When making tiered cake, when do you move the bottom cake to the cake base. After the final coating and smoothing, or do you work directly on the base, and then clean the surface around? I am talking only of the bottom cake before stacking. I wanted have the base clean and not scratched. Thank you.

I asked this question awhile back and got a bunch of different responses......basically it's a whatever works for you best thing.....that said I did use indydebi's advice...usually do! I put the base on the cake board as I am about to do the crumbcoat....crumbcoat it right on the board......oh and I like then it kinda 'cements' it in place.
It gets messy, yes, but wipes clean.......
I suppose you could do it after you have fondanted, Don't know if I personally would try after the final layer of BC if not using fondant..I would be waaayyyy to scared to screw up all that hard work of smoothing!
I don't think there is a 'right' or 'wrong' way it'll be trial and error for what works for you

I do it when I am getting ready to stack/assemble and do the final decoration.

I do it right on the board, I slip pieces of wax paper under the edges of the cake, when I am done frosting and adding fondant, I slip the wax paper out and voila....clean cake board!

i ice it right on the presentation board

Thank you, I waned to double check with you guys, it seams easier to work straight on the base.

I prefer to move it when I start to stack.

I work right on the presentation board also.

I ice right on the board also. Less work, less stress. That is the way I would like everything to be!

For me it depends on what cake I'm doing. There are some cakes that I decorate, then move to the base, but for my really big cakes (like a 16" square for example) I decorate on the board. It also depends if the cake board is covered in colored royal icing or if its just a regular foil covered board.