How Do You Handle Unstacking To Cut?

Decorating By Renaejrk Updated 9 Jun 2007 , 12:24am by briannastreats

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Renaejrk Posted 5 Jun 2007 , 1:20am
post #1 of 21

I need some advice from those of you who have ways of doing this or know of ways to do this that look nice or at least less messy?

I've only made a few stacked construction cakes, and am struggling with this issue. The first one I made was all white, so we just cut the top layer first. This last one I made, though, 10/8/6 - the 6" was decorative and we took it off, 8" was chocolate - took it off and set it on a platter to cut, 10" was white and left it on the board to cut. I tried to take out dowels as we went and hide them a little. We had also moved the cake (pain in the rear) to a counter away from guests a little bit and set the cut pieces on the serving table. This whole setup was just not comfortable to me, and did not feel professional. I didn't worry too much because this was not a formal baby shower and the cake was free as a gift for my friend - no one really cared(except me)! Doing a search doesn't work because there are so many threads on how to cut a cake I'd never find what I was looking for.

Please help!!

20 replies
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mariecar6 Posted 5 Jun 2007 , 1:51am
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Hi! I really don't understand what's worrying you. I've cut cakes at formal gatherings and I basically disassemble everything. At events like that, people are usually served by waiters and don't have to go to the cake table for anything.
I take the cakes down, one at a time, as you did. Then I remove anything that's not going to be served (dowels, flowers), cut the cake and place on the plates. I'll have extra plates on the side on which to put the dowels and flowers. There's not really a mess. And people will be at their tables eating cake!
I hope I've addressed your concern correctly.
Marie

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Renaejrk Posted 5 Jun 2007 , 2:17am
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I've never done a formal event, only more informal events where people are coming up to the cake table to get punch, fingerfoods, etc. Although when you've done formal events, is the cake table so far away from everyone that they can't see? I'm just wondering - I wouldn't want everyone watching all that! If it was distanced enough from everyone I'm sure it wouldn't be an issue.

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mariecar6 Posted 5 Jun 2007 , 2:32am
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Some halls have the cake table right up front. But you should realize that people will be talking, having fun, dancing and basically, not paying attention to how the cake's being cut. If the cake has their attention, then it's just that they're waiting to be served.
When you cut the cake, you do have to remove anything that's not edible. The lovely design will start disappearing. But that's what always happens. Unless you have a dummy on the table and the actual cake somewhere in the kitchen...
Hope this helps.
Marie

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Renaejrk Posted 5 Jun 2007 , 2:41am
post #5 of 21

What about the less formal events that are at smaller venues? People are all around me.

Are there any other ways to do it? Formal or informal?

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NEWTODECORATING Posted 5 Jun 2007 , 3:01am
post #6 of 21

I really like Earlene Moore's discription and method. Here is her link.

http://www.earlenescakes.com/cakeservinst.htm

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Renaejrk Posted 5 Jun 2007 , 3:47am
post #7 of 21

That is definitely helpful! Maybe it would be helpful to have nice looking platters/boards to sit the tier on that you have taken off to cut it. Also, in Earlene's directions you're only cutting one layer at a time - what about when you have 2-3 flavors, each layer being different? Should you have a cutter/server for each layer so they can be cut at the same time?

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indydebi Posted 5 Jun 2007 , 4:20am
post #8 of 21

I always stay and cut the wedding cake ... it's included in my price.

First, no one cares about "the mess" you all are so worried about. I guarantee that no one is going home talking about it. I put 2 plastic trash bags under the table where I am working .... one is for trash and the other is to stuff my equipment in as I disassemble and cut the cake. I remove the wooden dowels and florals from the cake and put them in the trash. No one cares that there are wooden dowels in the cake, so there is no need to "hide" them from sight. Most people are fascinated to discover how it's all structured!

I help the bride and groom with their cake cutting .... I ask the photographer where he/she is going to stand so I can position the couple in the right spot for the best photo shot. I show them how to cut the cake, pointing out there is cardboard under the cake (I scrape some of the bottom border off to show them where the cardboard is) and warn them not to put the knife under the cardboard unless they want to tip the whole cake over! icon_lol.gif Once the directions are over with, I quickly step aside (outside of photo range) while they do the cutting. When it looks like they are done, I get the ok from the photog to make sure he is done with all pics. Then I wave everyone off "....Ok, folks, out of my way! It's time for me to go to work!"

BTW, more than one photographer has expressed how grateful they are that I help them with this cake cutting; they hate doing it and MUCH prefer that I handle it for them.

I cut the cake front and center, in the reception room. It's almost part of the wedding reception "show". I've NEVER taken a cake to the kitchen to cut. As a matter of fact, I've never even seen this done and I'm almost 50 years old. I always cut the biggest tier first, then go to the next size up. This is because if there is any cake left over, it is the smaller, easier to box-and-store cakes, and not the giant 14 or 16" cake that won't fit in gramma's freezer.

When possible, I remove the top 2 (or 3) tiers intact and set it aside, sort of like a mini-cake centerpiece. Then I cut the bottom (biggest) tier.

When cakes are multiple flavors, I just start cutting 5 or 6 pieces of one, then 5 or 6 pieces of the other until I have a variety sitting out. My cakes are never "served" by a wait staff (because I'm usually also the caterer and we do all caterings buffet style..... that's how we keep our pricing so low). Once I have a few pieces on the table, I ask the DJ to announce that the cake is cut and the guests are welcome to help themselves. The guests then come to the cake table to select the flavor of their choice, get some home-made mints, nuts and punch. I've done it this way for 25 years.

If there are multiple flavors and as the guests begin taking the cake faster than I can cut it, I just start asking each person, "What flavor can I cut for you, ma'am? (or sir)". It's really a great social part of the reception! People are always in awe of my cake cutting comb and there are jokes and comments about it all the time .... comments about how they've never seen a comb used like that, etc. There are questions about the flavors of the cake, cake cutting methods, and "...oh my goodness, how did you do that!?" stuff. A lot of people ask for a special size piece ("just a small piece" or "can I get one with lots of icing?", etc) .... something they can't get when the cake is just plopped down in front of them at the table..... they can get a piece cut to their special request!

The fun part is talking to the guests as they come up for cake, and hearing the compliments on the decor, and the compliments as they come back for a second piece.

I can't imagine doing it any other way .....

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JanH Posted 5 Jun 2007 , 5:14am
post #9 of 21

Way to go, Debi. icon_smile.gif

However, in all my years of attending wedding receptions, I've never seen the cake cut; it's always taken to the kitchen!

But then, the receptions we've attended have all been sit-down, plated affairs.

Do you think that's the difference?

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indydebi Posted 5 Jun 2007 , 5:17am
post #10 of 21

Highly possible, JanH. The plated affairs I've been to, the cake was sitting in a corner of the room, not "center stage" (like it should be, since the wedding cake IS the centerpiece of the reception, she said with total bias in her voice!), and it was cut in the corner of the room.

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rocketgirl96 Posted 5 Jun 2007 , 12:58pm
post #11 of 21

Okay - I just HAVE to ask. What is a cake cutting comb? icon_smile.gif

Thanks,
Christine

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bobwonderbuns Posted 5 Jun 2007 , 1:10pm
post #12 of 21

A cake cutting comb is the same as an angel food cake comb -- it looks just like a large comb for hair only with metal tines and a handle of wood. It works well for cutting because you just insert it vertically into the cake and pull away to get your slab of cake as opposed to slicing with a knife. Do you understand?

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indydebi Posted 5 Jun 2007 , 1:39pm
post #13 of 21

http://cateritsimple.com/_wsn/page19.html

here's a pic from a page on my website.

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rocketgirl96 Posted 5 Jun 2007 , 2:18pm
post #14 of 21

cool! Thanks. very interesting.

Christine

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Renaejrk Posted 5 Jun 2007 , 2:21pm
post #15 of 21

Thanks, indydebi! I actually PMd JanH about links before I posted this thread and told her I knew you had a lot of experience at this and hoped you would post!(something like that!) I know there may be a couple of different ways to do it, but it's nice to hear first hand experience on how to handle it. I guess I'm just a neat-freak and felt awkward having people watch me do it! I'll get over it! So far all my cakes have been free, only one wedding cake. Maybe this will change in the future, but I still wanted to know how it was done even for the less formal birthday parties and baby showers I tend to do cakes for (friends and family)! I appreciate all the help!

If anyone does it differently, I'd love to hear all different techniques! CC is so great!

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mariecar6 Posted 7 Jun 2007 , 1:44am
post #16 of 21

indydebi - that's exactly how I cut my cakes. Except that I had never heard of a cake comb before. Sure seems handy!
Marie

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briannastreats Posted 7 Jun 2007 , 2:03am
post #17 of 21

I love the idea of the cake comb, indydebi! Where can I get one??

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MadPhoeMom Posted 7 Jun 2007 , 2:09am
post #18 of 21

wow! what a wealth of info....
it doesn't matter how i DID it, because i'll certainly do it more along earlene's directions from now on.
that would have come in real handy this weekend....as i did a stacked/tiered job for my nieces graduation. i actually had slices wanting to fall over AND i touched some to prevent them from falling over. she's right, it's too difficult to switch from cutter to server...fortunately it was mostly family and friends....

i guess in the future i'd take it to the back room ONLY if i was asked too. even the most formal of affairs here has it sliced in front of every one...but then, we live in texas....maybe it's a southern thing?

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Renaejrk Posted 8 Jun 2007 , 12:23am
post #19 of 21

I'm in Oklahoma - most of us don't "put on airs" as it were! LOL I think it makes me feel better that so many pros just let it all hang out - I won't feel so self-conscious about the whole thing then! (maybe this is where it stems from - totally have a performance anxiety issue! My arms start going numb if I try to go on stage to sing!)

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indydebi Posted 8 Jun 2007 , 12:56am
post #20 of 21
Quote:
Originally Posted by briannastreats

I love the idea of the cake comb, indydebi! Where can I get one??




I get mine off of eBay. They are also called angel food cutters and cake breakers.

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briannastreats Posted 9 Jun 2007 , 12:24am
post #21 of 21
Quote:
Originally Posted by indydebi

Quote:
Originally Posted by briannastreats

I love the idea of the cake comb, indydebi! Where can I get one??



I get mine off of eBay. They are also called angel food cutters and cake breakers.




Thanks, Indydebi! I'll look for one now!

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