Could you please help me understand more about stacked construction. I have watched different videos and Im so confussed. so here's my questions:

I have used straws to stack my cakes that are usually only two teirs and seem to like them better the wooden one. But are most two teir cakes doweled through both teirs, with one long dowel?

When stacking more then three teirs, can you still use straws, are do you use wooden ones?

And is a single piece of cardboard under each teir okay to use, excluding the bottom teir?


Using regular cardboard between tiers.-- I saw a video that when covering a board so it doesn't get soggy, place some conf, sugar on top of the bottom teir cake where the top tier cake will sit and then put plastic wrap down over the sugar so the board that holds the next tier cake doesn't get soggy. Does anyone use this ? Because I would like feedback on this.

I have also used plastic corrugated boards for two tier cakes in hoping to get away from having to use the sugar and then plastic wrap for regular cardboard between cakes. Wondering if you should still use that method (sugar and plastic) to keep icing from stick to the bottom of the plastc corrugated board?

Any help would great. Because I would like to have one way, and a clear understanding of how others do this, instead of a whole bunch of different way that just confuss you.

thanks in advance.

Hello!

Sorry to say you are going to get a different answer from each person, so I can only tell you what I do.

I use large drinking straws for my tiers. Still on the look out for bubble straws, which some claim are the best to use because they are thicker and wider then regular straws. Wooden dowels are easy to insert crooked and once they go crooked they can't support the weight properly and your cake can collapse. And they are a PITA to cut.

I don't cover my cardboard circles with anything, but I do use Wilton pre cut rounds. They are cheap enough and work just fine.

I have never gotten "soggy boards".

I don't make crusting buttercream, I use SMBC, so my tiers would stick if I didn't put anything between them - I prefer to use rice paper. It's more expensive but it's edible and melts into the buttercream and prevents sticking/lifting. I have read that if you use crusting buttercream you have to let it come to a crust before stacking, and if you are still worried about sticking to use wax paper between your layers. I also use rice paper if I am wrapping a buttercream cake in ribbon or putting fresh flowers on it.

I always use a center wooden dowel. I sharpen the end with a pencil sharpener and hammer it straight down the middle. This is to prevent the layers shifting in transit. Some do not do center dowels if they assemble on-site.

Many here are going to tell you to start using SPS system. Look for extensive tutorial stickied at the top of the Cake Decorating forum.

Good luck!

Jen

Hi, Jen. May I ask where you order the rice paper?

Thanks,
Terri

I get it from my local cake store because I don't use that much of it to buy in bulk, so do a quick google search for edible rice paper to see places that ship to where you are.

Jen

Some people use thin foamcore board inbetween their cake tiers. Then sharpen a wooden dowel and hammer it through your tiers if you have to transport your cake.

You can get the bubble tea straws on amazon

........are most two teir cakes doweled through both teirs, with one long dowel? .......
No, not really. I almost never used a long dowel in my cake up to 3 tiers. I seldom delivered anything more than 3 tiers -if so the upper tiers were taken seperately and place after arrival.

........When stacking more then three teirs, can you still use straws......
I did for years
.........is a single piece of cardboard under each teir okay to use, excluding the bottom teir? .....
Yup
........when covering a board so it doesn't get soggy, place some conf, sugar on top then put plastic wrap down over the sugar so the board that holds the next tier cake doesn't get soggy........

Not a great idea in my opinion. Boards don't get soggy - mine didn't. Plastic wrap &/or wax paper makes it VERY possible for that board to slide This can cause your cake to fall

I never have used bubble tea straws......weren't available when I was doing tiered cakes I have use straws from McD or Burger King - nice and fat When I find a fast food place that has nice thick straws I ask if I can buy a big handfull and usually they would say just take them so I always kept some on hand. I have some right now even though I only make maybe one or two cakes a year now.
.......always use a center wooden dowel. I sharpen the end with a pencil sharpener and hammer it straight down the middle. This is to prevent the layers shifting in transit. Some do not do center dowels if they assemble on-site...........
It's totally UNnecessary to use a center dowel when assembling on site. It only makes it hard for the cutter to take the cake apart.
The ONLY purpose of that center dowel is to help hold the tiers together/keep them from sliding apart while traveling. It can give *false security*. You still need to use caution driving - use your head handling that cake and not depend on one rod of wood to hold 6 or 8 tiers together. I don't know how many dozens (hundreds?) of 3 and 4 tiered cakes I delivered w/o any before that idea came into vogue. Usually I will stack the 2 biggest tiers, then take the rest seperately.
IF a center rod is used I usually would make it at least 2-3" TALLER than the cake and remove it once on site so the cutter doesn't have to be concerned with it. It is difficult to remove. It must be twisted as it is pulled up & out. The hole left is coverred w/a squirt of icing or a flower or other decoration.