I need help, please. Every time I make a tiered cake, two tiers is what I do, It starts leaning to one side. I use dowels and a cake board in between the tiers... I just can't figure out what I am doing wrong. Please help. I know that there is something that I can do to "fix" this problem, I just can't figure it out. Thanks for all your advice!

Is it each cake itself leaning (layers sliding) or is it the stacking that is leaning? Sounds like your dowels are not level - that is imperative. If you have trouble cutting them, try using drinking straws instead - very easy to cut and adjust if they are off and they are certainly strong enough to hold a two tier cake (I use them for up to 4 tiers). You want to use one for every inch of diameter of the cake above.

yeah, it kinda sounds like the dowels may not be cut the same...try using the straws...I just switched over to using them, way easier to cut than the wooden dowels

KoryAK, the cake seems to be sliding at the layers.... sorry, didn't explain that well enough... but, thank you to both you and wendoger for the straw idea... never thought of that and it seems like a great idea. I will definitely try that next time.

What can I do about the layers sliding?

...hmmmm......maybe too much filling? I dunno....not feeling like much help here.....anyone else???

When I hear the term "sliding" it makes me think of soft icing?

There is too much slip-slide-y filling. Use a thicker icing dam for it or go with something more viscous. Try chilling your cakes throughout the process, it will make the icing set up and hold it all together while working and through transport and all.

I always make a stiff dam between layers and fill no higher than the top of the dam. Seems like the cake rests more on the tough dam than on the soft filling....... hope this helps!
-kim

Thank you all! I will try that next time. Can't wait to make another tiered cake, just to try out the straw idea... That sounds wonderful!