Ugly Seperator Plates, Pretty Pillars. Oh, The Quandry.
Decorating By modthyrth Updated 20 Sep 2006 , 4:47am by cupcake
I'm a big fan of stacked cakes, in large part because I'm not a fan of plastic pillars. Ugly, cheap looking things, in the main. But I do, on occasion, want the pillar look, so I decided to jazz up a set of pillars. I bought this set of pillars, because I liked the clean lines. 2 1/2 inch size. 
I'm in the process of completely encrusting them in Swarovski rhinestones. Oooh, sparkly fun. Now they're getting gorgeous and are worthy of being paired with a fabulous cake. But here's the problem: they require a bleeping ugly plastic seperator plate construction method! I hate hate hate seeing that plastic plate on the lower layer, like this:
Don't mar my (I hope) gorgeous cake and new fabulous pillars by forcing it to rest on... shudder... ugly plastic. I suppose I could cover that in rhienstones, too. But really, now, that seems over the top. (did I just say that? Can you ever have too many rhinestones? Maybe it's just that I'm too lazy to do that much glueing.)
I'd love to know if anyone has secrets for covering that lower layer. I work almost exclusively in fondant. Am I crazy to think of setting the seperator plate into the buttercream underlayer and then trying to apply the fondant top layer, poking the "feet" through the fondant?
I like the idea of you covering the plate with fondant (cause I agree I dont like the plate look) but never having used fondant yet will it just make the top of the cake look bumpy?
Please post a pic of what you come up with though...I am really interested to see it!
I hate that plastic look too. Can't WAIT to see the "diamond" pillars 
Wonder of you could cut out a fondant circle for the inside of the plate and then somehow pipe buttercream, then pat it smooth-or how about this-make a template and then cut the "outside" pieces from fondant, fit them around the center circle, and smooth the lines where they join with a damp artists brush? Good luck, and please post pics of your finished pillars...
In Scott Clark Woolley's book he shows how he makes his own pillars and plates. He covered foam core board with fondant and uses nails through the back side to hold the fondant covered dowels that he uses as pillars. I think you would be able to cover a wilton plate with fondant. Maybe use water or piping gel to get it to stick. An experiment!! Let us know what you end up doing, I would love to know.
They don't make the new pretty pillars as a push-in set.
You can't do the plate under your normal fondant - how would they cut the cake? What about putting some flowers or what not on top of the bottom separator plate? I would say use the smooth edged plates (those are new, along with the pillars). Perhaps go with the spray paint (as long as it is food safe once dried) in a slightly contrasting color.
I hate the double plate setup myself. I'd rather do a stacked or the push-in myself. (I'm just now getting around to liking a stacked construction LOL)
What about gold leafing or silver leafing the plates?? I don't know how well it would adhere to it, but you may ask someone that would know about specific glues that would work on plastic. Oh and I don't know what would be food safe either. You don't have to do the whole plate, only the part that shows.
Good luck. Svwaraski crystals?! We're talking the bling bling of cake pillars! Please post a photo so we can see this fab creation of yours!
Cover your cake with fondant as usual, but then cover the seperator plate in matching fondant, letting the little feet pierce through. This should look very nice, and not as obvious. I have also just covered them with flowers and stuff and that looks better, too!
Edited to add: I have wrapped some pillars with rhinestone strings, but haven't used them yet. Some people are afraid of the bling. Not me... I want it all to sparkle. I think I will make a dummy cake with them just so people can see what they are missing! It's awesome!
OOOOOOO you would get along so good with my daughter, she just turned nine and her grandmother in CA sent her a "bedazzler" and she said "now i can make everything shiny!" and she has bedazzled everything in the house that is not nailed down including her girl scout sash~ way to go have your own sense of style!
NOw that said, i do have an idea that no one has mentioned, bear in mind its just and idea and i have not tried it, but what if you were to use dowels INSIDE the pillars and have them extend down into the cake like push in pillars? maybe secure them on the inside of the pillars with a glob of fondant or some floral clay so they dont wiggle, and push them down into the cake like spiked pillars, it might be worth a shot? especially if its a small tier on top. Godo luck with whatever you come up with!
Liking it shiny too~
Rose
PS- off topic, anyone know where to get refills for the bedazzler? lol
Oh, how I love this site. Love love love. You guys have given me some magnificent ideas. The mirror idea is inspired--I'll bet I could fashion the upside down "legs" that secure the pillars and epoxy them to the mirror. Make my own fabulouso seperator plates.
Rosie--your idea for modifying the pillars to actually be push-ins but appear to be the other kind is wonderful, too. I could totally make that. My only problem is that I seldom end up with cakes the same height twice. Maybe I could fashion some sort of disposable pillar system, so the internal structure could be cut to the precice height each time. hmmm.
Silver leaf, fondant covering just the plate, so many fun ideas to play with! You guys are incredible.
I have for years done different covering for columns, and plates. I've covered columns in chocolate adding chocolate filagrees, put material, pearls, crystals, ribbons anything that you can imagine. As for the plates, I will use the smooth edge one with the same size board that the cake is on and put ribbons around both, you can of course add different things to the side to flash it up. It is always fun to come up with new ideas.
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