I have a customer wanting a 4 tier cake, 6", 8", 10", 12", on top of a cupcake stand that will hold 7 dozen cupcakes for her anniversary.....is this even possible...? I have a cardboard stand that is fairly big but I don't believe it's sturdy enough to hold a 4 tier cake on top....does anyone know of instructions for building such a big and sturdy cake stand...? I'm thinking it will have to be made of wood....I only have a couple of weeks, it was first ordered as a small 2 tier on top of stand but then she threw the 4 tier cake monkey wrench into my plans...!! Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.....
one idea would be to use a fabric drape over anything strong enough to hold up the cake -- like an overturned Dutch oven for example -- just a big pot or any kind of crate -- it will be all covered up with the fabric -- fabric that matches in color with the theme or use an extra tablecloth -- something pretty --
So place the cake on that and place the cupcakes on the fabric where there are other shorter items underneath to make that a graduated step down -- kwim
as much as you can creatively scrunch the fabric the more beautiful the setting will be -- it's pretty fool proof --
i had first thought of the lady windermere/tall tiers wilton cake stand but they don't make the 4-arm thing anymore -- they still have the tall tiers though but you don't really need it --
depending on the theme of the wedding -- you could use a base color and lace fabric on top --
best to you
7 dozen! I took a look at Pinterest and here's something close... That would have to be one powerful stand to hold all that weight.
Safe bet to put a large cake stand on a round table and put the cupcakes on the table top.
My husband built my cupcake stand using MDF and big dowels with a thick metal thread going down the center. It's very sturdy, but that being said, I wouldn't put a cake bigger than 10", 8", 6" You could do a wooden platform built out of scrap pieces of wood, put it under the table cloth, set a nice cake stand on top of the platform and the do the cupcakes around the stand and on the table for that tiered look. Here's a pic of my stand. [postimage id="4556" thumb="900"]
You know, there are times when as the professional one has to inform a customer that NO that would not be feasible/look good/safe - whatever. The customer IS NOT always right! It's up to you to help them understand what will be safe & look the best. 4 tiers just might not work in this case but it looks like 3 tiers will be o.k. The ideas you have been presented with here should help you convince your customer the best way to go. I have never really like cakes w/ just 2" differences between tiers and think this is going to be very much of a problem. It's going to be UNsteady/Unsafe and you may end up w/a cakes that falls if bride insists on it. Putting such a tall tower thing up on top there is NOT going to be easy!
Thank you so much for all the suggestions....I think I will have a little talk with the bride and explain the dangers and pitfalls of a 4 tier cake on top of a cupcake tower....there is a language barrier also, so it's been a rough ride so far anyway....this one will be very interesting to say the least....!!!!!
Once again, thanks for the help...!!!
this is just my opinion so take it with a grain of salt -- while I understand that you do not want to do this for her -- there are many ways to accomplish this --
I'd suggest that you cut her loose so she can find someone who will make this for her as it's a buyer's market OR tell her what you Can do for her -- a four tier cake with cupcakes is a not at all out of the ordinary -- let her get her dream cake
just elevate the 4 tier securely -- you could do this handily with pillars even and set the cupcakes around -- you can set them on elevated platforms too --
google "4 tier wedding cake with cupcakes " it's totally easily possible
the set in the following link comes with an 18" plate but you can buy separate pieces and use a 16" plate --
You know I REALLY hate to disagree w/my dear friend k8 but................I just googled 4 tier wedding cakes with cupcakes and did NOT see one image of what the OP_ wants. Yes, there are some 4 trier cakes *w/o cuppies*; some 1, 2, & 3 tier cakes on top of cuppies (as pictured in this thread) and a few 4 tiers w/cupcake towers *next to them*; but NO 4 tiers on top of a cupcake tower. Perhaps it would be doable if the 4 tiers were pillared as placement would not be as 'ify' but still I think she's asking for big trouble placing 4 tiers on top of a tower of some 84 cuppies.
See we all have our own thoughts - and sometimes we (meaning me!) can have our minds changed but right now mine hasn't changed :) LOL
kakeladi, i think you are mistaken I think you relish disagreeing with me for some reason -- I don't post on here to gather endorsements or gain approval -- I offer options --
you are of course welcome to post anything you like but I am not debating -- you often disagree with my comments and I don't know why but I'm not taking the bait -- if/since you are my good friend please stop doing this -- thank you
http://beach-wedding-invitations.blogspot.com/2012/05/wedding-cake-designs-with-fountains.html
4 tiers sit handily on those pillars -- there are plenty of options for success
Okay, I've been thinking and doing some stacking and such and I think I have a solution to my problem of 4 tiered cake on top of a cupcake stand that will hold 7 dozen cupcakes and be sturdy and look pleasing.....I kind of had dismissed this cardboard cupcake stand for not being sturdy enough, but I set it up anyway to have something to work from and voila', I think it will work....I will add larger supports under each level where you can see the little white tubes in the picture....that will be a solid support system under the cake all the way to the table...I believe it will hold the cakes weight without any danger of collapsing the cardboard.....
What do you guys think...?
[postimage id="4593" thumb="900"]
It's a nice structure but could you double or triple the cardboard and ribbon off the raw edges? I think you need to test the cardboard with what the cake will actually weigh to be safe.
Quote by @-K8memphis on 3 days ago
this is just my opinion so take it with a grain of salt -- while I understand that you do not want to do this for her -- there are many ways to accomplish this --
I'd suggest that you cut her loose so she can find someone who will make this for her as it's a buyer's market OR tell her what you Can do for her -- a four tier cake with cupcakes is a not at all out of the ordinary -- let her get her dream cake
just elevate the 4 tier securely -- you could do this handily with pillars even and set the cupcakes around -- you can set them on elevated platforms too --
google "4 tier wedding cake with cupcakes " it's totally easily possible
the set in the following link comes with an 18" plate but you can buy separate pieces and use a 16" plate --
I appreciate your help and your suggestions...thanks....!! Its not that I didn't want to make the cake, I just didn't want to present a cake that was not architecturally sound or not pleasing to the eye.....and I seriously doubt she could find someone in this area to take an order for a wedding cake this size in 2 weeks time.....AND, the wedding is 2 hour drive from here.....she is even more rural than I am.....
This is the cake she wanted, with the 2 tiers just like the pic....then she tells me with just 2 weeks until the wedding that she wanted 4 tiers and I kind of freaked....!!!! All I could think of was how the cake was going to be so heavy it was going to crush any cupcake tower under it....!!! After I read all the helpful suggestions here and looked at the pics posted I calmed down and went to work figuring it out.....I posted a solution that I think will please the bride and the baker....!!!!!
[postimage id="4594" thumb="900"]
Quote by @Pastrybaglady on 11 minutes ago
It's a nice structure but could you double or triple the cardboard and ribbon off the raw edges? I think you need to test the cardboard with what the cake will actually weigh to be safe.
I will cover the tower and yes, there will be ribbon on the edges and it will all prettied up....!!! The cake will be on either a circle of plywood or multiple layers of cardboard then placed on the tower..... That's a good idea about trying it with weight....I will definitely do that...thanks....!!!
Quote by @kakeladi on 3 days ago
You know I REALLY hate to disagree w/my dear friend k8 but................I just googled 4 tier wedding cakes with cupcakes and did NOT see one image of what the OP_ wants. Yes, there are some 4 trier cakes *w/o cuppies*; some 1, 2, & 3 tier cakes on top of cuppies (as pictured in this thread) and a few 4 tiers w/cupcake towers *next to them*; but NO 4 tiers on top of a cupcake tower. Perhaps it would be doable if the 4 tiers were pillared as placement would not be as 'ify' but still I think she's asking for big trouble placing 4 tiers on top of a tower of some 84 cuppies.
See we all have our own thoughts - and sometimes we (meaning me!) can have our minds changed but right now mine hasn't changed :) LOL
I also Googled it and found no examples of a 4 tier cake on top of a cupcake tower....I did find the 3 tier on top of stand pictured in a previous post here, I believe it is 4", 6", 8".....a lot smaller.....
I have posted a solution, I think it's a solution, I'm hoping it's a solution....!!!!! What do you think of it....??
Wish me luck....I will post a pic in a couple of weeks of the results.....
It looks great, but I would have it made out of wood, just for my peace of mind.
[postimage id="4595" thumb="900"]
Forgot to add...... please keep in mind that many pictures online are of decorated cake dummies, which obviously are lighter than real cake. I think you should definitely test it out to make sure it can handle the weight of a 4 tier cake. Best of luck to you!
i don't know where those pictures went either they were Japanese cakes or something....the tiers were on individual stands which could hold the weight of a four tier -- the acrylic ones
I would make it look like a cupcake tower under a 4 tier just like any other type of cake that defies gravity but really using a cupcake tower as the structure base is not reasonable -- should be reinforced/rebuilt as has already been advised --
i would build a tall secure structure the 4 tier can sit on then make the tall part underneath into a cupcake stand -- but using a cupcake stand to hold up a tier cake is questionable -- you need half inch foam core or masonite -- I would not trust cardboard myself --
best to you
i just re-read your posts:
omg don't put the cake on plywood and then set all that on top of the cardboard cupcake stand -- make the cake secure first then arrange cupcakes -- think like an engineer
Just to clarify ......the entire cake stand is made out of wood. Charge a rental fee and or deposit, and you have a stand for future use.
Now that you have posted your setup idea (post #11) I have a completely different opinion of this being possible. I was envisioning having to place 4 tiers over a *tower* - having to lift those 4 tiers over your head to reach the top is what I envisioned. I had to do it several times when placing 2 & 3 tiers over the fountain set up http://www.cakecentral.com/gallery/i/1357611/7-tiers-with-stairs. Believe me it was NO FUN when it was in the middle of one of those big round tables! Your idea is still not going to be really easy but not near as impossible as I 1st thought. I thing I agree w/the cardboard stand needing to be dbl'd or 'beefed up' somehow.,
TAAAA DAAAAA....!!! It came out great...!! I used a cardboard cake stand like in the previous pic of my setup idea....I used cans of soup, they were the exact height I needed, and covered them with white paper, placed 4 cans on each level of the cardboard stand, made sure they matched up exactly, and were under the cake, and then placed the cake on top....you can see the cans behind the cupcakes....it was very sturdy and everything held up fine with absolutely no problem at all......unhappy note, I got to the venue without my edge covers, and it was an hour travel time so I had to let the bare edges show......
[postimage id="4805" thumb="900"]
soup cans -- great call -- lovely presentation -- beautiful tier cake -- you did great -- just what you wanted --
when my kids got their own cars -- I could put non-edible cake things/equipment into my car days in advance of those weddings -- i mean it would not have been a good idea with sports equipment and sweaty muddy bodies being transported hither and yon but after that period I liked being that much ahead of the game --
a thought for you
full fluffy sweet cascade too 
@Pallison - WOW!!! That is amazing! Your cake and cupcakes are tied together perfectly with the color scheme and flowers. Now, because of your original question, all of us know how to make a stand just like yours. Did you take any photos during construction? This would make a great CakeCentral picture tutorial. Glad everyone was happy!
Awesome!! Do you have a tutorial? Where did you find the cup/cake stand?
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