Good Afternoon,

I know you're probably sick of this same forum, but I am having trouble using the search bar on CC. It's not working for me, so I figured I would just start a forum and ask the questions/explain my cake issues.

I have made the vanilla and chocolate version of BB's perfeeeect tasting cake and have never been more pleased. (I've made it probably 50 times now!) HOWEVER...I am having problems with the structure of the cake. I have tried stacking this cake (two tiers) twice now, and the first cake fell apart when I put my final dowel in. (yes, 1 hour before delivery!) and the second I thought went SOOOO much better, but when we arrived at the venue, the cake was LEANING. MY BEAUTIFUL CAKE WAS LEANING. I don't know where I went wrong! I have watched at least 5 different people stack cakes before, and did everything to the best of my ability...but now the pressure is on because this next cake is going to be HUGE and it has to be perfect. Help! I can't tell whether it is the cake I'm using, or if it's the way I'm stacking my cakes.

*Side note, I live in Florida and though the humidity is a big factor in my area, it was around 50 deg f both days I made my stacked cakes. Heat should not be an issue, but it WILL possibly be one this Sunday!

What type of stacking system are you using? (type, number of supports, etc.)

How do you level your tiers?

I use boba straws to support, and a dowel through the center of the cake.

For my 8 in, i used 5 on the outside, and for my 6 in, i used 4. Is this wrong? Too many? Not enough?

I use the wilton leveler. It's kind of crappy, but i feel it gets the job done! It looked perfect before I transported!

Check into SPS.  Very sturdy and crazy easy.

Hah! I just had another fellow CC lady tell me about this same system! I've gotta try it!

Cake is not the issue. The internal structure is. Maybe your cake at the bottom is not level. Yes, Wilton leveler sucks. If you can't afford the Agbay, learn how to tort with a serrated knife. You do have a cake board under the cake that goes on top, right? And you don't have to put dowels on the top cake or a dowel through the center (but that is just me).

I can't afford the Agbay right now, but I'm saving up for it! I will work on my tort skills! I definitely do have a cake board underneath each layer of cake. And even if I'm transporting it in my car, I don't have to have a dowel? I feel like it will fall over if I don't! lol My cake is really crumbly so I felt like that was the issue. It is so light and fluffy, that it wouldn't hold itself up! It may very well be my structure, so I will try extra hard to get my cake to be as level as possible this time. I will post final picture if everything goes right...lol if it doesn't, I may very well bury myself in a hole and never come back out!

your cake should not be crumbly

 you are cutting your straws the exact same length to each other not to the top of the cake yes?

 the straws in the 8" cake that are holding up the 6" cake -- how far apart are they from each other? should be something like 4-4.5" apart -- if you connected the dots to draw a circle it would be about 4-4.5" around

 was there a cake on top of the 6"? did you say it was a 2 tier?

 'tiers' are made of 'layers' of cake

K8, I'm trying to find out how to prevent the cake from being crumbly. It truly is, but I can't get CC to let me search for old forums. I know there are old ones talking about this specific recipe, because I used to just read through them to try to get as much incite as I could!

To explain the straws further:
I take one, poke it inside the cake, cut it to the level of where the BC ends, then I pull it out, and cut the others to the same exact length.
Then I stick all of them in the cake. I'd say they are about an inch apart.

We're talking about a 2 tier cake made up of 3 layers.

Is this what you're looking for: http://www.cakecentral.com/forum/t/775995/a-couple-beyond-buttercream-questions-i-dont-think-answered-in-the-download

yes, i don't use center dowel even when delivering. I just make sure that the cake is fully chilled and where i place the cake in the car is level not on the seat. 

I found BB on CC so I messaged her directly to see if she could help me.

I have the flattest surfaced trunk ever in my SUV, so I'm blessed to have that part on my side!

are you substituting anything in the recipe?

 and yes the way you're doing the dowel is correct --

 but the air inside an enclosed trunk is much hotter than the outside air -- is your cake protected from that -- does your back seat fold down -- is the cake cold and in a box?

Nope! No substitutions whatsoever.

It's not an enclosed trunk, it's open to the rest of the car which I cool before I put the cake in. Is that still not enough to ensure it doesn't sort of...droop? How long should I put the cake in the refrigerator before leaving my home? Maybe that's another issue...

I box all my cakes cold through and through from the fridge -- sealing them in corrugated cardboard makes them climate controlled -- adding in freezer packs for extra insurance when necessary -- but my cakes are made with oil so they pop back to room temp

I box all my cakes cold through and through from the fridge -- sealing them in corrugated cardboard makes them climate controlled -- adding in freezer packs for extra insurance when necessary -- but my cakes are made with oil so they pop back to room temp