How Do I Stack Dummy Layers For A Wedding Cake?
Decorating By radtech Updated 23 Aug 2006 , 7:51pm by BlakesCakes
Hi everyone,
I have a question for all of you. I have been asked by a friend of my daughter's to make her wedding cake, a 4 layer cake with the 2 largest being "dummies". I have never used them before and quite frankly have only made one other wedding cake. Do I just dab a little frosting on the cake board and then stack the 2 dummies without dowels, one on top of the other and then put dowels between the top 2 layers. She is doing it this way because the country club that she is having her reception at will charge her several hundred dollars more if she brings in her own cake. So the country club is making sheet cakes and the cake is for show. She wants the top to save her anniversary and second is to cut for pictures. Anyway for ease, I was going to do the stacking at home, the reception is about 3 miles away. What does everyone think? I would love all of your opinions.
Thanks,
Julie
It was my understanding that dowels weren't needed in the dummy part of the cake... Cool idea - you get that great Huge Cake effect w/o the hassle! Country Club sounds like a nightmare - Geeze! Nothing like profitting from circumstance!
If I understand you correctly, you're making a 4 tier stacked cake. In essence, the 2 bottom tiers will operate as large styrofoam cake stand.
If I were doing this cake, I would put each of the two top tiers on foamcore cake boards cut to the exact size of each tier (i.e. if the top is a 6" round it would be on a 6" piece of foamcore). I would stack those tiers, putting dowels in the second tier to support the top tier. I would then dowel those two together with a dowel that would penetrate both foamcore boards.
Depending on the design, I might just stack on site. I'd place the top set of real cakes on the styrofoam dummie cake/stand, and add the border and decoration. For extra security, I might even add a central dowel down through to the top styrofoam, if I was concerned about the cake being moved or if I thought it shift during the cutting.
As for stacking the two bottom tiers, you can either stick them together with royal icing or with hot glue. No dowels, cakeboards, or separator plates between layers are necessary unless to complete a look or design.
Rae
Thank you all for you help!
Rae, I give you special thanks. All of your suggestions answer every question I had. I feel better about assembling the tiers. The beauty of this cake is that fresh flowers will be added by the florist and the bride actually wants the frosting uneven almost messy to copy a picture she saw, and the tiers will be slightly offset (turned) so it should be very easy. Since the decorations are not a concern, for my convienience, I will stack at home but bring extra frosting in case of an emergency. Adding a dowel down the middle of the cake to stop any slipping during cutting is a great idea, I hadn't really thought of that either.
Thank you all again,
Julie
Ps. I have looked at all your photo's and you are all amazing. I can only hope to be that good with alot more practice. 
Happy to help, Julie 
Please post photos when the cake is completed.
Also, welcome to CC!
Rae
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