What kind of base board is recommended when using a dowel rod through the center of a tiered cake?? I have tried two layers of heavy cardboard, but that does not work. Dowel will not go through plywood. How about the Wilton silver base? Does it hold the dowel securely?? Thank you in advance.
Don't use the Wilton silver bases unless you glue two of them together AFTER cutting into the bottom to see which way the cardboard corrugations are oriented. I made my first 4 tier cake and put it on a Wilton 16" board and it bent like a taco! I cut up the silver base afterward and all the cardboard corrugations are oriented in the same direction! How stupid is that!!!
You can cut clean cardboard (UPS boxes for example) and stack 3 or 4 together. Just make sure the corrugations are horizontal on the bottom layer, then vertical on the next layer, then horizontal on the next layer, and so on to provide the needed strength. Then cover your board with freezer paper (shiny side up) or other food safe covering.
I don't think you have to push the dowel thru the base board. I think you just push it down until it strikes the base board.
I use 1/2 inch foamcore 90% of the time. One layer for 3 tier cakes, 2 layers for 4+.
I love it for central doweling because the point of the dowel can go all the way down--just don't pound it all the way into your counter top..........
Rae
Dowel will not go through plywood.
Lots of people use plywood. You can continue to use your plywood, if you'd like, and the dowel doesn't need to be pounded into it. Many years ago when almost every wedding cake was placed onto scalloped Wilton plates (with or without feet), you'd avoid piercing the plate, otherwise it would crack in half.
I also use 1/2-inch foamboard. When I need to double or triple it for heavy cakes, I'll cut a board a few inches smaller than the base board and glue it underneath. And/or place a board cut a few inches smaller between the bottom tier of the cake and the main base board, creating a stair-step effect. That's what I did on my Mosaic Longhorn cake. The cake is actually on 3 layers of 1/2-inch foamboard with a center dowel hammered all the way through.
I also use 1/2-inch foamboard. When I need to double or triple it for heavy cakes, I'll cut a board a few inches smaller than the base board and glue it underneath. And/or place a board cut a few inches smaller between the bottom tier of the cake and the main base board, creating a stair-step effect. That's what I did on my Mosaic Longhorn cake. The cake is actually on 3 layers of 1/2-inch foamboard with a center dowel hammered all the way through.
Diane, stunning longhorn cake--oh my what a gift you have. How do you finish your boards? The longhorn boards look like they are covered with fondant. How do you keep the fondant from cracking when you move the cake? Do you use ribbon on the edges of your boards? Do you ever use 1/4" foamboard or always use 1/2"? Do you know of any tutorials on boards like you use?
Diane, stunning longhorn cake--oh my what a gift you have. How do you finish your boards? The longhorn boards look like they are covered with fondant. How do you keep the fondant from cracking when you move the cake? Do you use ribbon on the edges of your boards? Do you ever use 1/4" foamboard or always use 1/2"? Do you know of any tutorials on boards like you use?[/quote]
The longhorn boards are covered with fondant. I applied the fondant AFTER the cake was on the board, so it's just strips surrounding the cake.
I don't know what you mean about the fondant cracking when the cake is moved.
Yes, I use ribbon on the edges of my boards. On the longhorn cake, the fondant on the top board covers the edge of the board. Brown ribbon covers the edge of the bottom board. The orange trim is fondant.
The only time I use 3/16" (it's not quite 1/4" 
) is on the upper tiers of a stacked cake. However, I also use 1/2" for the upper tiers, just depending on the look I'm after and if my layers came out a little short.
I don't know of any tutorials on using foamboard. W
Thank you for the nice compliments!
Thanks Diane. Re: fondant cracking. When I made my first 4 tier cake for ICES I put covered a Wilton silver 16" round cake base and put my cake on top. When I went to transport/move the cake, the Wilton board (which I now know the hard way is NOT EVER strong enough for a 4 tier cake by itself) slightly bent like a taco since all their cardboard corrugations are going in the same direction. When it bent, the fondant I'd wrapped around the edges of my board cracked.
Based on your and BlakesCakes recommendation, I believe I'll start using 1/2 foamcore for all my cakes. Thanks so much for the input. And thanks OP for asking about boards!
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