I have never actually made a tiered cake but was curious to know how would you cut the cake if the dowels are in it? I know sounds like a dumb question but keep thiking the cake would look funny when cut. Also do you take the tiers apart when you cut it? If you do take it apart how do you do it without messing up the icing and how to keep the icein from the top tier lifting of the icing on the bottom tier? Thanks as I would like to try a tier cake.

Darlene

Oh good question! I will give you a bump.

Peolpe use either powdered sugar, coconut, cornstarch, etc. between layers to keep them from sticking. As each layer is cut, you just simply remove the dowels first.

Thank you but still confused lol do I put the sugar or coconut on top the icing? and if the dowels go all the way through if I take them out to cut the cake will the cake colapse? Sorry for sounding so stupid but I am self teaching myself lol I do not have a cake store nearby that offers a course. The one I get my supplies from is quite a distance from me.

Darlene

Hi,
As you know dowels are just for stacking support there is no need to remove them before cutting, as for lifting each tier off its as simple as placing a palette knife under each board and lifting.

Shim

Thank you for your help now it's a little clearer lol but one last thing do I put the coconut or corn starch on top of the icing? thanks

Darlene

Either, anything to prevent the icing from sticking to the plate on top of it.

I used to put powdered sugar on mine but sometimes it would just absorb into the frosting and defeat the whole purpose, so you could always cut out some parchment paper the same size as the cake and put that on top of the frosting... and for better coverage put powdered sugar between the frosting and paper.

yep, the coconut or cornstarch would go ontop of the icing of the bottom cake. It will be covered by the top cake once it is stacked on top. There is a great how to on stacking cakes on this site. You can find it at:

http://www.cakecentral.com/article23-Teired-Stacked-Cake-Construction.html

Thanks this site is great for help as well as ideas and recipes. Great job everyone


Darlene

Hi Darcat,

I'll try to explain it clearly. When you are assembling a stacked cake, first you put the dowel rods in, then you can liberally "dust" the icing of the bottom cake with something to try to prevent the plate or cardboard which is under the next tier from sticking (I use powdered sugar myself). Then put the tiers together and repeat if you are stacking another tier on top.

To serve the cake, first you seperate the tiers. I use an oversized thin metal spatula I have or a spatula or knife to get between the top of the lower iced cake and the board or plate of the top one, then lift the tier off. After all the tiers are apart remove the dowels and the cake is ready for cutting.

Hope that helps!

Julie

Thanks kity that cleard it up for me perfectly. Now with all that combined information I should be ready to go lol. Now all I need is an occasion and someone to make it for lol I am dying to try one just to see if I can do it.


Darlene

Hi everyone,

This is a great thread as I am about to attempt my first stacked cake too. The bottom layer will have crushed nilla wafers on it to simulate sand. Will this work instead of powdered sugar/parchment/etc. to keep the top cake board from sticking, or will top tier just slide off the cookies?

Note: I need to transport this cake stacked as I don't want to worry about destroying the fragile fondant decorations on the top+sides of the top tier while I try to stack it (for the first time ever) at the party. I'd rather stack it first and then decorate it so I don't have to worry about smashing my decorations!

Thanks!

Many people are alerigic to coconut. I would stay away from that. I do use powdered sugar, though.