my cakes are very moist and I have difficulty getting tiered cakes stable, Can anyone help. I don't want to compromise my recipe for my cakes b/c everyone loves this version taste. Does anyone use anything else other than the traditional tier/wedding cake pedistals. I was thinking of even making my own w/ dowl sticks, screws and mdf board for holding the cakes?? This seems complicated. I keep getting requests to make wedding cakes and I don't know what to do...Help Tricia PS any good sites anyone can suggest for step by step, I have the basic idea but it is never stable enough

Do a search for the SPS system that leahs has talked about. It is similar to what it sounds like you are thinking of doing. I've used it, it's awesome and inexpensive enough that you can build the cost into the cake and let them be disposable. We drove a 3 tiered stacked cake down a VERY steep hill to the venue in August. It arrived perfect and survived being carried around the lanscaping before it was placed on the table.

For stacked cakes I use plates between the tiers and I use the hidden pillers (Wilton) for support. This method is easy and it has never failed me. I've done hundreds of tiered cakes with this method and I've never had a cake lean, fall, slide or collapse. The basic construction method for a 4-tier stacked cake with the dimensions of a 6, 10, 14 and 18" cake would be as follows:

Ice and smooth the 18" tier and place it on it's "base". (All tiers are on cardboards the same size as the cake for this method) Using a 13" cake plate, mark the 18" tier with the plate by pressing the plate in the center of the icing, just enough so that the "legs" of the cake plate leave an indentation. I then measure the height of the cake with a straw and cut 4 hidden pillers the same length as the straw. I insert them where the legs of the plates left marks. I then place the 13" plate.

Next, ice and smoth and mark the 14" tier the same as you did with the 18". Carefully place it on the 13" plate. (You'll notice that I use a plate slightly smaller than the cake sitting on it. Keep doing this for each tier. The six inch tier does not need the same amount of support. Usually you can use bubble straws or drinking straws for the support under the 6" tier.

The weight of the cakes is entirely on the plates and supports. There shouldn't be any weight on the underlying tiers.

As I mentioned above, this method is very stable and I have NEVER lost a cake. We've delivered into the mountains, we've delivered cakes hundreds of miles and 2 states over. We've delivered and set up inside and outside - in 90+ degree weather. I hope these instructions made sense. Good luck with your cakes!

Hi and Welcome to CC, triciagriffo.

Decoding CC acronyms:

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-2926-.html

Everything you ever wanted to know to bake, assemble and decorate your 1st tiered/stacked/layer cake:

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-605188-.html

Has illustrated and detailed directions for the most common cake support systems including Leahs SPS.

HTH