Need Advise on Stacking a Cake

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Permalink Reply by JJ Becker on June 16, 2011 at 10:38am

Yes, make sure your top cake is iced on a board of the same diameter as the cake sections you are using (you should always do this regardless of tiering because it allows you to move the cake off of the board you've iced it on and on to a fancy board or plate, or another cake for decorating.)

Here is what I do:

Get your bottom tier once it's iced and smooth and a board the size of your top tier.

Center the board on top of your cake and use a toothpick to trace the edge.

Take the first of your dowels and insert it straight up and down at a point about one inch in from the circle you've drawn, make a line on the dowel where the top of your icing is, remove the dowel and cut off the excess. Squirt a little butter cream into the hole and re-insert your dowel. reapeat this step three times making an equilateral triangle inside your circle with a dowel at each corner.

Replace the board on top of your cake (shiny side down if it has one), lining it up with the circle you've drawn, and press down lightly to set iot in place and rest it on your dowels.

Place your top tier on the board. Use an off-set spatula to help manuver and center the top tier once it's in place.

Decorate!

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Permalink Reply by Deah on June 16, 2011 at 10:40am

There are several conversations in the forums about stacking.  You may want to look there for additional ideas but here's a quick answer.

 

2 tiers are easy so don't stress.  You will need a cake board under your top tier otherwise the dowels have nothing to bump up against to give support.  Be sure to cut your dowels EXACTLY the same length.   You'd be surprised how much a little difference in length can make a tier lean.  Use no less than 4 dowels but depending on your cake size you may need more.  Frankly, I'd rather have too many than not enough. 

 

There's a YouTube of Edna De la Cruz stacking cakes.  Take a look at it and it will guide you through the process.

 

 

EDIT:  Like everything else, there are things that work for one that don't work for another.  JJ suggested using 3 dowels.  I know it should work but I've never been able to level my cakes with just 3 dowels so I use 4 or more.  

 

If you begin to make more tiered cakes be sure to look at the SPS system (Single Plate Separator), it's easy and affordable.  I order mine from Jester's in Florida (www.fondantsource.com) but I'm sure other places carry them. 

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Permalink Reply by Linda Anderson on June 16, 2011 at 11:04am

In my tall cakes class that I took at Michaels, we were told to put the dowels in the bottom cake and have a cake board under the top tier, then to run a dowel thru the top to the bottom tier. Hope this helps. Having the cake board between the two tiers helps when or if you have to remove the top tier.

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Permalink Reply by JJ Becker on June 16, 2011 at 11:05am

I always make sure the tops of my cakes are level before I measure my dowels. Three dowels is the most stable- here is the the math behind it: http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/53267.html. The important thing to take away is that any three points form a plane.

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Permalink Reply by Rachael Faulkner on June 16, 2011 at 2:11pm

Wow! Thanks for the great advice! JJ and Deah, I think I can do it with your instructions.  I also like the concept if 3 is good, 4 is better. LOL!!  I really want it to turn out.   Linda, I have a guestion, if you put a cake board under the top tier how do you get the dowl rod to go through both tiers?  It sounds like a good idea but I don't think I can punch a rod through the board and not screw the cake up. 

 

Thanks again for all the help!  I'll post a picture Saturday if the cake turns out.  First time for tiers and gum paste/fondant flowers. :)

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Permalink Reply by Deah on June 16, 2011 at 3:37pm

Rachel, I can answer your question about the center dowel.  You will need to have a pencil sharpener dedicated to cakes.  Sharpen the end of the dowel and drive it through the cake.  You may need a small "hammer" to drive it through the cardboard cake round.  Be sure to trim the dowel to a little less than the height of the entire cake before you insert it.

 

This step isn't necessary for 2 tier cakes but if you are transporting 3 or more tiers and not using the SPS system it is a definite must for peace of mind.

 

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Permalink Reply by Rachael Faulkner on June 16, 2011 at 4:58pm

Okay, now that makes sense.  There is a lot more to making a tiered cake than I think I realized.  But I'm up for the challenge.  Can't get better if you don't try.  :)  I may do the center dowel since I am having to transport it and don't have anyone to travel with me and watch it.

Thanks again for all the advice!! You guys are awesome!

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Permalink Reply by Rachael Faulkner on June 20, 2011 at 11:03am

Here is how the cake turned out!! Thanks again for all of y'alls advice. It helped out a lot!!

Attachments:

• First 2 tier, 2 MB
• First 2 tier - 2, 1.7 MB

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Permalink Reply by JJ Becker on June 20, 2011 at 11:17am

Very nice work!  Did you make all the flowers yourself?  I especially like the lattice on the sides, that's a nice touch.  Keep it up!

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Permalink Reply by Rachael Faulkner on June 20, 2011 at 4:55pm

Yes, I did.  All of the decorations were handmade my me. :)  Thanks!

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