I always use wooden dowel rods to balance my tiered cakes.I've heard of using straws instead. I know they would be easier to cut but am wondering how strong they would be. Has anyone ever tried using straws?

I made a four tiered caked and used bubble tea straws as supports between each tier. I did use one wooden dowel down the middle but the tea straws work great. Since they are bigger they can support more weight.

I use them exclusively, but I wouldn't use just any old straws. I use bubble tea/boba tea straws. They are wide and very strong. You can buy them on Ebay, or from Asian markets. Hope that helps!

I also use the Boba tea (bubble tea) straws. Here is a 4 tier that was made using them:

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1408710

Bubble tea straws are amazing and an answer to my prayers. I HATE cutting wooden dowels. All of my tiered cakes are done with these straws. I think they have a better support than the dowels. They fill up with cake once you putthem in and become very dence and durable that way. I get them in my local Asian market.

Yep, no dowels in my cakes. And if anyone comes along and says "oh just run into the Quickie-Mart and grab a handful of the straws by the slushies!"...please don't.

Boba tea straws are what use. Amazon usually has 'em.

Our local cake store has started carrying them now!

I haven't used them on a large cake yet, but I plan to. They are so much easier than wooden dowel! I ordered my online and they were pretty cheap. But, I wonder if I have an Asian market near by? Hmmmm.....

Thanks Jamie for the tip on NOT using slushie straws for cakes. I have been using them without any problems (my local convenience store says I can just take them for free but I always pay them at least 20 cents each) but I have never made larger than a three tier so I guess the slushie straws are ok for those. I recently found a bubble tea shop that sells them dirt cheap (bought enough for 100 cakes) and now I understand - these straws really do feel stronger!!!

did anyone ever post a pic of these straws?

I found a good illustration of the difference in size between boba/bubble tea straws and regular straws.

The boba straws are on the left, regular straws on the right.

Have you traveled with stacked cake using straws???

I just got mine off of ebay. I have Sharon's videos and she uses them. They are sooo much easier than cutting those wooden dowels. I still put the one long wooden dowel in the middle down all the tiers.

I have always used regular drinking straws......get them at Kroger for $1.00 a box.
I've been using them for years actually, since long before people started talking about bubble tea straws. I have done up to 3 tiers high with these and no problems.
The bubble tea straws are pretty and trendy, but other straws work fine too. Just make sure you cut off the bendy section.

I only needed a couple once so i just went down to McDonald's and grabbed a couple of extra straws cose they are free, thick and sturdy

I have always used straws of some kind, never dowels in my cakes. I started using regular straws until I learned about bubble tea straws on here. I love them! They are bigger and much sturdier. I have transported a 5 tier (14, 12, 10, 8 and 6) stacked almost 50 miles and had no problem with it at all. I did have plastic plates between the layers (rather than cardboard), but still used the straws for support. The cake arrived safe and sound and no problems what-so-ever. I'll try to attach a pic if I can.

The cakes were stacked at home, and the borders and flowers were put on at the venue. It was a wedding cake for my best friend's brother.

I use sps but I hate cutting those stinkin dowels!!! I wonder, has anyone ever used the straws with the sps plates?

I have used the straws with the wilton plates, but not the SPS - just don't try to use them as the "legs" for the plates, put the straws so they won't be where the feet are for the plates.

I don't have any asian markets near me. Where else could I find them?

search on eBay for bubble tea or Boba tea straws