My First Tiered Cake, Tips, Comments, Advice Welcomed!
Decorating By dandy207 Updated 2 May 2006 , 4:32am by dandy207
I thought it turned out alright, i had trouble getting that nice straight look on the sides though. I tryed the viva and i dont think i put enough meringe pwder b/c it didnt harden up very well. As you can see in my pic its a little of center. Id love to hear some tips on getting a nice clean straight cake. Oh and do you guys ice the tiers befor you put them together, i didnt and i think it would have been easier to ice them first. thanks!
I think your cake looks great. I have only done a couple of tiered cakes myself, so I am definitely not an expert. I can only tell you that I iced each layer seperately and then put the cake together. I think you can probably get a cleaner, neater look that way. As far as straightness, I think that just comes with practice. I can see myself improving with each cake that I do.
Yep, I agree ice it first but do you all have tips on how to place the top layer on? I just hold it over the cake and kinda let it drop into place but then I smudge the frosting.
I think your cake turned out great for your first stacked cake!
Jacqui
Great job on your first stacked cake!
This is the way I do it. I place each cake on a separate cake board. I frost and smooth the cakes and dowel the bottom tiers.
I place all tiers in the refrigerator to let the icing get nice and firm. Maybe for an hour or 2...or even overnight if time allows.
I then stack the tiers. The firm icing will help you not destroy your icing if you get off center. You can then gently slide it into place. I then finish my decorating with borders and whatever.
This has always worked for me. I think the more you do...the easier it will be for you. 
great job, it looks pretty. cant wait to do my first.
Oh, WOW we do live close. I just got back from the cake show at Factoria Square. I met another member from here there....Wendy (wendogger) who lives in Enumclaw. Anyway, I was a bit disappointed in the show. This was my first one and maybe I've been watching too much TV but I guess it would be more like the ICES shows. There was probably 50 cakes (if that) on display and I was 2 demo's. One was on advanced BC flowers and the other was on Fondant. I was hoping to learn how to make those large fondant bow toppers but she just did a double looped bow. I did learn a little bit but like I said I was a bit disappointed.
Jacqui
Sorry, my typing is a bit off...I stabbed the palm of my hand yesterday while cutting a tomato and had to have 3 stitches in it and it's a bit sore. Hope you got the what I was saying.
Jacqui
Your cake is so pretty! I love the colors and your roses are to be envied. Mine always have the rough edges.
Emilykakes, me too! I went to the cake show yesterday to a bc flowers demo and she told me the reason our flowers have ruffled and cracked edges is because when we whip our frosting there is a lot of air in it so before we put our frosting in our bags we need to smash the air out by using a spatula and smashing the frosting against the sides of our bowl. Do not stir but push the frosting against the side of our bowl and that will take the air bubbles our and give a creamy texture for smooth edges on flowers. 
Jacqui
Oh ouch! That must hurt! I could read it just fine though. Is there cake shows around here much? I would like to enter in the puyallup fair, have you done that? Do you know how i could find out about cake shows in this area? I would love to go to one, sound fun!
I found out about the cake show on here actually. If you belonged to a cake club they would have show info but I haven't found anyone in the southsound who does that. Dawns Craft House in Lynwood apparently has some great cake supplies and classes. I think I'm going to take a trip up there next week and check out her store. I wish someone down here had something like that though.
The cake show at Factoria was put on by the Washington State Sugar Artists so mabey they have a web site.
Jacqui
Oh, I was also thinking about entering a cake at the fair. I've heard you can get some business refferals that way
Great job on your first stacked cake!
This is the way I do it. I place each cake on a separate cake board. I frost and smooth the cakes and dowel the bottom tiers.
I place all tiers in the refrigerator to let the icing get nice and firm. Maybe for an hour or 2...or even overnight if time allows.
I then stack the tiers. The firm icing will help you not destroy your icing if you get off center. You can then gently slide it into place. I then finish my decorating with borders and whatever.
This has always worked for me. I think the more you do...the easier it will be for you.
This is a strange question coming from me! I have been doing cakes for 34 years now....but I have never iced cakes seperately. I do them right on top of each tier. What size board do you use? My boards are smaller than the layer. How do you ice it? Thanks, Helen
Jacqui- Have you been selling cakes out of your home for long? How well do you do? Im doing my first wedding cake in 2 months, itll be pretty easy, she just wants basket weave on the whole thing and fresh flowers on top. Your cake for lesson 2 is gorgeous, the roses are breathtaking i hope mine turn out that well! Im finally takign my course 2 lesson this month. I took my lesson1 way back in october, but had a baby in begining of dec. so its slowed me down a bit! Do you know if the fair has certain themes you have to go by, or is just do you own? ~Paula
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