For home bakers, sharing delicious cakes and pies is a joy, especially when hosting or attending gatherings. However, the delicate nature of these treats can make transportation a real challenge. Imagine spending hours crafting the perfect cake, only for it to arrive at its destination looking less than perfect. Fortunately, America’s Test Kitchen, renowned for their rigorous testing and culinary expertise, has tackled this very problem. Lisa McManus, head of equipment testing for Cook’s Illustrated and Cook’s Country magazines, spoke with Sally Swift about her quest to find the most reliable cake and pie carriers, ensuring your baked masterpieces arrive in impeccable condition.
Lisa McManus Photo: America's Test Kitchen
The Struggle is Real: Transporting Cakes and Pies
Sally Swift began by highlighting the growing trend of portable food solutions, drawing a parallel to a fashionable wine clutch designed for single bottle transport. This sparked a conversation about the perennial problem for bakers: how to transport whole cakes and pies safely, especially during picnic season or trips to potlucks. Lisa McManus empathized, recalling the precariousness of lap-transporting pies, a method particularly risky on bumpy roads. This common baking dilemma led America’s Test Kitchen to rigorously test nine different cake and pie carriers, aiming to identify options that could preserve the integrity of baked goods from kitchen to table. The goal was clear: to eliminate the heartbreak of a perfectly baked and decorated cake being ruined in transit.
What to Look for in a Cake and Pie Carrier
When selecting a Cake Transporter, several key features can make all the difference. McManus emphasized the importance of a secure base to prevent sliding and shifting during transport. A good carrier should have a base that grips or provides stability, keeping the cake or pie centered and preventing it from bumping against the sides. Handles are another essential element, offering a secure grip and ease of maneuvering, whether carrying the carrier to the car trunk or onto the floorboards. Secure clips are also vital, ensuring the lid stays firmly in place, protecting the contents from accidental openings and potential damage. Finally, considering storage, collapsible carriers offer a significant advantage, reducing storage space when not in use, unlike bulky, non-collapsible options that can clutter cabinets.
Associate Tastings & Testings editor Lauren Savoie opens a pie carrier containing a Mile High Lemon Meringue pie in order to asses the damage caused by the lid. (Photo: Steve Klise/America's Test Kitchen
America’s Test Kitchen’s Winning Cake and Pie Carriers
After extensive testing, America’s Test Kitchen identified top performers for both cake and pie transportation, both from the brand Progressive. The winner for pie carriers is the Prepworks Collapsible Party Carrier. This versatile carrier isn’t just for pies; it doubles as a deviled egg carrier thanks to a clever insert. It comfortably accommodates 8, 9, and 10-inch pies and expands to a height of 6.5 inches, tall enough even for impressive creations like Mile-High Lemon Meringue Pie. The carrier also features molded cups for up to 28 deviled eggs. For flatter pies, the insert can be flipped to create a tiered system, carrying two pies at once. Its smart, collapsible design makes it a winner in both functionality and storage convenience.
For cakes, while the article does not explicitly name a “cake carrier” winner from Progressive, it mentions a cake carrier from the same company that functions similarly and includes cupcake space. The Prepworks Collapsible Party Carrier, as mentioned, also works for cakes and provides a similar collapsible and versatile design. This suggests the same line offers solutions for both cakes and pies, emphasizing the brand’s commitment to practical and efficient food transport.
The Rigorous Testing Process
To determine the best cake and pie carriers, America’s Test Kitchen employed a thorough testing process. They started by assessing the carrier’s capacity, ensuring it could accommodate various sizes and styles of cakes and pies, including tall and multi-layered cakes. The carriers were then subjected to real-world transportation simulations. Testers walked around with the carriers, navigated in and out of cars, and even drove on bumpy New England roads to mimic challenging travel conditions. This rigorous “road test” evaluated how well the carriers protected the desserts from damage during typical transport. For cake carriers specifically, cupcake inserts were tested with weights to ensure handles and overall construction could withstand the load without failing, a crucial factor for reliable performance.
A key consideration during testing was accessibility. The testers evaluated how easy it was to remove desserts from the carriers, especially delicate items like lemon meringue pies or frosted cakes. Carriers that required reaching deep inside to extract the dessert were penalized, as this increased the risk of damage to delicate toppings and decorations. The focus remained on ensuring baked goods arrived at their destination not only intact but also looking as beautiful as they did fresh out of the oven.
Other Carriers and Recommendations
Beyond the top picks, America’s Test Kitchen also evaluated other carriers, offering further recommendations. The Pyrex Portables Pie Carrier with 9” Pie Plate was named “Best Buy” and “Recommended.” While slightly shallower and not ideal for the tallest meringue pies, it comfortably held most pies and included a bonus: a 9-inch Pyrex pie plate. Testers appreciated the base design that facilitated easy pie removal.
Conversely, some carriers did not meet the mark. The KAF Home Le Marché Insulated Pie Carrier, a fabric carrier, was “Not Recommended” due to lack of structure and support, leading to smashed cream toppings and damaged crusts. Spills and stains were also problematic. The Tupperware Round Container, while potentially useful for leftovers, was deemed unsuitable for pie transport due to its steep price and poor support. Pies slid around inside, damaging edges. The Fox Run Pie Saver also received a “Not Recommended” rating due to its wide, shallow design that resulted in squashed or sliding pies, and difficult-to-secure lids.
Conclusion: Transport Your Cakes and Pies with Confidence
Transporting cakes and pies no longer needs to be a nerve-wracking experience. Investing in a quality cake transporter, like the top-rated Prepworks Collapsible Party Carrier, ensures your baked creations arrive looking as stunning as they taste. Whether you’re heading to a picnic, potluck, or party, a reliable cake carrier provides peace of mind and allows you to share your delicious desserts with confidence and style. Showing up with a perfectly presented cake or pie is always a winning move, and the right transporter makes it effortlessly achievable.
