In short: The usual packaging is a kraft or cardboard box sized a couple of centimetres larger than the cake. With no box, set the cake on a rigid board and cover it with a dome of film or a cut-down plastic container.
Why packaging matters
Packaging shapes how a cake is received. When a customer takes delivery, they judge it by eye first and by taste second — which is why presenting your work properly is part of the job.
Kraft and cardboard boxes
The most popular and the most presentable option. Kraft boxes come in many variants, so you can match the packaging to the cake, and cardboard boxes come in enough designs that something will suit.
Size matters more than design: one to two centimetres larger than the cake. Too roomy and the cake travels inside the box.
When there is no box
Set the cake on a rigid board and build a dome: skewers pushed into the top and cling film stretched over them, or a large clear container inverted over the whole thing. Neither is elegant, but both get the cake there intact.
Finishing touches
A kraft box, a ribbon and a handwritten note do more than any elaborate wrapping. The point of packaging is that the cake arrives whole and looks like a gift.
Frequently asked questions
What can replace a cake box
A rigid board with a film dome on skewers, or a large transparent container inverted over the cake.
What size box should I use
One to two centimetres larger than the cake. An oversized box lets it slide.
How do I make a cake look like a gift
A kraft box, a ribbon and a handwritten note. The important part is that it arrives intact.