If I'm stacking cake tiers on top of each other (I know you have to have supports in the lower layer to support the next one), but if the next layer is "touching" on top of the lower layer... when it comes time to take them apart to cut and serve... will the upper layers take pieces of the icing/fondant/ganache whatever it is coated in with it? Will is ruin the top of the layer that was underneath? I've never stacked tiers directly on top of each other before, so I'm asking before I attempt this so I don't ruin the cake!! They want all tiers different flavours, and so they don't want to cut them together (plus it's 3 tiers, so I guess they have to take it apart to cut it because it's too big). Help please!!

Well yes...... if you make sure the frosting is well crusted and sprinkle a bit of coconut it cuts down on it but they only sure way to prevent this is to make a cake with seperators instead of stacked... If they want to cut all the teirs at the same time they need to have seperators between the teirs.

I recently posted a similar question. What I have ended up doing is cutting my dowels slightly longer than I need them. Any visible space is not noticed because your border will cover it. I'll try and find the post.

I have also heard to place some parchement between layers as to not pull the frosting up with the cake circle

Stephanie

http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-91041.html

thanks girls! I was thinking about putting slightly longer dowels in the bottom layer to keep it 'just' off the layer beneath. I think she wants a ribbon boarder (fondant or the like), that would cover and space there right?

Yep, that should do it.

I like to use the plastic seperator plates and not cardboard circles between my layers. Which means on a stacked cake there is no long center dowel going through the whole cake.
IF you also do this do not leave your dowels long or your cake will not be as stable for transport and could slide off the dowels.

what if i'm using chocolate fondant or a ganache to cover my cakes? i don't think there is a crusting that happens with that, so the dowels cut higher trick would be my best bet here? I was wondering if you could also gently rub a little crisco or vegetable spray on top of the cake JUST where the seperator will be going. If it's a three teir cake, is it better to assemble it onsite?

I always assemble mine on-site .... never transport them fully assembled. But you will also hear from a number of experienced and talented decorators on here how they transport assembled cakes all the time. Depends on personal preference and sometimes on the design itself.

I love to cover my boards between buttercream cakes with press and seal. then I sprinkle some p.sugar between the layers - works out great!