FAQs
Shipping and Delivery
When scheduling, simply select the ship date and the appropriate standard shipping time will automatically be displayed. We ship Monday-Thursday for standard 1-day transit areas and Monday-Wednesday for standard 2-day transit areas.
Cakes are shipped frozen, on dry ice in a recyclable cooler via UPS. It is not abnormal for most, if not all, of the dry ice to dissipate during transit which will leave some condensation on the outside of the cake tin.
Depending on your delivery address, transit times are 1-2 days nationwide, with an overnight shipping option available for an upcharge, in many areas. We ship Monday-Thursday for standard 1-day transit areas and Monday-Wednesday for standard 2-day transit areas. We recommend scheduling your shipment for delivery at least 1 day prior to your event, and storing it in the freezer, in case there are unforeseen delays. We are unable to ship packages over the weekend.
Yes! All of our cakes are shipped frozen, on dry ice in a fully recyclable cooler. It is not abnormal for most, if not all, of the dry ice to dissipate during transit which will leave some condensation on the outside of the cake tin.
Once the order has shipped, changing the address may not be possible, or the order may require a reship or reroute which could incur an additional fee. If we cannot change the address, an additional order may need to be placed. Contact our customer service team as soon as possible by calling 888-801-CAKE or e-mailing caroline@carolinescakes.com to make any possible adjustments.
We do our best to review all orders and note any errors prior to shipping, but will have to hold a shipment until we receive a response. Always provide proper physical UPS shipping addresses (no P.O. Boxes or APO addresses) along with your best contact information.
All of our packages are sent with no signature required for delivery. We do recommend checking your tracking information regularly and placing your cake into the freezer as soon as possible after it is received.
Expect to have little to no dry ice upon receipt. Dry ice is actually a gas (CO2) and dissipates to stay cold over time. We include approximately 5 pounds of dry ice with each of our cakes and other perishable items. It is perfectly normal to have very little to no traces of dry ice, especially when shipping to warmer regions. If you cannot find the bag that contained the dry ice or if the tin feels warm to touch after opening your package, please call us at 888-801-CAKE (2253) or e-mail us at caroline@carolinescakes.com to determine a proper solution.
Customer service is of the utmost importance to Caroline's Cakes and our delivery service, UPS. Please call our bakery at 888-801-CAKE (2253) or e-mail us at caroline@carolinescakes.com to report any damages or issues.
A gift message is enclosed in a plastic sleeve right on top of the cake, in every delivery.If your sender chose not to include a gift message or provide a name on the note, you may certainly call us at 888-801-CAKE (2253) or e-mail us at caroline@carolinescakes.com to determine who sent you your sweet treat!
Yes! Most locations have a specific area for UPS deliveries. Once the order is delivered,the mailroom or front office is responsible for contacting the recipient to notify them of their delivery. We recommend notifying your recipient that an order is on the way so they will be prepared.
Check each location’s website, or contact their mailroom to determine the proper UPS address prior to shipping, and ensure you’re including all necessary details such as a mailbox number, suite number, etc. Some facilities have limited hours during the week and we recommend either shipping orders to arrive before Friday, or notifying the recipient of the delivery ETA.
For other non-residential addresses such as businesses or hotels please provide the company name, suite number or room number. Also, please include the recipient's name or who the package should go to, along with any other required information such as a department name and telephone number.
Feel free to call us at 888-801-CAKE (2253) or e-mail us at caroline@carolinescakes.com with any questions, or if you would like us to determine the best way to ship to a specific location.
Storage
All cakes are shipped frozen, and packed with dry ice and storing/serving instructions. We recommend storing cakes in the freezer immediately after arrival. All of our signature cakes take about 3 to 4 hours from the freezer, to thaw at room temperature. Cakes can also be placed in the refrigerator to thaw overnight. We recommend storing your cake, or any leftovers, in the freezer, well wrapped in plastic wrap. This will prevent the cake from drying out or from absorbing any odors from other foods. For our Coconut Cake varieties, we only recommend storing in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (due to the perishability of the fresh coconut that we use in our delicate icing). You may freeze and refreeze all of our signature cakes for up to six months. We recommend wrapping your cake in plastic wrap, and storing it in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag.
Allergy
Our cakes are made without adding nuts to any of our recipes. We work closely with our ingredient vendors to limit cross-contact, but some of the ingredients we use are processed on shared equipment or in facilities that also handle tree nuts and peanuts, and we cannot control how they're stored or produced before reaching us. Because of this, we can no longer guarantee our cakes are free from nut traces.
Our ice cream is made without added nuts by our partner creamery and arrives at our bakery in completely sealed pints for shipping. Please note that the Two Scoops facility also processes nuts in other products. They take precautions to separate production times and clean between runs, but because their facility is not dedicated nut-free, we cannot guarantee our ice cream is free from trace cross-contact with nuts.
We want you to have clear information to make the choice that's right for you. If you or your recipient has a nut allergy or sensitivity, please consider this carefully before ordering. Questions? We'd love to hear from you — call us at 888-801-2253 (CAKE) or email caroline@carolinescakes.com.
We've always been honest with you, so here's the full picture. We don't add nuts to any of our recipes—that hasn't changed. What's changed is our transparency about how our ingredients are made.
As our recipes and product line have grown, some of the ingredients we now use are processed in facilities or on shared equipment that also handle tree nuts and peanuts. Because of that possibility of cross-contact, we can no longer call our products nut-free or guarantee they're completely free of nut traces.
We didn't make this change lightly. We made it because you deserve accurate, complete information—not a promise we can't fully stand behind. We'd rather tell you everything and let you decide what's right for you and your family.
If you or your recipient has a nut allergy or sensitivity, please weigh this carefully before ordering. And if you have any questions at all, we're always here—call us at 888-801-2253 (CAKE) or email caroline@carolinescakes.com.
We offer a delicious line of gluten free cakes, crafted with the same care as our traditional cakes. While we bake our gluten free cakes at the beginning of the day and thoroughly wash the pans and utensils used during the baking process, our gluten free cakes are baked in the same kitchen as our wheat-based recipes. While we make every effort to eliminate cross-contamination, there is a risk of exposure.