Has Anyone Tried This Stacking Method??
Decorating By specialtycakesbysara Updated 19 Sep 2011 , 5:40pm by mplaidgirl2
I am making a 4 tiered stacked, fondant covered wedding cake and I came across this method using straws.....Has anyone tried this method? Just wondering how successful it is.... 
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8089829/how_to_stack_and_cover_a_wedding_cake_pg2.html?cat=23
I always use this method. Hasn't failed me yet!
Never!! I use the dowels. I don't trust the straws. Dowels have never failed me. But to each his own... 
Every cake, every time.
Ditto! Make sure you're using "bubble-tea" straws, not just regular drinking straws! There's a HUGE difference! You can find them online, or if you have a local asian market, you can probably find them there, and they're very inexpensive!
I used dowels before i started using bubble tea straws. I found that the bubble tea straws are easier to cut, sturdier than other straws, no chance of "splinters" from the wood, and the straws go thru the cake and don't displace it as the dowels do. Hope this helps. I would try both and see which one you like best. I swore by dowels til i used the bubble tea straws. Havent tried sps yet! Ha and the straws come in funky colors!!
I use a combination of regular straws and skewers. I insert the straw first and cut to height, Next I insert a skewer in the straw so that it pierces cake board (foam core not plastic or wood). I provides great stability on cakes as tall as four tiers. This method has work very well for me thus far.
I think that I am going to try the bubble tea straw method. I tried dowels before, but just felt that I was putting too many and they are so hard to cut. Thanks so much for the input.
Also, if I do the bubble tea straw method, would you recommend putting all 4 tiers together and then transporting it?? I am just wondering because each tier will be covered in fondant and no border, which would normally idea any imperfections. 
Never ever..But like one person said...To each their own.I use the Wilton Hidden pillars with their plates..Almost like SPS.I just don't trust straws!!
I used the bubble tea straws on my last 3 tier cake and they worked wonderfully! I was skeptical at first too, but will never use another wooden dowel again.
I transport up to three tiers using the bubble tea straws. Four tiers i put a sharpened dowel down the middle so it goes into all the tiers and the board just in case. If there is no border i would probably just stack on site.
I used dowels before i started using bubble tea straws. I found that the bubble tea straws are easier to cut, sturdier than other straws, no chance of "splinters" from the wood, and the straws go thru the cake and don't displace it as the dowels do. Hope this helps. I would try both and see which one you like best. I swore by dowels til i used the bubble tea straws. Havent tried sps yet! Ha and the straws come in funky colors!!
I know I read this wrong -- I have NEVER had a cake so dense that it caused dowels to splinter. I've never even heard of such a thing. Please tell me I read that wrong... 
I am making a 4 tiered stacked, fondant covered wedding cake and I came across this method using straws.....Has anyone tried this method? Just wondering how successful it is....
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8089829/how_to_stack_and_cover_a_wedding_cake_pg2.html?cat=23
Hi specialtycakesbysara. Yes I have done this many times. This is I was taught to do in school 
I used dowels before i started using bubble tea straws. I found that the bubble tea straws are easier to cut, sturdier than other straws, no chance of "splinters" from the wood, and the straws go thru the cake and don't displace it as the dowels do. Hope this helps. I would try both and see which one you like best. I swore by dowels til i used the bubble tea straws. Havent tried sps yet! Ha and the straws come in funky colors!!
I know I read this wrong -- I have NEVER had a cake so dense that it caused dowels to splinter. I've never even heard of such a thing. Please tell me I read that wrong...
When i first started and was using dowels it wasn't the cake that made the dowels splinter lol........ it was the fact that i sucked at cutting them and I was always afraid of a tiny strand getting in the cake. Thanks for the laugh though. I think it would be kinda hard to eat a cake that dense
Okay thanks for clearing that up!! I've never had splintering problems and I just could not imagine what kind of cake would do that to a dowel!! 
I always use Boba tea straws in the large bottom cakes, and regular straws in the smaller cakes like the 6/8/10 sizes. I use a center wooden dowel, if the cake is 4 tiers or taller, and/or going to be moved by the caterer.
I have been using straws for years and years. I almost always put my cakes together on site as they are way too heavy for me to carry if they are stacked together.
Thanks for all the info on this post. I have tried SPS, Coast, wooden dowels mainly, cake jacks and recently the Wilton plastic dowels. I really dislike using the wooden dowels now. Someone previously mentioned in this post that the bubble tea straws were seen at Bed, Bath and Beyond, I think it's time to try.
I went to Bed, Bath, and Beyond and I found a package of "Milkshake Straws". They are a lot wider than a normal drinking straw. Is this the same thing??
Probably not. They're called Boba Tea Straws. Amazon has a seller called Boba Tea Direct (something like that) that I get mine from. I usually get 5 or so bags, and it lasts a long time.
How do you put a dowel thru four tiers of cake? Are the tiers not on cake boards when they're stacked? I've only done three tiers and stacked with dowels and it was fine but have always been curious how to get a dowel thru four tiers of cake and all the cake boards. Do you put holes of them before stacking? Thanks for the info.
I went to Bed, Bath, and Beyond and I found a package of "Milkshake Straws". They are a lot wider than a normal drinking straw. Is this the same thing??
The milkshake Straws are what I am talking about. That's what I use and have no problems. They are fatter and longer than regular straws. And I don't have to pay shipping. I just don't bake enough cakes to need a bunch. But hey whatever works.
I went to Bed, Bath, and Beyond and I found a package of "Milkshake Straws". They are a lot wider than a normal drinking straw. Is this the same thing??
The milkshake Straws are what I am talking about. That's what I use and have no problems. They are fatter and longer than regular straws. And I don't have to pay shipping. I just don't bake enough cakes to need a bunch. But hey whatever works.
I went to Bed, Bath, and Beyond and I found a package of "Milkshake Straws". They are a lot wider than a normal drinking straw. Is this the same thing??
The milkshake Straws are what I am talking about. That's what I use and have no problems. They are fatter and longer than regular straws. And I don't have to pay shipping. I just don't bake enough cakes to need a bunch. But hey whatever works.
Any of you guys using straws ever cut your cake with the straws in it? I can't get my straws out until I start cutting, but it's hard to cut next to the straws without cutting into them and it's a pain to pick them out! Is there some better way I don't know about? I think cutting around dowels is a whole lot easier!
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