I'm going to use bubble tea straws in a 4-6-8-10-12-14 cake ( each tier will be only probably 3'' so it wont be super tall) Is there a general rule as to how many to use? I want to use enough for it to be supported but not so many that it drives the cake cutters crazy haha.

p.s. please don't respond with "screw bubble tea straws use SPS!" haha I like the idea of SPS but don't have the time or money to get them right now...

I love bubble tea straws!!!!!

I guess a general estimation would be however many straws, the inches of the cake going on top. I don't really do it that way though...I usually put one in the center and then a circle around it, and for bigger tiers I have the one in the middle, a nice wide circle around it, and then 4-5 between the circle and the center as well.

Thanks for this info. I'm getting ready to use them in a large wedding cake.

Could you please tell me where you find the bubble tea straws....haven't been able to find them even online. Also when you do a tiered cake do you just use the bubble tea straws or do you put 1 dowel through all tiers. thanks.

I get mine at a place called "The Restaurant Store" that's just a town over. I'm not sure where to get them online.

I generally use them for support but if its a stacked cake of 3 or more tiers I do still put a dowel down through the middle too, as well as straws under each tier.

I got mine from boba tea direct

http://www.bobateadirect.com/home.php

Use as many straws as you would dowels.

hey everyone thanks for the advice! I wasn't sure if you usually do less than dowels since they have more surface area..

Suzzana: I looked into ordering them online but they were like $3 a bag plus another $10 for shipping and I wasn't into that... so I looked far and wide and found a tiny oriental market about 10 minutes from my house that had bags of 50 9'' straws for $1.49!! So doing some hunting really can save you!

I usually use 1 straw for every two inches in diameter, plus one. So for a 12 inch cake, I'd use 7 straws.

For anything over 12 inches ... I'd use one straw for every two inches plus 2. SO for a 16 inch cake going on an 18 inch cake, I'd use 10 straws.

The ones for the every two inches go in a circle. The "plus straws" go toward the middle, but not directly so that I can use a long dowel through the center of the the cake.

I am not sure where I got the formula, but it works for me.

Hi bellabakes well your cake be stacked like the one kitagrl has in her picture under her name if so, this is what i do I cut a circle of waxed paper the size of thecake thats going on top. to see were to put the dowels(straws) remove paper circle but mark first then put one in center then within circle . cover holes with frosting put paper circle back on and go on to the next layer. hope this helps sammie192

I'm assuming since some of you put a bubble tea straw in the middle, you DON'T dowel the whole cake? Do you stack on site or do you travel with it stacked fully/partially?

I get mine off ebay and they are super cheap and work GREAT!
I will look for the link!
http://cgi.ebay.com/172-Giant-Boba-milk-Tea-straws-smoothie-Thai-Bubble_W0QQitemZ320358525061QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item4a96db2885&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50


Wow that link looks huge but it should work!

Katie

I agree they are very sturdy! I havent had any issues using them. I cant say that I have used them for a cake that large but I believe it could work!

Katie

If you can't find them cheap in a local Asian market or at a cake supply (ours in Charlotte has them), you can get the bubble tea straws on ebay for about the same as the cake shop price here.

i too used bobateadirect. I love the straws, they are easy to use and inexpensive. There are also thinner options out there.. if you have a McAlister's deli, their tea straws are super firm and you can often purchase a box off of them at cost. Just another option for you to consider... it is their large tea straw by the way. Hope all the information thus far has been helpful to you!

my supermarket has started carrying them (shoprite for those in the NJ/NY area) super cheap, they are in the beverage aisle with regular straws

I know this sounds dumb but I use bubble tea's and never used SPS, I don't even know what that stands for, is it more sturdy, how are they used?? Sorry if this is repetetive....thanks!

it stands for single plate separator. I'm pretty sure theres a sticky about it at the top of the How Do I? forum. Lots of people swear by it because its super sturdy but I'm not totally into having to work with/ having to store the pieces etc...

Niccicola I travel with my cakes partially stacked sometimes but I alway dowel the whole cake with or without wood center dowel. I had a cake slide once ,after that i dowel everything to much work to lose sammie

Are bubble tea straws drinking straws or something else. I've never heard of bubble tea straws.

Maam1993

Yes, they are drinking straws, with a 1/2" diameter opening because they're meant to be used for asian bubble tea, which has tapioca balls Pearls) in it.

No problem melissa!

maam1993: yes they are technically drinking straws, they have a much bigger diameter and are a bit thicker too. The ones that I have are even pretty difficult to bend, especially when cut to 3 or 4 inches.