Anyone Ever Done A Tiered Square Cake(Mid Tier Staggered)?

Decorating By Lori2240 Updated 15 Aug 2008 , 9:08pm by Lori2240

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Lori2240 Posted 5 Aug 2008 , 7:01pm
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I am doing a 3 tier stacked square cake and the middle tier will be staggered (the top and bottom are normal straight squares and the middle is turned sideways so as not to be neatly stacked). (hope I explained that ok!!) Anyways, initially the cake was going to be 12X10X8, but after thinking about it, I dont think those sizes will fit onto each layer without going way over the edges. I think I may have to go maybe a 14X10X6..... has anyone ever done a cake like this before? Also, when I add dowels, do I do it the same as if it were neatly stacked, just make sure I dont go out of bounds? Anything else I need to know? Thank you do much for any insight. Thanks!

23 replies
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DoubleA Posted 5 Aug 2008 , 7:09pm
post #2 of 24

The middle tier will be "offset". Do not turn it completely 90 degrees from center...only about 30 or 40 degrees, maybe not that much. Look at your pans and turn the pans to see which looks better.

Yes, you will dowel the same as for straight stacked.

If you find the 12 too small when you check the offset tier, use the 14.HTH

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spunkybear Posted 5 Aug 2008 , 7:11pm
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I just did a 3 tier 14-10-6 stacked (sorry, I haven't got the pics uploaded yet) this past weekend for a wedding. They were off-set and my 10 inch JUST fit on the 14 when turned 90*. Does that make sence? I had no problem with the 6 on top. They were a stack of presents. I loved the look but there was little to no room for much of a boarder on the 10.

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DoubleA Posted 5 Aug 2008 , 7:12pm
post #4 of 24

The middle tier will be "offset". Do not turn it completely 90 degrees from center...only about 30 or 40 degrees, maybe not that much. Look at your pans and turn the pans to see which looks better.

Yes, you will dowel the same as for straight stacked.

If you find the 12 too small when you check the offset tier, use the 14.HTH

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Angelgirl Posted 5 Aug 2008 , 7:17pm
post #5 of 24
Quote:
Originally Posted by spunkybear

I just did a 3 tier 14-10-6 stacked (sorry, I haven't got the pics uploaded yet) this past weekend for a wedding. They were off-set and my 10 inch JUST fit on the 14 when turned 90*. Does that make sence? I had no problem with the 6 on top. They were a stack of presents. I loved the look but there was little to no room for much of a boarder on the 10.




I did one in June with the same sizes and found exactly what you said- no room for a border on the 10 in. The couple wanted fresh blueberries as the borders, so we were able to stick them on ok, but I just talked to the groom last week and apparently someone took off with the corner blueberries at some point. The photographer took pics of the cake at different times and in one set the blueberries are all there and in the second the corners are missing! The only thing we could think of was that they were easily accessable! I also loved this look!

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Lori2240 Posted 5 Aug 2008 , 7:20pm
post #6 of 24

Thanks for the feedback. If you could do it again, would you keep those sizes? I dont need much of a border. I am putting a fondant ribbon on.... debating whether I want fondant string of beads along border or not. Thanks!

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spunkybear Posted 5 Aug 2008 , 7:28pm
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I would do it again yes. As for the ribbon that would be your best choice if you are turning it 90 degrees. I originally had planned on using the fondant beads (9mm) around the bottom and there was no room for even that. I ended up piping a tiny pearl bead boarder and it looked really nice.

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pood Posted 5 Aug 2008 , 7:36pm
post #8 of 24

Hi,
I just did one like that on July 26. It is in my pictures as Weaver Wedding. I put cornelli lace on the second layer and a monogram. I really liked it. I used 14-10-6 and turned the 10 at 90 degrees. I used only ribbon on the bottom and really liked the look. I have already had two more requests for this exact design but different colors. Hope this helps.

Linda

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dinas27 Posted 5 Aug 2008 , 7:50pm
post #9 of 24

I also have one posted in my pics (hot pink and black paisley). It needed to be a smaller cake so we went with 9-6-4 which fit perfectly at 90 degrees to total 76 servings.

I had to do a little geometry though... do you have all the pans. Just play and see which ones fit together the best. How many do you need it to serve?

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Lori2240 Posted 5 Aug 2008 , 8:03pm
post #10 of 24

No, I dont have the pans, so it is a little harder for me to visualize. The top tier is going to be frozen so it wont be used. I am looking to feed anywhere from 100-140 people... I just want me make sure I buy the right sizes. Thanks!

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dinas27 Posted 5 Aug 2008 , 8:21pm
post #11 of 24

so doing a little geometry
with a 14" base you would need a 9.89 square to fit perfectly on top. I would round down to a 9" that leaves you a little room for a border.

Then on top of a 9" you would need a 6.36 square to fit perfect - I would round down again to a 6"

14' - 98 servings
9' - 40 servings
6' - to keep
that gives you 136 servings (wilton chart)

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Lori2240 Posted 5 Aug 2008 , 8:21pm
post #12 of 24

how is the 14X10X6 structure-wise? I was thinking about using SMBC in the middle, which for me sometimes tends to be less sturdy after sitting out for awhile, I am afraid of bulging. Did any of you have structural issues? Thanks!!!

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tonedna Posted 5 Aug 2008 , 8:26pm
post #13 of 24

I always leave a 4 inch difference.
This one is a 12, 8, 4
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1026473

Edna icon_biggrin.gif

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Lori2240 Posted 5 Aug 2008 , 8:57pm
post #14 of 24

Beautiful cake Toneda! I love the detailing! I think I am more and more leaning towards the 4 in difference...Thanks!

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TexasSugar Posted 5 Aug 2008 , 10:32pm
post #15 of 24

My black and white cake was 12, 8 and 5 in sqaures.

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indydebi Posted 5 Aug 2008 , 10:41pm
post #16 of 24

Measure your pans.

A 10" square is 10" across, side to side. But if you measure it point to point, it's 14". So if you set up the cake square-diamond-square, (like this one: http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=570903 ) the 10" won't fit on the 12" and will barely fit the 14.

If you just slightly angle the middle and upper tiers (I refer to it as "slighly askew"), like this one: http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1219673 , you have more flexibility.

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tonedna Posted 6 Aug 2008 , 12:25am
post #17 of 24
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lori2240

Beautiful cake Toneda! I love the detailing! I think I am more and more leaning towards the 4 in difference...Thanks!




Thanks lori..it does work for me..I dont like my cakes hanging!

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Angelgirl Posted 15 Aug 2008 , 1:52pm
post #18 of 24
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lori2240

Thanks for the feedback. If you could do it again, would you keep those sizes? I dont need much of a border. I am putting a fondant ribbon on.... debating whether I want fondant string of beads along border or not. Thanks!




If I was doing it again with any border (fondant pearls, shells, even my blueberries I used), I would probably adjust the sizes. But, if I weren't using a border and was just doing ribbon, I would probably leave the sizes the same. The fit was just perfect- so the ribbons would work fine for that I think.

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Lori2240 Posted 15 Aug 2008 , 1:59pm
post #19 of 24

Thanks again. So I guess I just need to decide if I am doing a border or not. I was planning on trying the SPS system for the first time and I dont want o tplay around too much with the sizes so they can fit onto the plate. Thanks!!

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jibbies Posted 15 Aug 2008 , 2:15pm
post #20 of 24

I did this cake last summer and it was one of my least favorite cakes as far as how it turned out.
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1073733.html
The bride and groom loved it so I guess that's the most important thing, but because there were only 2 inch differences in the sizes of the tires I couldn't "turn" the tiers to get the effect I wanted. In the end they didn't need 5 tiers (that's a lot of cake).

Jibbies

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MacsMom Posted 15 Aug 2008 , 2:37pm
post #21 of 24

I think it looks nicer when they are askew rather than a perfect diamond. This is one I did with a ribbon border, 12"9"6"
LL

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CakeDiva73 Posted 15 Aug 2008 , 3:45pm
post #22 of 24

I did this one for a baby shower and at the time, only had a 4 pack of pans (12, 9, 7 & 4.5) to choose from.

The only way I could get it to look right, was to use the 12, 7, 4.5 combo. When I tried to angle the 9" on the 12", it seemed like too tight of a fit.
LL

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CakeDiva73 Posted 15 Aug 2008 , 3:50pm
post #23 of 24

(sorry, had trouble loading photo)

I forgot to say I used dowels on the bottom two layers and transported it in pieces, then put it together onsite. I didn't dowel thru the entire thing. In the future, I will use the SPS system and hopefully not have to deal with dowels at all.

I thought the different between 12 adn 7 would be too much, but I was happy with the outcome......then I figured the difference between the 7 and the 4.5 would be really squished but it wasn't. It's weird but I have yet to be able to do this configuration with a standard formula - I always have to literally stack the pans to see if they will be visually balanced. HTH

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Lori2240 Posted 15 Aug 2008 , 9:08pm
post #24 of 24

Thank you so much for attaching the visuals! Those cakes turned out wonderful! I appreciate seeing some similar cakes as to what I am going to do because Ive never done one quite like this. Thanks again

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