Hello everybody! I'm new to Cake Central (my goodness, I wish I would have known this community existed a few years ago when I started baking!!). I am getting married on September 29th of this year (yay!) and as much as I would love to hire a pro to make our cake....I am extremely biased to my own cakes. Also, we have a VERY small budget for our entire wedding, and I know I will save a lot of money by doing out cake myself. So, with that said, I need some much appreciated advice & tips on building a tiered cake. Here is what I have in mind:

Probably 3 tiers (maybe 4, so that we can freeze the top tiere for our 1 year anniversary), with each tier consisting of 4 cakes (12", 9" and 8") - would these sizes be correct? I am very familiar with crumb coating, and smoothing out buttercream (I am not a fondant fan), so that part I should be great with....but I've never actually built a tiered cake. I have read different methods of building them, but I would like to see what you guys and gals think is the easiest method(s).

As far as decorating the cake, I am going to use white buttercream frosting, border the bottom of each tier with a wide, satin ribbon, pipe icing (not sure on the design yet) around the bottom of the ribbon, then probably use some edible glitter to give it a little sparkle. The cake topper will just be two silver hearts that are entertwined with some rhinestones.

I am thinking that a crisco based buttercream will be best (opinions please!) because the wedding is outdoors, in Southeast Texas, in September....so....more than likely it will be hot! The ceremony starts at 5 p.m. I am going to have everything at the location with me, and I will put the cake together before getting ready (if possible.....that would be 2 hours that the cake is outside). The cake will be in the shade under a covered patio, but it's still outside....will it be ok for about 2 hours??

Ok, that's all of the details I can think of right now. Thank you in advance for the help!

Are you sure you want to spend the 4 days before your big wedding date stuck in the kitchen and stressing over your own cake? This cake sounds wonderful, however will take you a very long time to complete, you don't want to be tired and stressed on your own wedding day! I can see making your own birthday cake, but on your special wedding day- I'd leave that to someone else. You should be getting your hair done, nails done, and pampering yourself on the days prior, not up until 11pm smoothing buttercream....and trying to perfect ribbon and piping...

I'm not trying to be rude in any way, I'm just thinking that you may not have thought this through all the way--how would you deliver and set it up, too? That alone takes a lot of time...

I do greatly appreciate the advice and concern. I definitely did take it into consideration, but we can't fit $400 at the least, into our budget for a cake. My only other alternative is doing a cupcake tower, with an 8 inch cake on top for us to cut into. I would really like a "normal" wedding cake though. I know, it's crazy talk, but as far as my hair and all, it's being done at the venue 2 hours prior to the ceremony. Our wedding is at a plantation home in our town. Only 1 wedding per day, so we have the location to ourselves the entire day. So, my thinking is that I will have the cake ready to go, set it up and then head upstairs to get ready. That's IF it will be ok outside? (I don't see why not since it's in a shaded area?). It's not a detailed cake at all, so putting it together should take no time at all. My biggest question is what do you folks think is the easiest method for building one. As far as the structure part of the cake.

You need to rethink you tier sizes. 8, 9, and 12 won't look properly proportioned . You should have the same same amount of space between each tier, ie: 6, 9, 12 or 8, 10, 12. Decide how many servingins you need and figure your tier sizes from there.

I've experimented with crisco-based buttercream outdoors in the summer in TX. It holds up about 45 minutes in the late afternoon on a hot, humid day, in the shade.

Honestly, I'd go with the cupcakes...less to go wrong and less mess when the icing melts. You don't really want to spend the four days before your wedding working on the cake. Also, the simplest looking designs are usually the most difficult, because there's nothing to use to cover flaws, if any develop.

Crisco-based buttercream has never worked out for me because there's no trans-fats...maybe a different brand would hold up better? I use QuickBlend shortening, sold at my local cake baking shop.

As much as I dislike it (but can peel it off I suppose)....what if I went with fondant? I have used it on cakes quite a few times, I just don't prefer it. I've never used it on one that was outdoors though.

I use Indydebi's buttercream receipe & it is fantastic. (I'm in Kansas City & we have killer humidity here) I just purchased Fondx fondant & it tastes wonerful! I attended a cakefest last weekend and was able to sample some & I was amazed that it actually tasted good! So ... not all fondant is created equal. Fondant will help "hold it together" so to speak. Is there no way for the cake to be assembled indoors then carted outside prior to the ceremony? And I agree with the sizes needing to be proportionate. Equal sizing between layers. 12" 10" 8" 6" is my typical wedding cake sizes. There are several different structure options for assembling it. You just need to look into what you are able to work with & what kind of system is in your budget. Some of those systems get very expensive. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the good old fashion dowel rod method. But make sure you cut each dowel rod evenly & sand off the edges so there are no splinters.

Since you have the time I would look for a Wilton Tall cakes class at a local Michaels or Joann or Hobby Lobby. The information and experience will help a lot and it also might tell you if it would stress you out too much to do it for you wedding cake. It sounds like you have something simple in mind. Don't know if you are doing Gumpaste flowers but that can all be done a month in advance or more. Satin Ice is a good fondant to use, I'd like to try Fondx but haven't had a chance. Good luck and Congratulations.

1. Charolotte's Whipped Cream Buttercream for the icing. Use Hi-Ratio veg shortening. It WILL last outside.

2. Use SPS and you can easily assemble a 6/9/12 (proportional sizing) the day before. Completely finish the cake, bring it and set it down on the day of. No stress on your wedding day.

3. The BakeryCrafts Delivery boxes make it all even easier.

Hi , a lot of decorators on this site, use either indydeby's b/c recipe or sharon zambito's recipe. (she lives in louisiana) They all swear by it taking the heat. Sharonsugarshack.com hth