Transporting A Stacked Tiered Cake???
Decorating By CakeCraze Updated 26 May 2006 , 6:09pm by FatFace
I am attempting my first tiered cake (stacked). It has 2 tiers (10" & 6"). How do I box and transport it? Will I be able to assemble it at home and decorate, then place the whole thing in the box to transport & deliver. Or, do I box them separately, then assemble them at the location?
Put the center dowel in and drive really slow!! Then everytime you make a turn, ask your kids (if you take them with you) "How's the cake?", "How's the cake?" 
It would be better to assemble at the site, but if you must stack them, go ahead and make sure your central dowel is sharpened...this will help it go through the cake board.
I would suggest using non skid mats under the cakes and assembling at the site if possible. Usually all you have to do at the site is finish your border.
good Luck!!!
There are instructions on this site to follow. The tiers you are making are not too big, so you should be able to stack them at home. You do have to put a circle of cardboard between layers and dowels. I just delivered one today. A 14", 10" & 6". It was fine.
It would be better to assemble at the site, but if you must stack them, go ahead and make sure your central dowel is sharpened...this will help it go through the cake board.
I would suggest using non skid mats under the cakes and assembling at the site if possible. Usually all you have to do at the site is finish your border.
good Luck!!!
I agree with mmdd. I've used this technique on all my wedding/tiered cakes and never had a problem.
I am attempting my first tiered cake (stacked). It has 2 tiers (10" & 6"). How do I box and transport it? Will I be able to assemble it at home and decorate, then place the whole thing in the box to transport & deliver. Or, do I box them separately, then assemble them at the location?
You can easily transport a 6" & 10" assembled with no problems... You could chill the cake before delivery. When the cakes are chilled they are solid and don't move. I've delivered cakes that were four tiers completely assembled. I do use the stress free supports and my cakes are always chilled for delivery. I delivered one cake unchilled and swore I'd never do it again... I watched the darn thing jiggle over every bump...I went out and bought an extra fridge the next weekend.
I am attempting my first tiered cake (stacked). It has 2 tiers (10" & 6"). How do I box and transport it? Will I be able to assemble it at home and decorate, then place the whole thing in the box to transport & deliver. Or, do I box them separately, then assemble them at the location?
You can easily transport a 6" & 10" assembled with no problems... You could chill the cake before delivery. When the cakes are chilled they are solid and don't move. I've delivered cakes that were four tiers completely assembled. I do use the stress free supports and my cakes are always chilled for delivery. I delivered one cake unchilled and swore I'd never do it again... I watched the darn thing jiggle over every bump...I went out and bought an extra fridge the next weekend.
Can it also be slightly frozen instead of refrigerated? I am just worried about once the cake returns to room temperature.
I transported a 3 tier, stacked cake with no problems (emma's baptism, in my photos). Although, I kept turning around to check on it!!!
I used all of the tips mentioned. Dowels, including one sharpened through all of the layers, cake boards, non skid mat and chilling the cake (had to be chilled, there was banana cream filling). Something that really helped me was the board I used to carry the cake. (it was pretty heavy) If I had to guess, it wasn't quite a 1/2" thick, rectangle board. It was very sturdy, and made it much easier to transfer from my kitchen, to the minivan (placed it right on the floor), and then to my aunt's house. I placed the non skid mat between the board and the cake box and the cake didn't budge!
Good luck with whatever you decide to do!!!
I am attempting my first tiered cake (stacked). It has 2 tiers (10" & 6"). How do I box and transport it? Will I be able to assemble it at home and decorate, then place the whole thing in the box to transport & deliver. Or, do I box them separately, then assemble them at the location?
You can easily transport a 6" & 10" assembled with no problems... You could chill the cake before delivery. When the cakes are chilled they are solid and don't move. I've delivered cakes that were four tiers completely assembled. I do use the stress free supports and my cakes are always chilled for delivery. I delivered one cake unchilled and swore I'd never do it again... I watched the darn thing jiggle over every bump...I went out and bought an extra fridge the next weekend.
Can it also be slightly frozen instead of refrigerated? I am just worried about once the cake returns to room temperature.
If you have it in the fridge overnight it will stay cool for awhile.... No need to freeze it. I live in Arizona and have traveled up to an hour for delivery and had no problems. 
I knew a lady who doweled hers down the middle. She came to a stop on a hill and the cake was "cut in half" by the dowel from the force of the stop.
I was told to use three dowels in a triangle that go all the way through the tiers when transporting the cake.
I just got back from delivering a 3 tier - 14,12 & 8. I always use the Wilton hidden pillars & cake plates. My DH & I were just talking how in the years since I have been using these I haven't had any problems.
I LOVE them & WILL NOT go back to the wooden dowels. My mother used them for years and sometimes things would be fine & other times she had problems.
The cake we just delivered - the lady that owns the hall was impressed - we walked in set the cake on the table, put the topper on it -( took some pictures they will be posted later) and were ready to walk out. She's like that's it - the cake didn't slid or anything, no touch ups. She's like it looks GREAT but the cake people usually have some touch up to do cause the cake moved a little on them. I told her know I use the hidden pillars and that's it.
Did I say I LOVE WILTON HIDDEN PILLARS!
I just bought some hidden pillars to use on a cake in three weeks. Would you mind telling me what you cut them with and how high you would cut them for a four inch high layer? Since these are reusable, I thought maybe there was some standard height you would use. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
I have a serrated knive that use to cut the with. I cut them the the height of the cake. Most of my cakes are the same height so I do reuse them. If for some reason I need them a little shrter then I can cut them down. If not I have to buy new ones. I don't ask for these back but most brides bring them back and I make sure that they are washed & disinfected before using them again. They do cost more than the wooden dowels but the to me the cost difference is well worth not having to worry about a cake sliding. If you have any more questions please let me know. Hope this helps & good luck on the up coming cake.
If you like at my photos - the stacked package cake I also used the hidden pillars on that cake. I just cut them the height of the cake and put them in the middle of where I wanted support. Did not have a problem transporting that cake either.
Thanks, lisascakes! I appreciate the info. I'll be getting mine back because the wedding and groom's cakes are for a lady my husband works with. Since I'm a new decorator and she's low on cash, our deal is that she would buy the pans, plates, supplies, etc... and I would make the cake for free (of course, I get to keep everything afterwards, too). So this works out for both of us. I get the experience and some supplies and she get a really nice cake for cheap.
There are instructions on this site to follow. The tiers you are making are not too big, so you should be able to stack them at home. You do have to put a circle of cardboard between layers and dowels. I just delivered one today. A 14", 10" & 6". It was fine.
I'm glad to hear you say this. I have a baby shower cake to do for this weekend that's 12, 10, and 6 and it has to be put together beforehand. The cake is traveling from Gainesville to Atlanta (without me) so I need to do all the finishing touches before it leaves the house and I was worried that I was crazy for thinking it would make it in one piece!
I don't think i've ever seen hidden pillars... do they use plates with them?
I have used them with and with out plates. They were made to be used with a plate. You cut your pillars to the height of your cake, the next cake is on a plate - the legs of that plate fit into the hidden pillars. So all the weight from that cake is on the pillars. Which is stuck thru the first cake and rests on what ever you have that cake setting on. I have also used the pillars with carboard between each layer with no problem. I like them for that because the hidden pillar is bigger than a dowel.
In my photos - all stacked cakes are made with the hidden pillars, the cake with the roses between each layer - I used the hidden pillars but I didn't cut them. This gave me the space I wanted between each layer for the roses.
Hope this helps. I will neve use anything else. I've used the hidden pillars for over 10 years with no problems. I don't even have any problem with a cake jiggling in transporting it.
Ok, I'll give....I've heard lots of raves about these pillars.
I've never used them.........So, what really makes them better than wooden dowels?
I have used the wooden dowels, the hollow plastic dowels, and the hidden pillars (on my last wedding cake). I have found that it really depends on what style of cake you are doing. I prefer NOT to use the wooden dowels. I don't like the idea of putting wood in a cake, but it is the only option if you need a central dowel. I like the smaller plastic dowels because they do not take up as much space in the cake. The hidden pillars work great, but you really have to compensate for how much space they waste when figuring your servings.
I think that it's a matter of your personal preference when choosing a method for doweling your cakes.
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