I am doing a two tiered cake and have to transport it already assembled. It won't be a very big cake. Double layer 12" round with a double layer 6" on top. I'm worried about it shifting though because it's a long drive. I've read that you should put a dowel through the whole thing??
Help, probably a stupid question but how do you do this? Should I do one or two? Do you sharpen the end so it will go through the cake boards? Any help would be appreciated.
For a cake like that one long sharpened dowel should do the trick but you could do 2. I used 2 for my drapes cake since it had about a 2 hour ride.
Make sure you have your cake properly constructed and ready for the long dowel cut to the height of your cake. You get your dowel good and sharp on one end,push it into your top tier and then gently but firmly tap it thru the cake board with a mallet. You even use foamcore for the bottom cake board and the dowel will drive down into that as well.
I often use three cake boards stacked and often put a dowel down through the cake and into the base.
I also refrigerate my cakes which firms them up great for travel. My blood pressure has surely gone down several numbers from before, when I transported (or gave for someone else to transport) room temp cakes that jiggle when you move them!!!!
I'm not afraid of doweling any of my cakes.....the more dowls the merrier. Sometimes I think that I could turn them upside down........my Medusa cake I could hold sideways....... 
no kidding.....she had three dowels and she was a 3-1/2 round cakelet. Sharpen the point of a dowel with a cake "pencil" sharpener pound through a cake drum....those 1/2 inch foiled spendy little cake board critters. I just love 'em. 
Do you always put a cake board under the 6in layer?
Or do you place the 6 in layer directly on top?
Yes. When doing a tiered cake proper construction is essential for the sucess and survival of your creation. Each cake should have its own cake board that has been covered (clear contact paper, foil, press n seal, etc) to prevent the grease/oil from the cake/icing from softening and weaking it. Each tier should be doweled with dowels cut to the height of the cake (not the icing).
You can also check out the article in the articles section for step-by step with pics!
Each tier should be doweled with dowels cut to the height of the cake (not the icing).
I've wondered about this...if its at the height of the cake, won't it squoosh the icing? I usually try to cut mine just under the level of the icing but then I guess I must be doing it wrong.
Of course if cutting them even, some may be farther into the icing than others, by a hairlength...
I think that's the biggest thing is there is more than likely going to be variations in the icing. And I usually fairly confident that the cake is level. I even just bought the cutest little level (a decent brand too) for under $3 since I have 2 4 tier cakes coming up.
I have heard of people cutting the dowels just a bit higher but to me you are just asking for trouble!
I've never had any smooshing but maybe if there is a slight variation it ends up getting covered by the border. hhhhmmmmm.........I'll have to look more closely at the next cake!
ps-Congrats on the bebe! I don't remember seeing the ticker in your posts before!
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