I have been looking around everywhere and get mixed reviews about what kind of dowels to use and their placement of them. I am pretty new to tiered cakes actually this will only be my second the first did not need dowels. So I was wondering what kind of dowels does everyone believe would be best for a 3 tiered round fondant covered cake (sizes 12, 9, 6) and what should the placement of the dowels be again I have been reading only use for dowels and another said 9 dowels and where should they be positioned?

Thanks so much this is only second posting and the first time you lovely ladies (and gentlemen) were a life saver. THANKS!

Try the SPS method of stacking cakes. http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-603925.html

Yes! Ditch those dowels and switch to SPS!

I'm only a hobby baker....I bake for free, about 1 cake a month.... so I won't splurge (YET!!) on the SPS system.

That being said....When I made a cake that size, I put 5 dowels in bottom, 4 in the middle tier. 1 long dowel going thru all three tiers. The person I made it for picked it up one full day prior to the shower and it held up just fine.

yeah i am doing this as a wedding present for my friend i am used to doing i flat cake I am new to this and I think the SPS system looks great but with finances tight and time and issue I am going to have to use wooden dowels. I bought some made by wilton but wilton has failed me many times in the past so I didnt know if i should just do wooden dowels i am worried this cake is going to be heavy...i am assembling it on sight

This should help:
http://www.wilton.com/cakes/tiered-cakes/stacked-tiered-cake-construction.cfm

Don't overdowel... a completely perforated cake will crumble and collapse.

(if considering a disposable support system, they really aren't expensive.)

Duplicate post. (I didn't resend 9 minutes later... must be a glitch!)

I have typically used 4 dowels on a round cake, but I think it depends how big the tiers are. When I stacked about a 9 inch owl on top of a tree trunk cake i ended up using 5 dowels as part of the cake started leaning back a little bit and slashing the cake. I saw a programme not so long ago where they were making cakes and using drinking straws as dowels, the man didn't place them specifically, or a certain amount, he just pushed a few in randomly but enough to hold the cake up. I think as long as they are placed in the right way that the cake isn't leaning to one side onto the bottom cake because its not supported there then you're ok. I've only ever used plastic dowels, I would like to try straws, but even though people have said they are good I think I would worry. I guess I will try them one day!

I'm a hobby baker. I used to use the wilton plastic tube type dowels, but since I've learned about bubble tea straws, that's all I use. They're very sturdy. I would feel more secure with the bubble straws than wooden dowels. FYI, there's quite a difference between regular drinking straws and bubble tea straws.

HOWEVER, that said, I will be making my first wedding cake in Oct. and I WILL be using sps for that. Because, well it's a wedding cake and it's a pretty important occasion. And it will be the biggest cake I've ever done.

Guys, SPS is CHEAP.

I read somewhere that you want 1 dowel for every 2 inches of cake. Example: on an 8" round, you want 4 dowels.
I have used this method and had good results.
But honestly, I would agree with others here and say INVEST in the SPS system! It is amazing and you have no worries! It really isn't that much. I think I pay about $8 for a pkg of 16 plastic rods and the plates range from $1.25-$4. Depending on the size you need. I re use my plates all the time. However your plastic rods are usually considered disposable/one time use.
I hope this helps...and Happy Baking!

I am a novice baker...so take what I say with a grain of salt. I use bubble straws. They are cheap and super easy to use. I have stacked a couple of tiered cakes using this method and they held.

I have use wooden dowels and Wilton plastic tubes. I prefer the tubes. I would probably use SPS if I did more cakes, but as a hobby baker, I really don't do many cakes. The tubes have a wider base, which I like. They are less likely to slide or lean. I have stacked a four tier cake on plastic tubes, but I stacked on site. HTH.