I usually use the Wilton 1/4 inch dowel rods, but the other day, I found 3/16 inch dowel rods on clearance and bought a few packages. Can I use them for cakes, or are they too small to do the job? Specifically, I'm stacking a 5 inch tall 8 inch round on a 5 inch tall 10 inch round. Thanks!

just a few more than u normally would and you should be fine

Hi,

Have you ever seen/heard of bubble tea straws? Most Asian grocery stores carry them, and they're so much easier to measure and cut, and they cover a larger area than the dowel rods. I use them to stack, then put a final wooden dowel through the top tier to stabilize. You can also purchase the straws online.

Thanks, that's what I'll do. I have heard of the tea straws and I've wanted to use them, I've just been unsure about how supportive they are. Do you use them for even large cakes? Do you put about the same amount as you would dowel rods? I really hate trying to cut wooden dowel rods and get them all even and not have any little wooden splitters.

Edna from Design Me a Cake uses cardboard dowels. Does anyone know where I can purchase those?

I do use them for larger cakes. I think the general rule is 2 less than the actual inch size of the cake (so 10 in. cake would get 8 straws or dowels)? You don't want to put too many in.

Donnawb...I actually recently used lollipop sticks (cardboard) they worked great and so easy to cut. They were the wilton brand and made my stacking very stable. ( 1/2 sheet bottom, 12" round, 10"round 8" top).

mommy2owen... I agree just use a few more than generally used and it should be fine

Thanks everyone. I feel better about using my smaller dowel rods now, and I'm definitely going to give straws a try!

I use chopsticks. Free with Chinese take-out and easy to cut.