Possible Eureka Moment About Stacked Construction---
Decorating By Chef_Stef Updated 28 Jun 2006 , 4:54pm by Chef_Stef
Or maybe not; this may be old news, but the other night I was thinking about cake (again) and stacking, and how once you set that tier on the one below it, your fate is sort of "sealed" in that I feel like I can't move it around once it sets down. And setting the tiers down is the most nerve-wracking moment for me, what if it's not level? What if it's not centered?
Well.
I got to wondering. I don't transport stacked cakes or use a central dowel often, so...why couldn't I dowel the bottom cake as usual and then set just a single plain wrapped cake board on top of that, and THEN set the cake down on that extra board (with the cake on its own board as usual of course)? Then, it seems like if I need to wiggle the cake a bit one way or the other, or if it's not sitting level, I could more easily lift it off the extra board and make any changes needed, rather than having to settle for "Well, it's a little off-center or a little un-level, but I can't take it back off or move it..." ???
Is it me, or does this sound like a super cool idea? I'm going to try it next time and see, because just that little bit of wiggle room would be great.
And it seems like there would be an added bonus in that, when disassembling the cake tiers, you wouldn't have icing stuck to the bottom of the cake boards as they are separated for serving, because of that extra board in between the cake board bottom and the tier below it. Does that make sense?
I'm pretty excited about this, anyway, and thought I had to share it.
Something I do which helps also is I use the large dowels from Wilton, which are about 3/4 inch wide and I cut them just 1/16 higher than the cake and leave them sticking out. This helps with the adjustment, as the cake is sinking (pushing the dowels down) you can make adjustments and even after the cake has settled.
But I think one of the Cake support systems would be the ideal solution.... my next biggest purchase.
Your idea sounds like it would work. I wanted to share what I've been doing for this exact same problem. Instead of using an extra cake board, I dowel the bottom tier like usual, then cut a piece of wax paper the same size as the board of the next tier up.
I lay it down in the center of the cake, mark and poke holes in it with the dowels from the lower tier so it lays flat on the cake but leave those dowels up about 1/2 an inch to leave room for my fingers to place the upper tier.
Then I just "drop" it and quickly move my fingers out from under it. The weight of the upper tier will push the dowels all the way down on the lower tier. ( Are you confused yet?) If it has to be adjusted because it's not centered, that wax paper underneath really helps make it slide a bit without messing up the frosting. I use crusting buttercream too. The wax paper also prevents the frosting from coming up under the tiers when you take them off to slice the cake.
Sorry, that sounds confusing but I hope you understand.
KimAZ
This would work if you are assembling the cake after you deliver it. But I am thinking, if you assemble it this way, then pipe borders onto the tiers, the cake would have a tendency to move cause it's on it's own board.
Right--I would only do this ever with one being assembled on-site, which is pretty much the only way I do them any more. Much easier and safer (for me) to show up with several boxed cakes and stack them at the venue.
I do long for that cake support system though...
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