I am pretty amateur compared to some of the amazing cakes on here..so I am asking for much assistance and guidance!

I have been asked to do a wedding cake for a co-worker's daughter to help out with the wedding. They want a simple cake, buttercream frosting, 3 tier with M&Ms on the side to decorate. Similar to the one posted below (purple).

The anticipate the cake feeding 75 people. I was thinking of the tiers being 12, 10, 8 (assuming the top tier goes to the bride and groom). I am not sure if I should do two layers of 3 in cakes or two layers of 2in cakes.

If anyone has a guess as to how many M&Ms I should buy, or bc frosting to make to be on the safe side is appreciated!!

My other concerns are stacking the cake (with dowels...never did that before) and transporting the cake. Should I transport the cake assembled because I anticipated having to decorate the M&Ms once the tiers are together to make sure the pattern is such...and I can't imagine trying to put the tiers together with the M&Ms on the sides as I just picture M&Ms falling off and making a bigger mess...

Thank you in advance!! Much appreciated!

It looks like the taller tiers to me so I would do two 3" layers or three 2" layers. I would stack and either include a dowel through all the tiers or use the SPS system. I haven't used the SPS system yet, but I've read that its a great stabilizer. Decorate with the m&m's before delivery, but take extras with you just in case. I couldn't tell you how many to buy, but the great thing about m&m's is they're great to eat if you have leftovers! It looks like a cool idea.

Check out YOUTUBE for a demo on how to use the SPS (single plate stacking) system. I'd suggest you use this method. You can purchase the SPS system at [url]JESTERS CAKE SUPPLY.COM You'll get a better visual if you do the 3'' tiers.3 Maybe 10-12 cups of butercream. Any extra can go in the freezer until you need more. I'd lightly spray/apply edible glue to the buttercream before I put in the m&m's. Still, walk with extra EVERYTHING (m&m's, glue, buttercream) Make sure you fully finish the cake the day before they need it. This way there should be no nasty surprises.[/url]

SPS = Single Plate Separators
(by Bakery Crafts)

similar to Wilton separator plate with hidden pillars,
and Coast separator plate with columns.

Stacked construction:
http://www.wilton.com/cakes/tiered-cakes/stacked-tiered-cake-construction.cfm

If they wanted a 'simple' cake they would not have asked for this one! This is going to be very time consuming for you. Others have given you great advice, so my 2 cents worth is to make sure the cake is cold when you transport it. The M&M's will hold on better. Make sure you put a mesh rubber drawer liner underneath the cake in your car so it won't slide. Just make sure to deliver it at least an hour before the event so it has time to come to room temp by the time they cut it. And yes...take lots of candies and things to repair if needed.

I totally agree with carmijok that this cake is going to be very time consuming. Also, the M & M's are going to be expensive, not unless they just want the multi colored ones from the grocery store.

I agree that the cost for the M&Ms is going to be expensive. Is the couple getting the M&Ms for you (going to the website and ordering them?) Or do you have to do this as well. Don't forget to include shipping fees direct to your customer on top of the price per 5 pound bag.

Its true... M&M's don't melt. Your biggest fear will be the slide factor.

I went to the website, 57.00 for a 5 pound bag- that's an "ouch" for me. I think it looks pretty but I would rather pay for some other decorating technique.

Hi!

I will be making this cake in January, and was wondering how yours went. I'm curious to know how many M&Ms it took you, how well they held on, and how long it took you to put all of them on. Thanks!

For my first stacked cake, I think it went well (you can see the pictures of how it turned out in my profile). I am not a professional by any means.

The bride purchased the M&Ms for me and I think they bought 26lbs which was WAY more than needed. I probably used 1/5 of that, if even that much. It was comforting to have more than needed in case of mess-ups and what not.

I had to transport it two hrs away, and I definitely had to do some touch-ups as M&Ms fell on in transit (brought extra buttercream frosting with me to add a small dab to help it stick back on), but nothing critical that couldn't be mended. But definitley plan to adjust after transporting. (I stacked - with dowels - and decorated it prior to transporting because of time constraints and I wouldn't know how to stack it after getting there with all of the M&Ms on there).

I used the crusting buttercream recipe on here
http://cakecentral.com/recipe/fluffy-crusting-buttercream
which crusted well, but I did have to play with the consistency a little as for me it was stiff (so just added more liquid as recommended).

My cake was a three tier, (with two 3 inch layers in each tier), 12 x 10 x 8 inch.

Overall it held up well and by the time they brought it out for display (caterers at the wedding), you could see it starting to buckle just slightly, but I think only the trained eye would have noticed it.

Hope that helped and GOOD LUCK! Don't forget to post pictures!!

one other side note:

When I did a test run with my son's birthday cake (put M&MS on the side in the shape of a superhero emblem), I put the cake in the fridge overnight and then took it out a couple hrs prior to the party. The change in temperatures caused the M&Ms to fade in color.

For the wedding cake I did, I decorated the cake the day before the wedding and kept it out/covered (not touching the cake) and the color of the M&Ms stayed as they should.

Stacking and decorating (including crumb coating and actual layer of buttercream frosting) the cake took me the better part of a day...but that could also be from my lack of experience overall (and only me doing it)

I bet it was the humidity and condensation that caused the color change. Being cold and coming into to a warmer environment would cause any humidity in the air to cling to the M&M's and make them get a little wonky.

I am getting married April 27th 2013 and just love your idea of the m & m cake do you have anymore pics of it so i can try to make it for our wedding me and my future husband both love m & m s. Thanks so much..