Is there a good rule of thumb that everyone uses for 3 tier and 2 tier cakes? ie 3 tier cakes use a 10, 8, & 6 and 2 tiers use 6 & 10? I don't know why I'm having a hard time with this. Help please...

Also do you stack your cakes and then frost or frost stack frost stack?

Thanks for everyone's help. This is my all-time favorite website!

I think most tiered cakes graduate in size by 4", typically (14", 10", 6"). I am working on a 12", 9", and 6" tiered cake (that's just what worked out for serving size). I usually frost all the tiers separately, then stack. I do this so I can refrigerate the tiers, which makes them easier to handle.

It has always been my understanding there should be a 4" difference between size of tiers.

I think the rule of thumb is 4" difference, but IMO, it's just the look you're going for. Personal preference per cake, ya know. And, frost each tier individually.