Hi everyone!

I just had a wedding cake consultation and the bride and groom came up with the idea to have a 4 tiered cake (6, 8, 10 & 12), off-centered with columns between the top (6") and second (8") cake. Ok, when I say off-centered, please see this link (http://weddings.weddingchannel.com/wedding-planning-ideas/wedding-cake/slideshows/best-of-nontraditional-wedding-cakes.aspx?page=2). They want each cake hanging off the opposite side a little. My first question is, can I put columns there and still have proper weight distribution and will it look ok? My second question is are these good sizes to use for a 4 tiered cake? I just found out that there are 4" pans and that they are popular for weddingncakes. They only need to feed 100, so they will have more than enough servings either way.

Thanks in advance!
Tasha

I've never done an off centered cake but I have researched them. I would suggest having a sturdy base board for each tier such as masonite, plastic, or foam core board. That will help distribute the weight more evenly and prevent the parts hanging off from drooping down as might happen with regular cardboard circles. Regular dowels should do the trick support wise. From the picture, it doesn't seem like the tiers are more than an inch from the edge so the majority of the weight will be supported by the dowels. I would add one, possibly two thicker longer dowels that go down the entire cake and into the base board for stability. Using plastic wide hollow dowels under each tier will help to distribute the weight evenly as well. Be careful when placing the dowels. You don't want them too close to the outside of the cake as this could cause the cake underneath to possibly tear and a chunk to be taken out. I would suggest having the dowels of the bottom tiers no less than one inch from the edge. Again, I haven't done a cake like this but this is what I would do. Hope this helps!

#1, realize that the cake sizes in the picture are very close to one another. For 6-8-10-12", your cake will be more to one side than the other unless you do a more dramatic cliff hang.

#2, No the classic pillars for the top tier won't work unless it is lined evenly on the 8" cake - which will in turn put more weight on that side instead of the balancing act.

#3, Please don't buy 4" cake pans. It will take forever for them to bake and the edges will be burned by the time the centers are done. You are correct that the standard height for a tiered cake is 4" per layer, but this is generally achieved with two 2" cakes stacked together with some sort of filling (or 4 1" layers, or whatever you like.)


HTH!

It looks like the 3 lower tiers are the same size, same for the 2 top tiers, with only a 1" difference between them.
If you do the suggested tier sizes, the cake will have quite a different look - just to keep that in mind
Otherwise I agree with all previous posters - pillars will not work with this style and even if they would, I would not consider it.

I have seen a cake like this being put together and the person use a sturdy baseboard that had an internal support ROD attached to the baseboard. upon stacking the appropriate holes where made in the cakes (not in the center of the cakes) but off to the side, meaning whatever position you want that particular tier to be on and it was slid down the rod and so on until all of the cakes where stacked offset/off centered. dowels were place in each tier for added support. You definitely need that internal support system in place for a cake like this.

Thank you for all the advice. The picture I attached was only to show how they wanted it to hang off. I know the cake sizes are not what they wanted. I will let them know about the column, as I already told them I didn't think it was possible (didn't want to get their hopes up).

If I cant get that support system, will a thick dowel the height of the cake work along with the standard dowels? And since this is the first time I am assembling a cake at the sight, I can have all the dowels in the cake and then once stacked at the location add the last long dowel, right?

Sorry for all the questions in one post. I want to get this right and I value all you CC'ers!

Thanks,
Tasha

Thank you, CWR4!