How can I do more then one cake a week?

I’m a hobby baker now, but I use to sell cakes on occasion. I baked my cakes ahead, wrapped and froze them. Also made my fondant ahead. Any embellishments needed for the cake also made ahead of time too.
I’m sure experienced decorators will have more tips.

Like June, I make all embellishments like sugar flowers ahead of time.
I use rich mudcake type cakes as a base, generally… I like how they stay moist… particularly coconut or citrus flavours. For those flavours, I am happy to make them a couple of days in advance, it gives me more time to work on them. (The cost is much higher, but I find it worth it.)
As someone that has worked in many commercial businesses, with a high proportion of orders for Saturday pick-up….I can tell you, you would be surprised at the number of those orders that were actually baked mid-week.
Steer away from recipes that are notably “not fresh” after a day or two… like a buttercake, unless you are decorating closer to completion date.

Get creative with your flavours… having moist fillings can help too… note the amount of buttercream in my example…
This cake is alternate layers of red and yellow velvet cake. Each layer separated by hazelnut meringue, dark chocolate ganache and vanilla bean buttercream.
Note: if you create a little wall with your firm ganache, to hold the buttercream, you will be able to maintain a straight edge on your finished cake… as long as it is not subject to temperatures that will soften your ganache.
(PS, I don’t add eggwhite to my buttercream… I guess it is more like a mock cream… for longer shelf life. Maybe others can advise different?)

Veena has done a timeline layout (on her fb page) for decorating cakes, that might help you… I will see if I can find it for you.
If you are starting out, and haven’t liked her page yet, I suggest you do!
Found the link! :
(PS… this matches with my industry experience, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this as a timeline.)
https://www.facebook.com/veenaartofcakes/photos/a.377828872315968.77051.151626264936231/384143421684513/?type=3&theater

Wow Julie….super great info!!!

I think like with anything you do….the more you do it the faster you get. I have a dog grooming business and I know when I started it would take me 2 1/2 or 3 hours to groom a dog. Now I can whip it out in an hour or hour and a half. Once you get a set routine it becomes second nature! Also for me the first time I do a design it takes a lot of time just to figure out how I’m going to do it. The next time goes a lot faster! Also like June and Julie said I try to get everything done ahead of time that I can so that that last day you just have to put it all together!! Happy Caking!

I have a day for everything. Normally Saturday is pick up. I bake on Weds. I fill, ganache and cover the cakes on a Thurs. I decorate Friday. If lots of decor to make, ill start them monday or tuesday. Dont try to do each cake individually, it wont work. It needs a production line!

Omg thank yall so much for the advice!!!!! I really appreciate it!!! I am going to apply these tips to make more cakes :) I ve got 2 cakes in the same week in February. I’m going to try and see how that goes. Thanks so much for taking the time and giving me advice 😃

Personally:
- I tend to make all decorations on a Monday-Tuesday and set to one side to harden up.
- I then bake Wednesdays and Thursday, crumb coat and set to one side to harden slightly.
- I then spend Fridays covering the cakes, cake boards.
- Saturday morning I take photographs, box up and the cakes are collected.
Obviously this changes if people want cakes mid-week. It is all in the planning.
A cake can stay fresh for over a week once it has been crumb coated/sealed.
Sugar paste decorations can keep for weeks.
Cakes freeze really well so if I have a number of orders on certain weeks, I tend to bake in advance, wrap in clingfilm and freeze. They only take a matter of hours to defrost. I find that chocolate cake tastes better when its been frozen.
Hope this helps xx

I bake my cakes on Monday or Tuesday, wrap and freeze them. I make all of my decorations in advance so they are ready to go and I start decorating on Wednesday. Just have a plan and be very organized…also don’t forget how much refrigerator space you have so you don’t run out of room. I have 2 refrigerators for cakes and one freezer.