I am new to this site and cake decorating. I have decided to TRY to make a tiered cake with some color flow decorations for my son's 2nd b-day next month. I am going to make a practice cake but have a few (ok a lot of) questions before I give it a try.
1. When making the tiers do you use a 1 layer or a 2 layered cake? I am making a 6", 8" and 10" tiers so do I need to make 2 of each?
2. I am going to use a box mix. Is DH or BC better? Has anyone used the DH butter recipe mix? What can I do to "jazz up" a box mix?
3. I plan to make the cake on Thurs., ice and decorate Fri. and serve Sat. How should I store the cake before I decorate it and after I decorate it?
4. When I take the tiers apart to serve the cake won't the icing from the bottom tiers stick to the top tiers? How can I prevent this?
5. And one last, really silly question . . . Where do most people put the candle on a tiered b-day cake? I'm afraid if I put it on the top it will be too high for my 2 year old to blow out. (These are the things I worry about. )
Thanks in advance for the help!!!!
I have only done one stacked cake but I will try to help.
As far as either one or two layers, I think it depends on the look you want and how much cake you need.
I've used both DH and BC and don't really have a preference. I've used the butter vanilla cake mix and it was really good. To doctor them up, I usually use a cake doctor receipe or I use an extender posted on the receipe section of this website.
I always store my cakes in saran and foil. After they are decorated I put them in the box I'm taking them in or in a tupperware container. But since its a stacked cake, I've used moving boxes from the office supply store too. Just enough to keep the air off of it.
You will need to put a cake board underneath each cake and dowel them (if you decide to do a two layer of each cake it would be a board between each layer). Then I took a piece of wax paper and cut it the size of the cake board and put it underneath the cake board and also sprinkled some confectionary sugar underneath the wax paper before I put the cake on it. This way you can just life the cake off with the board.
Not sure about the candle thing. Hopefully, I was clear in my explanations!
1. They can be anything you want. How many people are you serving? 2 layers of each will serve 65.
2. I generally like DH but the butter gives me trouble. Someone else will have to help with doctoring it. There is a lot of argument about which brand is best.
3. It depends on your icing. Refrigerate if it needs it. Otherwise just keep it covered.
4. You can use parchment/waxed paper and powdered sugar to help prevent sticking.
5. Just put it where the child can get to it! Or...make a special small cake for the candle.
Good Luck & Have fun!
1. When making the tiers do you use a 1 layer or a 2 layered cake? I am making a 6", 8" and 10" tiers so do I need to make 2 of each?
The one in my pictures for my brothers cake was a 10 and an 8 3 deep I cut it in half to make it 2 layers. If you do it that thick and it is not at least 2 layers it will be dry.
2. I am going to use a box mix. Is DH or BC better? Has anyone used the DH butter recipe mix? What can I do to "jazz up" a box mix?
From what I have seen on this site the people lean to DH but that is only after being hear a month so I will let someone else answer that one. For a strabery cake I add some strabery jam and chocolate use soem things like nuts, chocolate suryup and chocolate chips (white or nromal)
3. I plan to make the cake on Thurs., ice and decorate Fri. and serve Sat. How should I store the cake before I decorate it and after I decorate it?
I froze it before icing it and than after icing it I kept it in the fridge from what I hear it was a little dry but it was also starch and the first time I made one, I read somewhere on this site if you wrap it air tight before freezing it, it will keep the moisture.
4. When I take the tiers apart to serve the cake won't the icing from the bottom tiers stick to the top tiers? How can I prevent this?
you can try to stack it a little off the cake but it is not easy to balance it on the dowels. At Michaels I got the cake plates with the legs.
5. And one last, really silly question . . . Where do most people put the candle on a tiered b-day cake? I'm afraid if I put it on the top it will be too high for my 2 year old to blow out. (These are the things I worry about. )
I would do it in front on the top of the first layer if the top is too high.
Thanks in advance for the help!!!!
Hope it helps 
I am still new so anyone else has any thing to correct or add please do.
Remember to put dowels in each layer, then the cardboard on top, then the cake. You can put powdered sugar between the cake & cardboard for easy cutting. You can bake them on Wed. cover with saran immediately after taking out of the pan. I like to give myself plenty of time for the decorating & any problems that can occur. You don't have to cover the cake once it's done. Just let it sit out. And for the candles, why not make a cupcake with some of the batter & put the candles on it? He can reach that for sure! Helen
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