I have a wedding cake this Saturday and I pretty much know how I'm doing it but the more I think about it, the more unsure I become.

Its basically a rich chocolate torte kind of thing...and then I'm icing it thinly on the outside with ganache...putting toasted graham crumbs all over it...then icing in fluffy meringue and then "toasting" it with a torch on site (s'mores idea).

Now originally I thought it would be the most structurally sound to just stack the cake and then ice it stacked, because the photo shows fluffy icing swirled all over the entire cake and then lightly torched. The meringue icing is very very soft and light and so I was thinking it would not stack well with the meringue on the top of each layer.

However then I was like thinking...if I ice it already stacked...(I can't ice it ahead, I have to ice it right before delivery, and partially on site) I'm afraid the structure will be off because the cakes will not really be supported by anything but the bubble tea straws that I use...because the meringue is so light and airy.

So my question is...do I do what I know will be structurally sound (ice the cake already stacked...in nice fluffy swirls) or try to ice the cake between layers as well and just use a ton of straws and hope it works ok? They do not want buttercream at all...thus just a thin layer of whipped ganache, then the cracker crumbs, then the meringue.

My gut tells me to be safe and ice it stacked...but I don't want complaints that some guests did not get any "marshmallow" on their cake slice.

Its due Saturday so can't use any special support systems or anything.

Thanks!

The cake sounds really cool! I'd be wary of the straws though. Why not switch to wooden dowels with one long sharpened central dowel right through the center into the cake drum at the base? That might offer you the peace of mind you're looking for in terms of stability.

As for the exterior meringue icing...I have no clue, but I wish you the best of luck with it! In reality, after disassembling the cake, it's pretty unlikely that the guests receiving slices from the middle portions of each tier will have any meringue icing anyway. Even if you iced each tier separately and THEN assembled, that super-soft icing is just going to stick to the board of the cake above it when they take apart the cake, you know? Unless they are a clever/thoughtful venue and they bother to patch it with that missing icing before they portion it, those guests might be out of luck.

I would use the Wilton 3/4 inch plastic dowel or some nice friendly wooden dowel on the big bottom tiers.

To me, if I was doing this, I'm sure the graham crackers would get all into my meringue. And to me icing a stacked cake sounds pretty awkward. I'd ice it before stacking. I'd probably torch it before stacking too then touch it up.

Blow torches rock!

You have practiced this with the torch right?

Yes I actually made her a sample with the meringue icing and torched it somewhat....

Which is why I know the meringue is VERY soft and I do not know how much I can do ahead of time.

The lady is a pastry chef of sorts herself and claims I cannot do the meringue ahead of time and refrigerate, so I'm trying to figure out how to do this last minute before delivery.

Here is an idea....have you looked at the Martha Stewart smores cupcake recipe? It is an icing that you torch too, but it is sturdier than just meringue. I have made them several times - just a thought - check it out and see if it is something that would work for you.

Went to that Martha Stewart recipe that I'm using and one of the comments say they refrigerate it and its ok...I wonder if I just ice the cake like usual and refrigerate the night before like usual if it will turn out right? And then add extra icing swirls upon delivery or whatever?

Would condensation break down the icing?

Reading over the comments under the recipe, I think I did not beat the icing long enough last time. Maybe that alone will help me just stack the cake like usual.

If you put some of the meringue icing between the layers and toasted before stacking, would that keep it from sticking to the upper tier? You would, of course, have to make your dowels tall enough to prevent smashing of the icing. Then you could frost the outside after assembly. I've never done anything with that kind of frosting, just a thought. Good luck!

I was looking for a pic I have of the cupcakes, not online.

I have never refrigerated it, but it was very sturdy IMO. I used the 1M tip and made it really high - like 3" of frosting, and they held just fine but mine were torched. I didn't have any that I didn't torch right away, so I am not much help there.

I think it would not be a problem to ice that cake fully stacked either - you aren't going for a "neat and crisp" look. SSSOOOO- IMO, you would be safe with the stacking with just ganache between the tiers too - I doubt anyone is going to complain when they taste that combo! (I might even add a few extra graham crumbs between the tiers...) They are gonna have their merignue on the outside of the cake.

Good luck, I am sure it will be just fine! Your cakes are awesome - and they will love it. I can't wait to see pics of it done!

Thanks!

So just to double check...anyone think this icing will melt if refrigerated and brought back to room temp?

I know you cannot "cover" this icing - it does much better being able to breathe.