Want to send cakes and bakes to clients, friends or family but not sure how to do it without a cakey mess on arrival? Bell, a.k.a. The Sugarcraft Contessa is here to share her top cake postage tips!
Choosing the right recipe
- Certain recipes clearly lend themselves to postage more than others with brownies, cookies, flapjacks and cupcakes being top contenders.
- Layer cakes can also travel well but must be chosen carefully. Delicate sponges such as chiffon or angle cake are best swapped for more robust travellers such as fruit, Bundt and madeira and fruit/Christmas cakes are excellent choice for postage.
- Anything requiring refrigeration such as cream cheesed based cakes and icings are definitely best left at home along with homemade fruit curds which contain eggs.
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Invest in the perfect packaging
- These days, custom designed postal boxes are readily available online – perfect for cupcakes and even small layer and Christmas cakes and include everything except the sticky tape.
- A quick Google search for ‘postable cake boxes’ will yield great results but be sure to order well in advance as they often go out of stock.
- For cookies, chocolates, geo hearts and cakesicles, etc., postage boxes or sturdy craft boxes make excellent choices as they’re easy and affordable when purchased in bulk.
- Make your treats both food safe and appealing with individual, self-sealing cellophane bags, sealed with your logo/sticker. Wrap with a little branded or coloured acid free tissue paper before boxing for fully customisable, elegant gifts anyone would love to send or receive.
- Bubble wrap is, of course, excellent for cushioning your items on their travels but don’t rule out traditional packing paper and other inexpensive options – better for the planet and a much nicer look for the whole ‘unwrapping experience’ altogether.
Sending larger cakes
- It’s possible to send uncovered sponge, fruit and even decorated Christmas cakes wrapped well in plastic wrap and securely surrounded by packing material inside your postage box.
- For decorated sponge cakes, freeze thoroughly, wrap and place inside a thermal bag or box liner and position small, disposable ice packs next to the cake (all items available online).
- In both cases, be sure to fill all spaces between the cake, bag or liner and your postage box to be sure your cake does not move around inside when you do the final ‘shake test.’
- To reduce risk, for buttercream cakes choose forgiving designs such as sprinkle covered or abstract finishes and wrap decorative elements such as toppers and decorations to be positioned on arrival.
Choosing your service
- For larger items, you may want to invest in a courier service but for smaller bakes and custom designed postal boxes, standard postal services will do well.
- For those smaller bakes such as brownies, tray bakes, etc., keeping your outer packaging within 35.3cm long, 25cm wide, 2.5cm deep means they’ll fit through a standard sized letterbox, saving you a small fortune on each package and meaning no one needs to be at home for delivery.
- Standard First class services usually deliver next day, including Saturdays. However, during busy times, such as the run up to Christmas, a ‘guaranteed by’ service may be appropriate.
- Keeping postage days Monday to Thursday helps lessen the risk of items being delayed over the weekend and also gives pro bakers a better weekly workflow, leaving those busy Fridays and Saturdays free for more sizable orders.
The legalities
- Don’t forget, when posting items for your business, you’ll need to include a full list of ingredients, allergens, storage instructions and a baked on/best before date to keep your clients safe and sound and ensure you comply with the law.
- Always remember to tick the box to ensure you’re insured for lost or damage and won’t be left out of pocket if they do get lost along the way.
So, there you have it! While we can’t pop a five-tier wedding cake in the post box just yet, postage possibilities are definitely worth exploring these days, both for hobby bakers wanting to share some love and as an additional revenue stream in most baking businesses.
Wishing you luck!
Bell x
The Sugarcraft Contessa
Packaging is so important to ensure that your bakes don't end up looking like a collapsed mess! Our range of strong and sturdy cake and cupcake boxes are perfect for keeping your cakes safe, cool and dry until the big reveal. Shop the range here.
