This probably belongs under the disaster section b/c that's what it was, but....

How do you keep the fondant smooth at the bottom? Mine was all bunchy & nasty.
Second, How do you keep the top layer from falling off when you cut out the section for the next tier to sit on?
It was a REALLY bad day. I would have taken pics of the cake but I didn't want to see it anymore!

Thanks!

I'm sure your cake looks fine...we are very critical of ourselves.

To help with the fondant...if you are doing a 9" cake for instance, put it on a 9" cake board and elevate the cake...when you lay the fondant over the cake, it will hang down, trim away the excess and you will be able to smooth it out with a fondant smoother. I also use the "cup" of my hand to smooth the fondant...the heat from your hand helps too!

Maybe this article will help in regards to the construction:
http://www.cakecentral.com/article1-Instructions-For-Building-A-Whimsical-Tilted-Cake.html

Thanks, I did use those instructions but I still had some issues. oh well maybe better luck for me next time.

Thanks for the fondant trick - I think elevating it would have done the trick!

Icingqueen, don't feel bad I had my own disaster with this style cake Friday night. Whatever could go wrong did! I too had fondant trouble, with it bunching at the botttom, and finally ripped it off the cake. Then when I decorated it with buttercream, I thought all was going well until, as I placed the top tier on the cake, the bottom tier cracked and completely collapsed! I think I need a LOT of practice working with the fondant icing before I attempt this again! I too followed the instructions, but my fondant work still leaves much to be desired! Will try again after I come down from the disappointment of my first time...oh well, many lessons learned...

gmcakes - thanks for sharing. I tore off a layer of fondant also. My problem was w/the top layer, when I cut the middle out to stack, the top layer split while I was putting on the fondant. It was a regular white cake used w/the cake mix extender so maybe my top layer wasn't dense enough.
Keep trying - I guess practice will make my cake perfect (or atleast closer than the first attempt ).

I have always wanted to try one of these cakes. I am afraid I will make a big crumbly mess! I think i will go for a 2 tier on my first try. I guess with anything...you must practice. I bet your next one will turn out better.

I too used a mix, will try a denser cake next time. Also think that perhaps the under edge was too tapered for a first attempt. All in all, I definitely learned a lot from my first try> A LOT OF WHAT NOT TO DO!!!

it collapsed!! ohh, that makes me not want to try it..lol

maybe it wasn't dowelled properly..it's ok...try again

it's a tricky cake..

My cake was doweled, that's the only part of the cake (the center) that didn't collapse! LOL

I WILL try again, but it will take a while...I hate to think there might actually be something I CAN'T do!

gmcakes...did you dowel your cake the way the instructions said with the cake plate and plastic legs??? Or did you just insert regular dowels???

Does anyone know if you can use regular plastic dowels for this cake without the plate??? Just wondering because I am not sure if I have ever seen those plates and dowels in any stores around here.

I tried the dowels & that part held up. I think my problems started when I used a 9" pan (thinking it was an 8") to do the 6-7-8 layer. It was just too large & the edges fell off under the fondant when b/c I had cut out the round part for the next layer. I'm going to try a 2 -layer this weekend & used 4 dowels! Surely it will hold!

I live in a small town, the cake plates and legs suggested are not available in my area. I was attempting to assemble similar to a stacked cake construction. Like icingqueen stated, mine too started collapsing around the edges...and only the center (the doweled part) was still standing. I have learned from this experience, and I'm trying to figure a new way around my problem. I'm not quite ready to attempt again!

icing queen...are you going to use any sort of plate or cake circle or just the four dowels??? I guess I am going to need to experiment with one and see how it goes. Thanks for all the help.

If anyone else has experience with these kinds of cakes(the doweling part and ways to do it)...please feel free to post. I know I need all the advice I can get. Thanks!

This is a little embarassing...but here is a pic of my first attempt at a Whimsical Cake...obviously the layers slid. It was quite upsetting, but you live and learn!

You actually did a great job!!! Just curious on how you doweled your cake??? Any advice for us????

I tried this cake a week ago. My fondant buckled too...

I thought it was b/c the buttercream maybe got a little soft underneath.....

I just used regular dowels and cardboard circles. I don't think I cut my wells right. I also used a thin lemon curd so I think that might have had something to do with the layers slipping.