I am making a 2 tier cake (8" and 6" rounds). Filled it last night and then left it to settle overnight. While filling the 8 inch round, I must have cracked one of the layers because this morning, there is a split on the middle round, which of course, now makes the cake slightly unlevel. Should I replace this entire layer? Or should I just use some cake scraps to level it, and then proceed as normal with the BC and the fondant?

I'm worried it will shift more and make the fondant bulge if I leave it. But I'm also worried I'm asking for trouble if I try to take apart this cake and replace it.

Thanks!

if you have a firm or stiff enough buttercream recipe and you level your icing off as you decorate it shouldn't matter. I've cracked a layer before and it worked for me. I just iced as usual, made sure my icing was super smooth, and leveled and proceeded from there.

Thanks! I think I'll leave it as it is and just use a stiff buttercream over it like you suggested. I think trying to disassemble the cake, at this point, might be more harm than good.