Level = easy with the right tools.
1. An Agbay leveler/cake saw. Works like a charm and your cakes are perfectly level every time.
2. SPS (Single Plate System) NO dowels. Ever. Dowels = potential trouble.
3. Level (the tool) just to check things.

Because I use the SPS. Much better than dowels.

Yes of course you must support the cake.

But you can never really get dowels absolutely even, and they can shift inside the cake and then you have no support at all. With SPS there's no dowel cutting, and everything starts out even.

Thank you, leahs. That does make sense about the dowels. So can you explain what the single plate system exactly is? Sorry, this is all new to me. I appreciate the information.

SPS is made by BakeryCrafts. You do need to have a busienss license and probably a tax ID# to buy direct from them, but several retail outlets also sell it. www.sugarcraft.com is one such retail outlet.

SPS offers several different heights of legs. I use the GC-4s which is four inches tall. I bake my cake so that I can torte them (with my Agbay) to 7/8" tall, and with filling (4 layers cake + filling) all my tiers are 4" tall. That way I don't have to cut the legs. It is possible to cut the legs, but it's best to keep it simple and bake to height.

To make this easy to visualize, let's pretend you're doing a 6/10/14 tiered cake. Prepare your 14" cake on its base board as always. Take the 10 inch plate that has a little peg in the center of it and use the peg to poke a hole in a 10" cardboard. Use a skewer to slightly enlarge the hole in the cardboard. I always remove the collars from the underside of the plate and throw them away. That will make more sense when you have the plate in your hands. Use the ten inch plate to mark the top of the 14" cake for placement (centered) just like any other system. Next, jam the legs into the plate. They fit really tight. Now, push the plate and leg assembly into the 14" cake.

Place the 10" cake on the cardboard with the hole and prepare/decorate as usual. Use the 6" plate to punch a hole in a 6" cardboard and enlarge the hole slightly. Use the 6" plate to mark the top of the 10" cake. Jam the legs into the 6" plate and push the plate assembly into the 10" cake.

Put the 6" cake on the 6" cardboard and prepare/decorate as usual.

Now for assembly.

You should be looking at two cakes that have plates on their tops. Pick up the 10" cake with your hand or spatula, whichever is more comfortable for you. Place the far side of the cakeboard anywhere past the peg on the "receiving" 10" plate (which is sitting on the 14" cake.) Sliiiiiiide it into place, which means get the hole in the cardboard onto the peg. You'll hear a satisfying little whoosh. Repeat with the 6" cake.

Cautions: Always poke a hole in the cardboards first. You'll only forget that step once.

If you have put your plate and leg assemblies in centered, then you cake will be centered.

Always push the plate and leg assemblies into the cake before you stack them. The pushing can sometimes cause a blowout when the cake is already partially stacked.

You an carry a stacked cake easily, assuming that you can lift it. I have carried a four tier completely stacked. Went in the back of my SUV, through the back hall at the venue, up the freight elevator and down the hall and into the room. No problem, although we were really ready to put it down.

It's better to bake to the height of the legs. The legs aren't the easiest to cut (becasue they're sturdy) but you can cut them with a saw. Band saw or chop saws work best. Really, just make the cake 4" tall.

To make a cake with separations, just use taller legs. The legs come in 9" lengths and a multi-piece leg that can be 5", 7" or 9" depending on the number of extensions you use. You push the legs down thru the cake, creating air space/separation between the tiers. No plate will be sitting on top of the cake.

This system was developed for bakeries that don't offer delivery. It's made for consumers with no experience moving cakes, so you guys should be fine!!!

Thank you for that great explination of the plate system, but I feel like I am still missing something. What is the difference between this and a regular plate and leg system? Is it just the peg that holds the next cardboard round? Couldn't you just create a peg on a regular Wilton plate and get the same effect?

I'm sure I am missing something...just trying to figure out what.

Thanks,
Sarah

The legs do not fit tightly into the Wilton system with the hidden pillars. The Wilton hidden pillars also have to be cut.

The Wilton two plate system is much less stable.

And yes the little peg helps more than you'd think it would just looking at it, and no I can't really see how you'd add a peg with this much strength to a plate.

The SPS costs about half what Wilton does.

Thank you leahs! I've learned so much from your posts! I'm definitely looking into this system.

I had my husband by me a level at home depot a few days ago- but the level itself wasn't level!

You mentioned you also use a level- any specific kind?
I'm going to check out sugarcraft.com

Thanks!

This was very helpful information on the SPS. I went to the website and it is not very expensive, either. I was wondering if you would mind posting a picture of one of the cakes that uses this system? I know you don't have your pictures on CC, but if you don't mind posting one or guiding us to where we could see a cake that is set using this system? Thank for all your help.

Never mind, leahs. I went to your website and saw all your simply amazing work ~ Wow! and I think I will be looking into purchasing this system. Thanks for all your help! Bernadette

Thanks! I think I have it figured out now!

leah, do u get ur plates back, or let them keep them?

Sounds fabulous...Mind you ..I am alittle lost. Think I have to read it again and again....I am a visual person...Need pictures..HEHE.

Leah, why is it necessary to use the cardboard when you are using the plate system? Can't the cake sit directly on the plastic plate?

Imnot leah, but I was just on a site looking at them and it says not recommended to decorate directly on the plate

I'm glad i came across this post. it's been helpful.
Thanks for all the information provided here!

Kat

Why you can't decorate the cake directly on the plate:
1. primarily because the plate and legs are already in the bottom "receiving" cake.
2. And you have to pick up the cake to put it on top of the "receiving "plate. You need the cardboard under the cake to pick it up.

There are pics on my website, but a cake stacked with SPS doesn't look any different than any other stacked cake. Well, except that its centered and travels well.

Thanks leahs. This helps a lot.

Thanks a lot for explaining.