I am going to make my first time square wedding cake.
It is going to be butter cream frosting with silk ribbons around,No boarders.
So I can't hide the mess between the tiered.
I would like to know "how to"
I know sugarshack has DVD for how to stack up the cakes.
Do they show how to stack up square cakes?
What do you think about her DVD?
thanks.

i have all of her dvds.. the buttercream one , she shows you how to move the icing on a square cake for sharp corners. she shows this at the end. the dvd shows how to ice and smooth a buttercream cake... it is wonderful.. her stacking one is wonderful.. her fondant one , also. and the topsy turvy.. you would stack a square one like she does the round one.. she is great. and a wonderful teacher. i have just got to master it all also. i don,t make cakes all the time. so i get a little out of practice. but watching her dvd's .. i hope to get there.. hth

Can you please supply the website for sugarshack? thanks

I use my icing spatula to set the upper tier in place. Lower the tier into place, then, with an ever so almost imperceptible lift, I slide the spatula out from under th tier. I slide it out on the back side, in case it messes up anything, then the mess-up is in the back. Add the ribbon and the ribbon will cover the gap and any imperfections. But since my fingers are not in the way when I set it in place, there are no smudges or mess-ups.

I have a stacked cake this weekend .... I'll try to get some pics of the steps I do.

indydebi,
Can I ask a question about a stacked square cake? I am about to start putting together a 3 tiered square cake for my neice's wedding. My first wedding cake...I am so nervous...I covered it with the buttercream last night and was going to put fondant on this morning. It is supposed to be three present shaped square boxes. Is seems sooooo heavy already...without the fondant. Do you know if the dowels will support the weight of this thing???
thanks.

I just did a 4 tier all square cake - I leave the straws up about 1 1/2 inches and then set the next tier on there - gravity takes it down just fine! (and NO finger marks in the cake at all) I also "build up" the corners with some frosting when I crumb coat so that they are nice and crisp.

Here is the pic of it:
http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1408710

My 5-tier wedding gown cake, that had over 10 lbs of fondant on it, was supported by dowels.

Thanks everyone...I better just get at it..and cross all my fingers and toes. Thanks for your help

samiam - yes, I totally used straws! Each layer is on a foamcore board, the bottom 2 are on 1/2" and the top 2 are on 1/4" - each tier is supported by bubble tea straws - it works out fine!

to stack the cake you can use the single plate system.. the plastic dowels fit into little feet on the bottom and it hold it level and it will hold the weight with no problem.

I use tea (bubble) straws for three tiers or less...above that, I go with SPS. But I know the straws can handle more weight than I am willing to put on them.

I love SPS, I don't use anything I don't have absolute faith and confidence in. Check this out: http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-603925.html

Very helpful!

Loucinda,
Crazzyyy...those bubble tea straws must be strong. I have just finished decorating,but have not assembled. I am happy with the look but most excited about the custom polymer clay wedding couple that I made that will sit at the front of the cake. I think that I will stack the top tiers with the bubble straws and then put the dowels in the bottom that my poor husband cut last night .. I think that I will wait until I get it to the wedding site ,beach wedding ( forecast is now thunderstorms grrrr ) to fully assemble . I am tempted to try now but it still has two moves before it's final destination. This cakin' is crazy!!!

I haven't used silk ribbons before, but what about measuring, marking and then ironing the corner in to get the sharp corner look you're going for?

I just did a 3 tier square cake with silk ribbon this weekend. Ever since I started using the SPS system there is nothing else I would ever use again! I have not once messed my icing up while stacking either. The cake was delivered about 25 minutes away.. even over a bumpy bridge and it never once shifted/moved. I always deliver fully assembled cakes..

One thing that helps me when stacking is putting the layer in the freezer for about 8 min or so & then stacking. You're less likely to smudge the buttercream b/c it's not as soft. You could go ahead & put all of your dowels/straws in each tier & put the layers in the freezer & you'll be ready to rock & roll.

I use SPS which has helped me so much, but when a cake is an odd shape or size & have to use dowels I pop them in the freezer & do as Indydebi described. But I sit there w/ a knot in my stomach the entire time before I "drop" it.

Indydebi, I do have a question. When you are putting 1 tier on top of the next, do you put the edge opposite you down on the cake before lowering it? This is what leaves my biggest smudge