Classing This As My First Disaster.
Decorating By darlene_000 Updated 8 Apr 2007 , 2:18pm by MomLittr
I had the worst time with this cake!!! ARGHHHHHHHHHH
I torted and filled each tier, the top teir was already leaning slightly grrr. After reading a stacking thread where someone used lollipop sticks as dowels I thought I'd give it a try.. BIG mistake!! The lollipop sticks started leaning... after 5-10 minutes there was a big lean to the cake and the bottom wasn't supporting the top very well. I wanted to cry. I made a mess taking the top tier off and re-dowelled with wooden dowels and re-stacked... the thing was still lopsided but not as bad... not as stable as my other stacked cakes either.
I figured I'd just decorate anyway... It's not what I wanted...thank goodness its a freebie... lets just hope it actually makes it to the paty, I have to drive it an hour there and Im worried about the stability.
Im gonna cry. Lets call it my first topsy turvy cake 
It turned out just darling, such a cute design. This may sound like a silly question, but did you have the top tier on a cardboard circle? Some people don't do that and set the upper cake directly onto the surface of the lower one. I use Wiltons sucker sticks rather than doweling and I cut them so they extend above the surface of the bottom tier by about 1/8" so that supports the weight of the upper cake. I use one stick in the center and then probably 4 to 6 in a circle smaller than the diameter of the upper tier. If I am going to be transporting the cake in the car I omit that center stick from the bottom tier and just use one long piece of sharpened doweling through the center of the top tier and driven through to the bottom one, then remove that after I deliver the cake.
Shirley,
Yeah I use 2 layers of cakeboard under the top tier.
I did a center wooden dowel, and then about 6-7 lollipop sticks around ... and it didn't work well at all!
Im so nervous about tansporting this one... it's in the fridge, so it should be nice and solid... Im a little worried about when the fillings warm up and soften a little (Mid 90's here in AZ today)... hopefully we can get it to the party before that happens... once it's there and sitting still it should be fine.
I know people think I'm crazy...but, I HONESTLY think the weather has something to do with this, esp. since you mentioned your fillings getting warm. Could they have slipped and caused this lopsided look?
Hey, I think it's a cute cake....so, yeah it's a "Whimsical Cow Cake"!
Let us know how the drive goes!
Beth in KY
it is really really super cute- and really doesn't show that you had a bad time!!
I know people think I'm crazy...but, I HONESTLY think the weather has something to do with this, esp. since you mentioned your fillings getting warm. Could they have slipped and caused this lopsided look?
Beth in KY
I think the same thing. Wondering about the filling, that happened to me last year, the back of the cake sort of flopped just in the middle of a 9X13 cake. I was devastaded. Good thing it was for my friend and They did not care, they knew what the cake was going to taste like. I just covered it with extra decorations I had made.
I wonder for your transport, I have read many treads this week about shipping and delivering that have instructions about packaging for transport. Maybe you can check those out.
on page 3 of this post:
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=199881&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=30
Good Luck.
O man I had the same problem with a wedding cake last weekend. That thing gave me sooo much grief. sheesh!!!!! First the darn frosting wouldn't smooth out like I wanted it to, then I said "ferget it for today, I'll finish tomorrow" Well I walked into the shop and dang if it hadn't started to go all wonky. The top looked like it was gonna slide right off the bottom was all bulgie. It was a mondo huge cake too. They wanted to stack it on top of a fountain but that wasn't gonna happen if I had anything to say bout it. OMG it was 16-12 stacked then 8-6 on top of that stacked. The poor little ol fountain stand just would not hold all that weight. Sheesh. I did manage to use some parchment paper to smooth out the bulginess and then stuck not one but two dowels through the center of the bottom part. then the top was giving me all kinds of fits too. Had to refrost the top layer and when I went to drop it on the 8" it toppled right off onto the cake, had to refrost that again, Got the friggen dent out of the 8" (border would cover that part anywho). That dang friggen piece of dog poo cake (can ya tell it kinda made me a wee bit pissy?) Took me all friggen day to get done!!! AARRRRGGGGHHHHH.
It finally got done, didn't look too bad and then had to have someone come n help me transport it. (thank god it was only across the street). Had to explain to the people that it was just not goin on that fountain stand. But took the fountain anyway, they said they could put something else on it or put some flowers on it. The bride really wanted that fountain. I think the bottom alone weighed like 50 or 60 lbs. Sheesh!!!!!!
So hun, I hear ya!! I feel yer pain!!!! Boy do I, dang my back still hurts and that was a week ago!!!
I found these really COOL straws, they are colored plastic and they are about a half inch (or slightly more) in diameter....they are stiff but easy to cut and they make SUPER cake supports! The are at a place called "The Restaurant Store".... I am not sure where else to get them.
Take a deep breath! It's gorgeous and super cute - I love your cow figurine! The recipients are going to love it!
I have two cows that I just made this past week and they're going on a Have a Mooooovelous
Birthday! cake on Friday!
Christy
I wish my cakes looked as good as your "disaster". I bet they will love it and probably won't even notice that it is a little topsy turvy 
I love your cow figure - great job!
The bottom tier filling was a pretty soft one, it was a whipped ganache..
I think the nail was hit on the hdea about the bottom tier being kind of soft... I should have put the tiers in the fridge for a few hours before I stacked... Im sure that would have made things much easier for me.... nothing I can do about it now... Ive only been decorating 7 months, so every cake is a learning experience...... Its in the 90's here in AZ, and though my house was 74F or so, Im sure things were probably a little warm....
When I took it out of the fridge this morning to take pictures it was pretty solid, and not as much movement as last night, so as long as hubby drives carefully, and it stays cool for the drive I think Im gonna be ok....
Im sure I'll be stressing the whole trip though hehe
.....it was 16-12 stacked then 8-6 on top of that stacked. The poor little ol fountain stand just would not hold all that weight. ....
What kind of fountain stand was being used? I have the Wilton fountain stand I've put that size cake on it many times.
Well the cake made the 1 hour drive in one peice, thank goodness! Of course everyone loved it, and didn't notice the lopsidedness....
Im just glad this one is over, I learn't my lesson on this one!
Interesting you had so much trouble with the lollipop sticks.....if I remember correctly, Toba Garret mentions in one of her books that she uses them. I have not even attempted a stacked cake yet, so the experiences all of you have has been interesting to me, and I keep all of them in my mind if I should ever attempt one! BTW, loved the cake!
deb
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