about 9 inches round with a handle and looks like a cross between a fry pan and a spatula. I would still want to have the cake on something though, lined cardboard or something.
My bulk store carries cake bases, also Wilton, I would imagine. They just seem to be covered cardboard, easy enough to make.
Nordic Ware and Wilton can be found online.