This is great! Thank leahs.

I am doing my first wedding cake in a looooong time on May 2. It will be a 4-tier, 15", 12", 9", 6", and because of its design it will have to be delivered fully assembled. And did I mention I'm delivering it 70 miles? So I've taken the plunge and ordered SPS.

Leah,

1. Have you ever carried one this size? Can I do it? Can DH do it?

2. You don't wrap the cardboard rounds in anything, is that correct? Do you not have trouble with them getting greasy/soggy?

Thank you! I'm excited to try it!

I went to oasis.com and it wasn't a cake supply site. I think the right one is oasisupply; I found the SPS system there. (Yes, there does seem to be one "s" missing, but that's correct.)

I'm confused. Is a center dowel used with this system? I looked through the instructions, but I don't see a hole for the dowel. I'm sure I'm just missing something here. Thanks!

So I just made a 5 tier cake and I use IMBC. When I stacked them my 14" my BC cracked and kept cracking as I continued to stack. Any suggestions? As you can imagine I was freaking out! It did turn out okay...haven't heard from the bride.

thanks for the info on the sps

No center dowel tootie...not needed!

www.agbayproducts.com
Best.Cake.Leveler.Ever.

Thank you so much. Excellent instructions!

LeahS - I purchased SPS! And I've read thru the tutorial you made (thank you so much btw). I'm making a 6",8",10", 12" square cake. So I actually bought SPS for the 6",8",10", and 12". I was just looking at it, and based on everything, I'm just kind of assuming that I don't actually use the 12" plate. So for the 12" inch cake, do I just put that on a regular board? And then start working with the 10" plate and legs?

Thank you so much!

Cyls, You've got it. You don't need that 12" SPS plate (yet.) You'll use it on another cake, I'm sure.

I just a shipment of SPS supplies in yesterday also. Dozens and dozens of plates and bags of legs.

Thanks Leahs! I just wanted to make sure that I was doing it right. And I'll definitely use the extra plate sometime!

A couple quick questions here....I'm thinking of trying this SPS for a wedding cake (first I've ever officially done).

1. Once I place the cake (with a carboard under it) onto the separator plate, there will be no room in between cakes right? All the plastic plate and carboard circle will be covered up when I add a border? Never having used it, it seems like the plastic plate + cardboard would be a lot of space to cover up. ????

2. Also, do you recommend coating the bottom of the separator plate with anything so that icing doesn't stick to it when they are serving it at the wedding? In the past I have just put a little powdered sugar on the bottom of a wax paper coated cardboard circle. Is that the best thing?

3. Last question! Do you need to give instructions to anyone about disassembling the sps when they are cutting the cake at the reception?

Thanks for answers in advance!

I need to add that I will be using a crusting buttercream. Leahs I saw that you use a non crusting buttercream. Anybody here used SPS with a crusting buttercream?

The man at the Oasis store acted like I was an idiot for asking about the buttercream sticking to the plate. He told me he just "doesn't bother to put any icing on the cake where the plate will sit. So am I the lunatic or is he?

I think that only cake bakers worry about the icing under the plate. Seriously, the caterer cutting your cake could care less. But the good news is that if you're using a crusting bc, just let it crust very well and it won't stick to the SPS plate anyway. Indydebi does it all the time. With a non-crusting bc, I put coarse sugar under the plate. I'm currently using a lightly crusting bc, having recently tweaked my recipe a bit.

And the caterer cutting the cake will love SPS. All they have to do is get a knife under the plate and the whole thing will come out of the tier in one piece. They love, love, love not having to dig around for dowels. And they don't need directions.

A border will cover up the edge of the plate and the cardboard, but ouwill need to get your cake to the roper height. Otherwise you'll have to cover airspace too, or trim the legs.

Ok, I'm gonna try it! Thanks!

Hey Leah - is there a way to use SPS and not have a border around the cake plate? My friend didn't really want a border on the cake. But she might just have to have one. =o)

Someone on here figured out a way to do it, but I didn't totally get it. I tell all my clients, "There has to be an inside border to hide the construction."

Thanks Leah. I need to take a serious look at this system because yesterday I had a 4 tier stacked cake fall over!! I am so upset . I feel like I ruined the girl's wedding. I think I will only travel with a two stacker and assemble at the reception. Do you think I can smooth the bc icing after it has crusted?
I have been using a high ratio of butter to hi ratio shortening which makes it hard to smooth after it has crusted. I think I need to start using more shortening and less butter. (3:1)

When you do a stacked cake, do you have to put a bottom border around the base of each cake to hide the plates? Is it possible to assemble on sight , fill in with icing, and smooth it?

I really appreciate your advice.
Thank you,
Sandy

I think you're missing the point about crusting icing. You have to do all your smoothing before it crusts. That's kinda the whole point. Once it crusts you're done.

I do find that I need an inside border to hide the construction, but I always liked borders. You can also use a ribbon.

I do a partial on site assembly. After all, I only transport stacked what I can lift.

Of course now my person wants a 4 tier instead of a 3. Am I pushing my luck to have a 4 tiered cake (assembled with SPS) drive in a car for about 30 min? Can one person carry a 4 tiered cake??? Will it even fit in a car?

This is all new to me and I am getting nervous!

All I can say is THANKS SO MUCH!!! I cant wait to try this.

>>I think you're missing the point about crusting icing. You have to do all your smoothing before it crusts. That's kinda the whole point. Once it crusts you're done.<<

Hi Leah,

I thought that I should not attempt traveling with a four stack cake for 60 + miles (hills, traffic etc.)
If I assemble the cake on sight, will I have trouble touching up and smoothing the icing.

What kind of base do you use (under bottom cake)? I measured the Grecian columns that came with the SPS plate. It was 5 1/8 inches long. Are there shorter ones?

Thank you so much! You are wonderful!

Sandy

Hi

I'm in the Uk and need to get hold of the SPS, does anyone know who I can order it from? Even when I tried searching world wide on the web I could only find the 9" coloumns so would appreciate ANY advice on getting the four inch ones plus the plates. Also is SPS a brand or is there a brand of SPS that is the one Leah recommends?

Thanks again
Claire

You can buy SPS from www.globalsugarart.com. And they do sell the 4 inch columns as well. The SPS that I bought from global sugar are made by Bakery Crafts.

I mostly understand the process and plan to order in a few days for a 5 tier stacked cake next weekend. My only question is...or maybe I'm missing something even with viewing the visual.

How do I make sure the dowels are lined up to pop into place on the plate that is under the cake?

SPS doesn't use dowels.

Also, SPS is a proper name for the system made by Bakery Crafts.