I'm working on doing my first stacked cake this weekend. I'm stacking a 10 and 8 inch round. I also have to travel with this cake about an hour and a half. Is it ok to do all the decorations except the borders and transport them seperately then stack and do the border when I get there or is it ok to travel with them stacked if they're doweled really well? I figured that it might be ok since it's only 2 layers, but wasn't sure. Also, this may sound dumb, but how do I serve this? I want to do a different flavor on each layer, do I just take off the top layer. (i plan on using a cake board underneath.) Will this mess up the icing under the bottom layer? Sorry to have so many questions, but I just want this cake to be a big success.
First of all, there are never any "dumb" questions. You may get different opinions of whether or not to take it and stack it, or stack it and take it!!! LOL! How are you layering it, I mean is each tier -10" and 8", 2 layers each with a filling or are they single layers each.
If they are 2 layers each with a filling, myself I would take them and stack them at the event. Some people take them already put togther and have no problems. That is a personal choice I believe and depending on how far you travel, what the roads are like, the weather, do have a safe place for the cake to ride in...so many things that can have an impact.
As to what to put between the layers, some say powdered sugar, some say coconut (which works great if everyone likes it) some say keep the dowels just a tiny bit above the bottom cake layer so they stick out...I've just lifted the top layer off when it comes to serving the cake.
I'm sure there are others who can answer better than I can, anyone?
I am just learning to transport tiered cakes too....and I can tell you that I would NOT put it together and then transport. I'd stack and finish the borders there......! Maybe the more experienced can do it the other way, but I'm not a risk taker. I've driven 8" 2 layer filled cakes 60 miles several times, and still seem to have some settling that changes the look of things slightly. Maybe it's because I drive a KIA!!!!! LOL
I recently read somewhere to move the "well" that holds your filling in just slightly to help prevent bulging after the cake settles. That sounded like good advice to me.
Good Luck!!!!
This discussion about to stack before or after delivery came up the other day, maybe you can search for that topic and read that b/c there were a lot of replies. I personally stack before delivery, just b/c you never know what could happen. My cakes always feel secure enough to travel stacked also. Another thing that I do and I have read that a lot of others do too is to refrigerate the cake before delivery. I kinda solidifies everything together and you still have plenty of time for it to come to room temp by serving time.
About cutting, I've only cut one of my own tiered cakes and because they were different flavors I actually cut them while the cake was still stacked. It was easier at that time. You can sprinkle the bottom cake with PS before putting the cake board and top tier on. I have also trimmed a piece of wax or parchment paper and put between the layers. Then you could just remove and cut.
Good luck!
As JS mentioned.. everyone has a different preference,but here's mine.
I almost always transport stacked cakes separately and do the border on-site. Cakes go in the trunk which has a clean sheet laid down, then a foam pad or non-slip mat. I also usually use boxes when I can find one to fit.
If I have to transport an assembled cake, I make DH drive me and I keep the cake in my lap... then I can control it some (I also have the A/C blasting to keep the air cool.)
As far as serving goes, everything JS said is good, or you can cut out a piece of waxed paper or parchment and slip that under the top cake before assembling. Note... having your dowels SLIGHTLY long also makes it easier to lift the upper layer off without destroying the bottom one! (a large spatula is helpful here too... just to give you room to get your fingers underneath!)
Here's the thread I was talking about... http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-10618-.html
thanks everyone for your comments. I think i may try to deliver it stacked since it's only two layers without filling. I wanted to fill it, but I have had such bad experiences with different fillings, that I think I'll skip that this time. Besides, it's a free cake for a family member, so if there are a few imperfections, i'm sure they'll go unnoticed.
I have only had to transport one tiered cake, but I transported each tier seperate in their own boxes. I am paranoid as it is transporting cakes so it just make me feel better to do it this way. One cake I stacked (baby rattle on sheet cake in my photos) I had a board under the top piece and just waited for the icing to crust on the bottom layer, dusted it with a little powdered sugar and placed it on top (no need for dowels because they were only one layer each). When we served it, I took the top piece off by sliding a spatula underneath and you couldn't even tell there had been anything on top of the bottom tier. It didn't mess up the frosting at all. As far as leaving the dowels a bit long, when I did the wedding cake I made I accidently left the dowels a bit too long and the cake didn't look right so I had to cut them. Otherwise, the cake doesn't sit right and the border won't look right either. Just my opinion!
HTH,
Heather
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