I have heard of many that put a center dowel rod in the middle of the top tier that goes all the way down to the bottom board of your cake. My question is how in the world do you get this dowel (even sharpened) through the board/boards without wrecking the cake somehow? It seems that it would take a little more than pushing it to get it through the cardboard and i would worry about putting too much force that it would collapse the cake a little somehow.
Any advise on how you do this without damage?
First you need to make sure the dowel has a very sharp point to it. Then use a small Tack Hammer (any hardware store sells them) and gently tap the rod through the cake plates. The cake plates are not that hard to go through so you won't need alot of force to put the rod through them. I use this method everytime and have not lost a cake yet. Hope this helps. 
If your layers are properly doweled, and if you have separation boards between each tier, when you apply pressure to the center dowel, the stress goes first to the separation board, and then it transfers to the dowels. The cake does not experience any stress at all, if you have set up the internal support correctly. After a few seconds of pressure on the separation plate, the sharpened dowel will pop on through and go to the next layer...and so on. This is a daunting exercise, no doubt. I like to cut an X dead center of my separation boards just to make sure it goes through easily, but I think most people just count on the sharpened dowel doing its own work.
I do it all the time! I was so nervous the first time I made my husband do it. Now.......no problem. Just sharpen the dowel, push it through the top tier until it touches the first board, then I used a hammer and tap it through the board. Does not damage the cake or the boards at all!
Only one time I had a problem. The top tier was a small 4" cake and when I was covering the 4" board I put a piece of tape in the center of the board to help hold the foil while I cut and taped and would you know that little piece of tape would not allow the dowel to go through!!?? So no tape and you will have no problem.!!
Hammer away without worries! 
bj 
I just run the dowel in the pencil sharpener for a good point and hammer it through... no problem!
Thanks so much for all of the advise. I have 2 two tiered cakes to do this weekend and i wondered if you would do the center dowel rod in any tiered cake or do you only do that when you have an unusual cake like a ball pan on top of another cake?
on a 2 tierd cake it depends how high the cakes are. If both layers are not high - I'd be ok with no center dowel at all but if it's got some height to it and/or there may be a chance of sliding around - I'd dowel it. Some play it safe and dowel no matter how low or high. Better safe than sorry.
why do you need to dowell a cake if you do the smaller dowell rods in the cake?? for support if you are going to drive it down the street/ it is small enough to drive assembled?
wouldnt it be better structurally to attatch the center dowell to the board you are carrying the cake on so that if the cake slides, the dowell will stay in place along with the cakes?
what size dowell are you all using? if it is big enough to stick in a pencil sharpener, wont it bend if it is supporting a big cake?
just afew questions!
katleg, i just had to say how cute your cat picture is, i love it!!!!
I am trying to cover a 6" round cake with MMF and I am having difficulty getting it smooth without puckers or drapes on the bottom and sides. How do you get a round cake perfectly smooth using fondant? I have used the lift up techniqe and used the smoother, but I am still having problems. ANy suggestions? Thanks!
I am trying to cover a 6" round cake with MMF and I am having difficulty getting it smooth without puckers or drapes on the bottom and sides. How do you get a round cake perfectly smooth using fondant? I have used the lift up techniqe and used the smoother, but I am still having problems. ANy suggestions? Thanks!
I make sure the cake is frosted evenly. Fondant won't cover major flaws in your cake shape. I drape it over the cake with the rolling pin. I smooth on the top first, then work my way down. I think it helps to have a good amount of frosting on the cake for me. The other advice I can offer you is to not roll your fondant too thin. It's all about practice and patience.
Hope I helped a little bit. I'm pretty new at this, too. I find that the best way to do things is the way that works for you, so it's nice to get different advice. I'm sure the pros will have more to offer!
Good luck, and welcome!
Angie
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