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jjandhope
Regular Member
Joined: Aug 22, 2008
Posts: 167
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 Posted:
Sat Jun 27, 2009 2:46 pm |
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What should the difference in diameter be between tiers of a stacked cake? |
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wendyintx
Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 19, 2005
Posts: 636
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Sat Jun 27, 2009 4:08 pm |
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I prefer 4 inches, 3 at the least. That is just my personal preference though! |
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pattycakesnj
Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 05, 2008
Posts: 1148
Location: New Jersey
Birthday: Jul 15
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Sat Jun 27, 2009 4:18 pm |
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| wendyintx wrote: | | I prefer 4 inches, 3 at the least. That is just my personal preference though! |
i agree, at least 3 inch difference |
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aligotmatt
Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 22, 2006
Posts: 1030
Location: NC
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Sat Jun 27, 2009 4:20 pm |
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I think 2 is fine. Almost all of my cakes are 2. like 12/10/8/6 is my most typical cake sizes. |
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pattiverde
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 09, 2006
Posts: 57
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Sat Jun 27, 2009 4:23 pm |
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Good question! I have that same question, so I'm eager to see the responses. My thinking, though, is this: it depends on the decorations you'll be adding. If there will be a top and bottom border on each tier, for example, I would say you definitely need a 4" pan difference (so there is essentially a 2" ledge under each tier). I would say the same thing if you will be cascading any flowers or resting any seashells or whatever on the ledge. On the other hand, if the cakes are covered in fondant (no need for a top border), and the decorations don't take up space on the ledge (like, say, scrollwork), you only need a 2" pan difference (so there is a 1" ledge).
But let's see what the experts say!
 patti |
Last edited by pattiverde on Sat Jun 27, 2009 4:35 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Brownie1954
Frequent Member
Joined: Jul 31, 2007
Posts: 288
Location: West Carrollton, Ohio
Birthday: Feb 01
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Sat Jun 27, 2009 4:23 pm |
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I've always worked with 2"...... |
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jammjenks
Forum Fanatic
Joined: Aug 22, 2007
Posts: 2422
Location: western NC
Birthday: Jul 21
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Sat Jun 27, 2009 4:29 pm |
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I agree with everybody above. I prefer a 3", but my brides tend to do 2". Either way will work, just some designs work better with a larger ledge as pattiverde said. |
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JenniferMI
Forum Fanatic
Joined: Nov 12, 2006
Posts: 2137
Location: Manistee, Michigan
Birthday: Dec 22
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Sat Jun 27, 2009 4:36 pm |
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I prefer 3 or 4" between pan sizes, this allows you a ledge to place flowers on eaisly. If you do two " between pan sizes, that only allows a 1" ledge and gives the cake a more towered look instead of tapered look. But, it really depends on what look the bride likes best. It's very helpful to build the "look" out of dummies so they can really see what they are getting. Pans works well if you don't have dummies.
Jennifer |
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indydebi
Forum Matriarch
Joined: Jul 07, 2006
Posts: 23776
Location: Indianapolis IN
Birthday: Jan 19
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Sat Jun 27, 2009 4:49 pm |
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I dont' think there's a right or wrong answer. As already mentioned, it may depend on the design. Most of the time, I select the size of the cakes based on the number of servings needed. 6/8/10/12 works most of the time for my brides. |
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Rylan
Forum Fanatic
Joined: Feb 19, 2009
Posts: 4191
Location: Las Vegas
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Sat Jun 27, 2009 11:46 pm |
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I agree. There isn't a right or wrong answer. It all depends on what you are going for. |
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Unlimited
Regular Member
Joined: Sep 06, 2008
Posts: 179
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Sun Jun 28, 2009 6:53 am |
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| JenniferMI wrote: | If you do two " between pan sizes, that only allows a 1" ledge and gives the cake a more towered look instead of tapered look.
Jennifer |
Exactly. For stacked cakes, it doesn't much matter which sizes you choose. For separated cakes to look proportionate instead of too tall and towering, it's best to use 4" size difference pans (i.e. 14 X 10 X 6 with 12" and 8" plates in between). When you use 2" size difference pans, you're stuck using the odd size separator plates and it just doesn't have that gradually tapered look but instead it goes too tall too soon while making the base appear insignificant in comparison for all the "weight" or tiers above. |
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WeddingCakeEnchantress
Newbie
Joined: Jun 24, 2009
Posts: 12
Location: Sydney Australia
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Sun Jun 28, 2009 9:21 am |
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I am using cake tins manufactured in Australia so this may or may not apply universally across the board...
Q. Have you ever noticed that when you get a full set of cake tins that they neatly fit inside each other so that the final tin that sits in the middle ends up level with the outer ring even though there is a lot of layered bases under it?
A. That is by design not coincidence. Visually as you build a cake, the higher it gets by tiers, the shorter the tiers get as you get to the top.
My tins are 3 inches which appears to be the standard but I do have some 4 inch tins for particular designs.
Therefore, the 3 inch rule works but the smaller the cakes get they are slightly shorter which is visually appealing and balanced. You don't want to end up with a top heavy looking cake unless you designed it to look that way.
If you don't believe me turn your entire cake tin set up side down on a bench, stack them on top of each other to form a pyramid and check them with a ruler. Interesting ha? |
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RoccosMom
Forum SuperStar!
Joined: Mar 21, 2005
Posts: 5441
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Sun Jun 28, 2009 9:41 am |
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| WeddingCakeEnchantress wrote: | I am using cake tins manufactured in Australia so this may or may not apply universally across the board...
Q. Have you ever noticed that when you get a full set of cake tins that they neatly fit inside each other so that the final tin that sits in the middle ends up level with the outer ring even though there is a lot of layered bases under it?
A. That is by design not coincidence. Visually as you build a cake, the higher it gets by tiers, the shorter the tiers get as you get to the top.
My tins are 3 inches which appears to be the standard but I do have some 4 inch tins for particular designs.
Therefore, the 3 inch rule works but the smaller the cakes get they are slightly shorter which is visually appealing and balanced. You don't want to end up with a top heavy looking cake unless you designed it to look that way.
If you don't believe me turn your entire cake tin set up side down on a bench, stack them on top of each other to form a pyramid and check them with a ruler. Interesting ha? |
Well that's interesting and I've never seen that here in the states--mine are either 2" or 3" deep. so I have had to make the tiers balance by design.
However Margaret Braun does not graduate the depth of her tiers--she has the top tier as tall as can be and some come out spindly looking but geez she can do anything she wants huh??!!!
But using the odd sized pans or cutting out the odd sized tiers are important to me when figuring out the servings and what size cake to make. I'd go crazy if I did not use the odd sized pan. |
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WeddingCakeEnchantress
Newbie
Joined: Jun 24, 2009
Posts: 12
Location: Sydney Australia
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Sun Jun 28, 2009 6:39 pm |
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| Quote: | | But using the odd sized pans or cutting out the odd sized tiers are important to me when figuring out the servings and what size cake to make. I'd go crazy if I did not use the odd sized pan |
I am not sure what this means? Are you using the off-cut dome from your tin to figure out how many serves the cake can be cut into?
I have a 1 inch grid pattern done on art paper and the tins have been placed on top of that and I drew around the base of the entire tin set in texta. From there I can count the squares and estimate the serves depending upon how many squares fit into the grid of the tin I am baking. For example 2 inch by 1 inch or 3 inch by 1 inch by the height of the slice? |
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RoccosMom
Forum SuperStar!
Joined: Mar 21, 2005
Posts: 5441
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Sun Jun 28, 2009 8:41 pm |
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| WeddingCakeEnchantress wrote: | | Quote: | | But using the odd sized pans or cutting out the odd sized tiers are important to me when figuring out the servings and what size cake to make. I'd go crazy if I did not use the odd sized pan |
I am not sure what this means? Are you using the off-cut dome from your tin to figure out how many serves the cake can be cut into?
I have a 1 inch grid pattern done on art paper and the tins have been placed on top of that and I drew around the base of the entire tin set in texta. From there I can count the squares and estimate the serves depending upon how many squares fit into the grid of the tin I am baking. For example 2 inch by 1 inch or 3 inch by 1 inch by the height of the slice? |
Yes what I wrote did not make sense there did it.
I meant that I use the odd sized cake tiers, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15 whether I bake it in a cake pan that size or whether I cut it out of a larger cake. |
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