How to Send a Valentine's Cake

It is simple to ship a Valentine's cake to the one you love through the mail.

Baked goods and candies are traditionally given on Valentine's Day. If you can't be with your sweetheart on Valentine's Day, you can still send baked goods, such as sweetly decorated cakes, through the mail.

Things You'll Need

• Cake box
• Cardboard
• Masking tape
• Plastic wrap
• Packing material
• Shipping box
• Packing tape
• Marker

Instructions

1. Line a cake box with thick corrugated cardboard. This will sturdy the base and provide extra strength for the weight of the cake. Choose a cake box that is only slightly larger than the cake to prevent too much shifting during the mailing process.

2. Wrap the cake box in plastic wrap. To help keep out any possible pests, tape along the seams of the cake box with masking tape before wrapping in plastic. Masking tape will secure the seams without damaging the box.

3. Place the cake box in a separate box for mailing. Again, choose a box that is only slightly larger to minimize the risk of damaging the cake. Secure the seams of the box with heavy duty packing tape.

4. Fill the larger box with cushioning material. Packaging supplies, such as foam peanuts and bubble wrap are very useful here, as are balled up newspaper and magazine pages. Fill the gap between the cake box and the larger box as much as possible for added security to the cake.

5. Seal the packing box tightly. Heavy duty packing tape, whether clear or brown, is essential here. Overlap the seams of the box with packing tape. Also, crisscross around the width and depth of the box with more tape. Mark the outside of the box as fragile and containing food.

6. Ship the cake as quickly as possible to minimize the time spent in transit. If you are worried that cake will melt, you will need to ship it in a special freeze pack available from the post office.

References

• United States Department of Agriculture: Safe Handling: Mail Order Food Safety
• Baking 911: Mail Baked Goods