| Author |
Message |
anricat
Junior Member
Joined: May 27, 2009
Posts: 40
Location: Austin, TX
Birthday: Jul 14
|
 Posted:
Fri Oct 30, 2009 7:14 pm |
  |
I made my first topsy turvy cake today. It's just a little one with two tiers. I got everything set on the bottom tier - I got my dowels cut and I built my top tier on a cardboard cake circle. Then I put the top tier on and all is going well.
Then I get my dowel to go through both layers. I sharpened it to a point with a knife and tried to poke it through. It didn't go through the cardboard! Instead it bent the cardboard down into my bottom tier, totally smooshing and crushing it (despite the dowels in place under it).
So here's where things got really ugly. I thought, well, it's a teeny upper tier, I'll just take the cardboard out. BAD IDEA. The whole thing was smooshing down and caving in the bottom layer. So my husband came home and I got him to cut a little hole in a new cake circle and I took off the top tier and he slid it up underneath.
The fondant is completely cracked on the back side and the cake is totally collapsing, despite me trying to put it back together. It's for a Halloween party tomorrow (see my pictures - it's the Halloween cake there). It's okay if you don't inspect it super closely (or look at the back). What a bummer. I'm sure I'll come downstairs tomorrow and it will have completely caved in overnight. I'm so sad. It's my first irreparable disaster.
Soooooo...how do I get that center dowel to go all the way through all the layers including the cardboard?!? |
|
|
    |
 |
|
|
|
Loucinda
Forum SuperStar!
Joined: Jan 26, 2005
Posts: 3415
Location: Central Ohio
|
| Posted:
Fri Oct 30, 2009 8:29 pm |
|
I don't use a knife to sharpen the dowel, I use a dedicated electric pencil sharpener. That way I know I have a perfectly pointed sharp tool that goes right through the boards. (I use foamcore and not cardboard). |
|
|
 |
|
|
sugarshack
Forum SuperStar!
Joined: Jul 16, 2004
Posts: 2476
Location: LA
|
| Posted:
Sun Nov 01, 2009 11:11 pm |
|
and you dont push it in, you hammer it. pushing it is not enough force to get it thru and it bends the cardboard . HYTH |
|
|
 |
|
|
ApplegumKitchen
Frequent Member
Joined: Aug 09, 2007
Posts: 375
Location: Sydney, Australia
Birthday: Dec 08
|
| Posted:
Sun Nov 01, 2009 11:44 pm |
|
We do it so much differently here in Australia
I had written it on another thread in the last few days but can't remember exactly where LOL
We have the central dowel glued to the base board and then the bottom tier is ganached on a STD board with a pre-drilled hole.
Then thread (push) the cake over the sharpened dowel.
Roll your fondant and cut small hole out with cutter (this is how you put your fondant on OVER that pole.
Geesh - so HARD to put into words but easy when it is done!!
Will try and re-size pics so that I can attach |
|
|
| |
|
|
jlynnw
Forum Fanatic
Joined: Apr 25, 2007
Posts: 1170
|
| Posted:
Mon Nov 02, 2009 2:41 am |
|
could you fondant the cake and then slide it down the pole? |
|
|
| |
|
|
ApplegumKitchen
Frequent Member
Joined: Aug 09, 2007
Posts: 375
Location: Sydney, Australia
Birthday: Dec 08
|
| Posted:
Mon Nov 02, 2009 2:51 am |
|
You could try  but I can tell you... it is VERY hard to do that without leaving marks or damaging your fondant.
I know its good to look at different options .... ????? |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
