I'm A Beginner And I Need Help......quickly!!!
Decorating By Makanda Updated 22 Jul 2007 , 5:05am by geeyanna
I'm trying to do a stacked, square cake using 8", 9" and 10" pans. I've never done a 3-tier stacked before. Here are my questions:
1. Do I use those plastic separators with legs for more support or can I just use cardboard?
2. All the cake boards I can find are round. Do I use round ones with square cakes?
3. Any ideas on how to make the cake look like a building? (The theme is Spiderman and I want him crawling up the building).
Oh, by the way, the birthday party's tomorrow...so...any help on ANY of these things would be much appreciated because I'm making the cake tonight. Sorry these questions are so basic for most of you but could you p-p-p-please help?!
Thanks! 
1) either -- tho' plates and pillars are stronger
2) yes can use round plates w/ square -- match to size of square (9" round for 9" square) and use an additional cake board cut cut square -- corners will overhang plate just a bit
3) just draw building designs on the sides or make cookies that look like buildings.
and be sure to look in the galleries -- only 13 pages of ideas on spiderman!
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PS -- W E L C O M E !!!!!
to your new addiction
Not sure what kind of cake boards you have,
foam coreboard is a good choice, sturdy and you can cut to fit
...but you have to place dowels cut to the depth of the cake before placing each tier onto the next one.
Hope this makes sense and helps...
Good luck, and WELCOME!!!
Here's some Wilton info on stacking cakes:
http://www.wilton.com/wedding/makecake/building/index.cfm
An option instead of wooden dowels is sturdy plastic straws. I like bubble tea straws the best, but if you can't get those quickly, Starbucks, Panera and McDonalds straws are all pretty good.
Happy baking,
Don't forget to use dowels on your first and sencond cake for support, if you do not use the pilars.
I have also used lolly pop sticks instead of the wood dowels. They are just as strong, more to a package and they were cheaper
Here's some Wilton info on stacking cakes:
http://www.wilton.com/wedding/makecake/building/index.cfm
An option instead of wooden dowels is sturdy plastic straws. I like bubble tea straws the best, but if you can't get those quickly, Starbucks, Panera and McDonalds straws are all pretty good.
What are bubble tea straws? I have my first stacked cake coming up for my sister's wedding. Reading everything I can find that might help me! Thanks!
What are bubble tea straws? I have my first stacked cake coming up for my sister's wedding. Reading everything I can find that might help me! Thanks!
They are wide diameter straws usually found in Asian groceries and look like these: http://www.bubbleteasupply.com/store/store.php3?item_id=2
some discussion of straws vs. dowels
http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-373143-bubble.html+tea+straws
http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-72551-bubble.html+tea+straws
http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-254181-bubble.html+tea+straws
http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-219871-bubble.html+tea+straws
http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-207961-bubble.html+tea+straws
http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-176411-bubble.html+tea+straws
http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-44503-bubble.html+tea+straws
http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-28065-bubble.html+tea+straws
http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-21357-bubble.html+tea+straws
Sandi, I think these straws are the best thing since sliced bread! Strong, but easy to cut. I could never get dowels even!
For wedding cakes, I put the straws in at home and then stack on site.
Thanks, looks like I'll be getting some!! 
Nice and inexpensive alternative to the dowels, eh? My husband just doesn't understand what I do on here "all day"---learning, laughing, drooling!! 
I use dowels (straws) and separator plates made of cardboard or foam core board. The one time I used only the dowels without the separator boards my second layer started sinking into my first layer. Had the party been 3 hours later my cake would have been about an inch shorter...lol.
Hi Makanda,
As someone already said you can use foamcore board. You should be able to find it at Walmart in the arts and crafts section. If not you can make boards out of card board and glue them together to make them more sturdy. Whatever kind of board you use you can cut it in the shape of a square. For your support in the cake you can use wooden dowels to be sure they hold. You can get these at Walmart too. When I'm in a crunch I go to Walmart Supercenter because they're open 24 hours.
This site is a great place to go for ideas of how to decorate the cake with your theme.
Good Luck!!!
Welcome to CC...your new addiction, for which there is no 12-step program! 
I've been buying my foamcore board at Dollar Tree for $1 a sheet ... amazing bargain. I usually buy a bunch at a time.
Oh my goodness, you have a long night ahead of you, if you are doing this cake for tomorrow! 
I am eager to see the pictures! Have fun working on it!
SugarFrosted,
No way! The Dollar Store for foamcore board?? I'm definitely checking that out. Any place I can save money is the place for me. There should be a place with a listing of stores/places to go to save money when buying cake decorating/baking supplies.
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