I was wondering where ppl get their cake bases for their cakes? It looks like pretty thick wood or maybe plastic etc. Are these expensive?...Do you ask for them back after the party is over?...How much weight do these add to the weight of the cake? I have a lot of questions about them. I've done a few pretty heavy cakes and I've just improvised with what I've had at home if it was being covered up or used a mirror and gave it as a gift to the bride (my sister in law). Just wondering because I have a heavy cake coming up this weekend. Thanks!!

Are you asking about cake drums? Cake supplies stores sell them, or you can order online. They are extremely lightweight and very strong. And disposable.

Like Inspiredbymom, cake supply stores are not readily available to me so I've learned to make my cake drums from 1/4 inch foam board (readily available at the likes of WalMart). I cut two circles or squares at least 4 inches wider than my cake base and glue the two together with a dab of hot glue so the result is a cake drum that is 1/2 " thick. I've found this to be sufficient to hold the weight of a four tier cake...but then again I put the cake board on a large silver cake stand .

I cover my boards with royal icing (it's cheaper than fondant...and I do splurge on my fondant from Albert Uster). and finish the drum with a ribbon around the edge...again held with either hot glue or double edge tape.


Good luck and good on you for being such a generous and kind sister-in-law

Southerncross...I forgot all about foam core! I have some too! I have used that until my husband cut himself trying to cut it to size for my chicken. I guess I blocked it from my mind.....lol! That stuff is very sturdy and easy to find. I have even bought some from Hobby Hobby when it was on sale and using my coupon! Any chance to save some $$$!

I cut mine out of plywood.

Thank you all so much for the replies! I haven't seen those thick cake boards before at our craft stores that I buy all my other supplies at. But of course I might not have known what I was looking for either. I'm about 45 mins from all the craft stores around here but I go to that town about every other wk so it's readily available if I need it. We have a Hobby Lobby, JoAnn Fabrics and Dean's Party Mania there. I may have to just make my own this time since I need to get started on the cake today.

I use Masonite boards for my heavier cakes that I purchase from Global Sugar Art. For my lighter cakes, I just use foamcore.

I use wooden boards for super heavy cakes. But for regular 3 or 4 smaller tiered weddings or party cakes I tape together 5-6 cake boards (got cheap ones in bulk) with the ridges going at 90 degree angles to each other, to make my own cake drum. I use foam core if I need a custom shaped or sized base for a party cake.

I looked at Dean's party mania the other day and they didn't have any cake drums at all. Lots of just regular cardboard of all sizes but no thick ones. So I just made my own by glueing 4 of them together and it held up just fine. I glued them at different angles so none of the grooves were going the same direction. It held up just fine and wasn't heavy at all! Thanks for the ideas!