Ok, I need some help. I am pretty sure I know what went wrong but have never had this happen...always a first time. Made this really cute diaper bag cake for my sister in law as a gift to her friend. It is to travel over 100 miles in the lap of my teenage niece. No problem. yea uh huh. She calls me to tell me that the cake never made it. The layers slid off of one another. I had supports in there but did NOT put a dowle all the way thru it. I am guessing that is what caused the problem. I have attached pics of before and after. The after pic is not so hot b/c it was a camera fone pic. Advice would be appreciated!

oh what a shame!! That cake was gorgeous.....although it does look like you had some settling even in the before picture.......how many layers of cake did you have?? did you dowel the layers?? I know you said no central dowel right?? Just curious about how you constructed the cake exactlly and it's always hard to reference the size from the pic. by the way......those accesories are amazing......did you have a mold???? amazing!! such a shame that cake went down....how impressed I"m sure they would have been!!!

It was three layers. I took an 11 x 15 sheet cake cut it into thirds, stacked with straw supports with cake boards between. I did not use a central dowel. For the keys, I just cut them freehand from gumpaste. The pacifier, I formed freehand. The bottle I took a real bottle, cut it in half and used that as a mold for candy melts. The top of the bottle is real. The booties, I followed the converse template with some minor adjustments.

cut the bottle in half??? You're a genius!!! Never would have thought of that..........I wonder if the straws were the issue???? I've never used them personally though I've heard a lot of horror stories........anytime I stack more than 2 layers of cake (2 layers torted into 4 usually) I add a central dowel........unless of course it's not going anywhere. But if I have to deliver it, even a mile down the road I add a central dowel to keep the layers from sliding....live and learn I guess, it's just too bad that you had to learn from such a gorgeous cake that I'm sure took FOREVER to make!

That IS a shame! it was a darling cake! I agree that it looks as if it is settling in you before picture already. It could be a comination of factors. The cake may not have been sturdy enough. All of the fondant on top looks heavy and it might have squished as it settled. Your construction might have been a bit faulty. I personally dont use straws. I also made a diaper bag cake and I did do three layers without doweling and it held up fine, but generally a cake board and dowels every 4 inches of cake is good. I took a risk! Also you didnt mention what your filling was. maybe it was a slippery filling that caused it to shift around?

Too bad, it was a cute cake! Better luck next time!!!

Part of the problem may have been not being on a flat surface while traveling. I never let anyone hold a cake because there is no way they can hold it level. But I also agree it does look like there was some settling in the before picture.

I always put a dowel in the center even if is two layers, the vibrations of the car even if you have the cake in a level position would cause it to shift slowly, and if going a great distance more so. Also sometimes the icing/fondant may not be properly adhere to the cake and this may cause it to fall off also (I learned this from SugarShack's videos).

Hope this helps,

Lomikesa

I figured it was a combo of alot of things. I know for next time! Fortunatley it was a "free" family cake....

Also, when you have fondant - leave some breathing room - I always prop the box or leave some space for air to circulate. When you said wrapped in saran wrap, the moisture that collects under neath, can also cause some damage. Elaine

I think also it was a combination of things but never let a cake travel on someone's lap.

One of the coordinators at a local reception site told me that the only time they have trouble with wedding cakes falling over is when they have straws in them to support them. I'd switch to wooden or plastic dowels, and make sure that the cake is cold when it's transported that far. If it's warm it will be easier for the icing to let the cake layers slide around.

My first stacked cake - I was scared to use dowels for some reason. I came on here and someone suggested straws, so I was happy to try it. It was my first and only time using straws and first and only time having a cake LEAN. I'm lucky it didn't completely fall over. (knock on wood this doesn't ever happen to me again- UGH!)

warm lap. wrapped in saran. Yes, I'd say both of those. And probably some road vibration didn't help. But, I used straws in the grad cake I made for my nephew and I won't do it twice. I think they just aren't as strong as they need to be. The cake didn't come apart but it had a slight "lean" the third tier was a square cut out of the second tier and placed on top so, it wasn't terribly weighty. And I used quite a few straws. We had about an hour and a half on the road.
I was still not pleased with it!

BTW Diamonds your cake was beautiful. Really hate it for you.

I just want to chim in on the straw issue,although I have only done a couple tier cakes, straws can work. You have to have good sturdy straws though, I think most like the bubble tea straws they are wider and more steardy. I found some straws somewhere now, don't remember where, they were inexpensive, but wider than regular straws and sturdy. will work until I can get bubble straws. Also watched sugarshakes stacking video the other night and she uses nothing but bubble straws up to four tiers with no problems. Even travels stacked like that. It is a great video to buy, I only watched once so far and learned alot.

Hi; sltoklahoma. Give me the skinny on the video please? I'd love to check it out. And what are bubble straws? If they are like those McD straws that are really heavy I would reonsider. but, I know the ones I used just didn't seem strong enough. I know they sell plastic dowels at my cake supply place but, I haven't tried them.

I first saw bubble straws when I lived in washington and worked around alot of philopheno (sorry sp). They would bring in this drink that had these tapico pearls in them. they were large to. So you would suck up this creamed tea and eat the tapico. It was good, despite it looking gross, alot of them green. They are wider than normal straws probably 1/3 in maybe. I haven't found any locally here and plan to order some online most likely. They seem real sturdy. The video is excellant. I sold some school books and had extra money and now have all three of sugarshacks videos. She goes at a real comfortable pace, explains everything. Even uses more steps than I would, but then again if I did it more her way, my stuff would look better. I am just to impatient at times. They are like 25.00 each, but worth that and more. I haven't done many tier cakes, and plan to do one this weekend, that I am going to put together and drive aprox 15 min with. so no long distance but it is very important cake, it is for my son eagle ceremony. I am so excited, I hope it turns out how I have planned. Nothing fancy, but very important and first time I am using edible images. you can find her videos at sugarshackproductions, I believe. she is a member here and you can pm for more details.