Each level of a tiered cake needs dowel rods for support. Tiers that are directly stacked on each other with no separation by plates and pillars should be further stabilized with an additional center dowel rod to prevent shifting. With a pencil sharpener, sharpen one end of a long, wooden dowel rod slightly shorter than height of two tiers. Push sharpened dowel through top tier to cake circle, then, hitting sharply with tack hammer, drive dowel through cake circle to bottom of cake. If there are three or more tiers without separation by plates and pillars, use a sharpened dowel through the first two tiers and another sharpened dowel through second and third tiers.
*An Exception--Using Plates to Separate Stacked Tiers The type of cake sometimes dictates what is placed between the layers for support. Some decorators prefer using separator plates between stacked tiers instead of cake circles when the tiers are heavier than usual (such as fruit cake or dense chocolate cake). This prevents the possibility of the cake circles warping from the excess moisture and weight, thus causing the layers to shift. Of course, if you use separator plates instead of cake circles between the stacked tiers you will not be able to drive a single dowel rod through the stacked tiers for the extra reinforcement as above.
PART 1: Adding Dowel Rods to Support Layers of Stacked Cake
Use the upper tier for size reference when determining dowel rod placement. All the dowel rods must be placed within the area you will mark (see steps below) to provide adequate support.
1. Center a cake board the same size as the tier above it on base tier and press it gently into icing to imprint an outline. Remove. Use this outline to guide the insertion of the dowel rods*.
2. Insert one dowel rod into cake straight down to the cake board. Make a knife scratch on the rod to mark the exact height. Pull dowel rod out.
3. Cut the suggested number of rods the exact same length, using the mark on the first one as a guide.
4. Now, insert rods into tier, spacing evenly 1 1/2 inches in from the imprinted outline. Push straight down until each touches the cake board. Repeat this procedure for every stacked or pillared tier on the cake.
*The general rule for the number of dowel rods to use is: the larger and more numerous the tiers, the more dowels needed. If the tier above is 10 in. or less, use six 1/4-in. wooden dowels. Use 8 dowel rods for 16 in. and 18 in. cakes; on these larger tiers, use 3/4-in. plastic dowel rods in the base tier. When using white plastic dowel rods that are wider and provide more support, the number needed may be less.
PART 2: Stacked Cake Construction
Stacking is the most architectural method of tiered cake construction. Tiers are placed directly on top of one another and pillars are not used. Cakes are supported and stabilized by dowel rods and cake boards.
1. Dowel rod all tiers except top tier.
2. Position the middle tier on the base tier, centering exactly
3. Repeat with the top tier.
4. To stabilize tiers further, sharpen one end of a wooden dowel rod and push it through all tiers and cake boards to the base of the bottom tier.
