When To Stack? Night Before, Day Of ??
Decorating By CakesbyCarla Updated 24 Jul 2010 , 5:25am by mamawrobin
I'm working on my first wedding cake. It's a three tier. Each tier is pretty heavy (about 4 1/2 inches tall - I torted so there are 4 layers of cake in each).
I have the hard plastic dowels (wilton). I planned on doing dowels and one big wooden dowel rod down the center for my support system.
The wedding is not until Sat (tomorrow) at 7:30 in the evening.
If I stack it tonight is that too early? How far inadvance of the event do you stack your cakes?
Also, I'm using cake rounds (cardboard) under each tier so that my big dowel can go through. Do I need to put 2 of them together for extra strenght and support or will 1 do it? (My cake is 6, 10, 14 inch). So mainly concerned about the 10 I guess if it needs an extra cardboard round under it.
Thanks for your help.
I'll answer the stacking part, since I use a different support system.
With what you're using, I would finish the decorating and stack onsite.
I'm working on my first wedding cake. It's a three tier. Each tier is pretty heavy (about 4 1/2 inches tall - I torted so there are 4 layers of cake in each).
I have the hard plastic dowels (wilton). I planned on doing dowels and one big wooden dowel rod down the center for my support system.
The wedding is not until Sat (tomorrow) at 7:30 in the evening.
If I stack it tonight is that too early? How far inadvance of the event do you stack your cakes?
I usually stack the day before but since the wedding isn't until 7:30 PM..I would wait and stack on Saturday.
Also, I'm using cake rounds (cardboard) under each tier so that my big dowel can go through. Do I need to put 2 of them together for extra strenght and support or will 1 do it? (My cake is 6, 10, 14 inch). So mainly concerned about the 10 I guess if it needs an extra cardboard round under it.
I never use 2 cardboard circles but it certainly wouldn't hurt if you choose to do so.
Thanks for your help.
I also never use 2 cardboards under a cake, especially one that is only 3 tiers.
I frequently stacked a cake the day before delivery, but as mentioned above, since it's not until evening, I'd just wait and do it either later in the afternoon or at the site. No scientific reason ..... just because I'd have plenty of time the day it's due to finish it up.
Thanks everyone! I was thinking of doing it tomorrow. I have to do some scroll work and put a ribbon around each tier. So I'll probably stack it late morning tomorrow and finish everything so the scrolls can set/dry before traveling.
I was hoping to take it stacked so then I don't have to assemble, seal, ribbon and border on site. And since it is only 3 tier, it's not terribly tall so I think it will ride okay.
Thanks for the advice on the cardboard as well. I'll probably just do the one. It will have lots of dowel support under it and there's only a little 6 incher on top of it, so I think it'll be okay.
I think I'm just nervous nelly b/c it's my first. Thank goodness it's a little one (although, as much room as it takes up in my fridge, it feels like a 5 tier LOL).
Silly question.. but when the large dowel that goes down the centre of all of the cakes - how does it go threw the cardboard?
If it's a buttercream cake - do you have to decorate it when its stacked? TY
Silly question.. but when the large dowel that goes down the centre of all of the cakes - how does it go threw the cardboard?
If it's a buttercream cake - do you have to decorate it when its stacked? TY
sharpen one end to a point ... some use a big pencil sharpener. I come from the school of "whittlin'!"...... then using a hammer, pound it right down thru the center of the cake. no, the cardboards will not buckle and it will go thru them like a hot knife thru cold butter. Seriously.
The first time I read about this, I about died! I couldn't imagine this would work or that it wouldnt' damage the cakes! But I was forced into trying it with a certain cake design. It works just like everyone says it does! I kept my eyes open and ever'thing!
Why is the cake in your fridge?
I'm with leah...why? If I refrigerated a cake in this humidity I'd be doomed for sure.
Does your cake have a perishable filling or something?
Silly question.. but when the large dowel that goes down the centre of all of the cakes - how does it go threw the cardboard?
If it's a buttercream cake - do you have to decorate it when its stacked? TY
sharpen one end to a point ... some use a big pencil sharpener. I come from the school of "whittlin'!"...... then using a hammer, pound it right down thru the center of the cake. no, the cardboards will not buckle and it will go thru them like a hot knife thru cold butter. Seriously.
The first time I read about this, I about died! I couldn't imagine this would work or that it wouldnt' damage the cakes! But I was forced into trying it with a certain cake design. It works just like everyone says it does! I kept my eyes open and ever'thing!
Ahh ok.. I was thinking the cardboard piece would go into the cakes unless I made a hole first in the cardboard.. then I was thinking, how would I for sure match the dowel with the holes! lol
I will have to try it out soon! TY
Silly question.. but when the large dowel that goes down the centre of all of the cakes - how does it go threw the cardboard?
If it's a buttercream cake - do you have to decorate it when its stacked? TY
sharpen one end to a point ... some use a big pencil sharpener. I come from the school of "whittlin'!"...... then using a hammer, pound it right down thru the center of the cake. no, the cardboards will not buckle and it will go thru them like a hot knife thru cold butter. Seriously.
The first time I read about this, I about died! I couldn't imagine this would work or that it wouldnt' damage the cakes! But I was forced into trying it with a certain cake design. It works just like everyone says it does! I kept my eyes open and ever'thing!
LOL...Debi...when I put my cake last weekend into the Cake Safe and had to put the steel rod down the center of the cakes (having never ever used a center dowel before EVER) I thought I'd have a heart attack! LOL! But yup, goes thru just like butter<G>
Cat
Thanks for the help everyone. Indy - you are my hero. Thanks for your story. I am nervous but have watched so many demos and read so many cake books I feel like I'm as ready as I'll ever be.
As for my refridgerating, I had only crumb coated them, and to get that nice, clean second coat, I let them refridgerate over night so they'd be nice and hard while I did the finishing coat.
Now that all the tiers are finished being frosted, they are sitting out at room temp so they can dry and set over night.
I plan on stacking and doing some simple scrolls and dots tomorrow (and of course adding the ribbon she requested etc).
It's very hot and humid here in Tx, so I find (just for little old me) that refridgerating after the crumb coat stage helps the final coat go on smoother.
It's very hot and humid here in Tx, so I find (just for little old me) that refridgerating after the crumb coat stage helps the final coat go on smoother.
It's very hot and humid here in AR as well. I have issues if I DO refrigerate...LOL....I refrigerated a crumbcoated cake once and when I took it from the fridge and it started to warm up the icing became wet and gummy and it took hours to crust back up again. I swore that I would never do that again. But hey..if it works for you
Good luck with your cake...I bet it's going to be awesome.
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