I have to make a 4 tier cake tomorrow and I know that I need to use wooden dowels, but for boards I just have silver covered boards that are usually used for cakes. Can I us these or should the boards be really thin? Where do you usally get these dowels for the centre? I found just a 12 inch dowel at bulk barn. Do you have a problem putting the dowel through the boards?
THANKS !!
Are you talking about the thin cardboard type? I have only ever used the ones mentioned and have had no problems getting the sharpened dowel right through with minimal "tapping". How tall is your cake going to be? I get dowels from Wal-Mart (craft section) or a home improvement store. They come in long legnths and I cut them to the desired size. HTH
Elle
For me, it is harder to cover a square cake with fondant.
you can get cake boards at Michaels, joanns, hobby lobby or walmart. They come in a pack of six and you want to use them for each tier. Same goes for wooded dowel rods. The boards need to be the same size as your tiers so their is no cardboard sticking out the side of the layers. As far as fondant goes, I have only used fondant on a round cake and had no problems 
For that amount of weight you need to get those board that are really thick I think there like 3 triple ply cardboard put together. I buy those at me local Hobby Store. But, I have seen them at Micheal's in packs of 2. I do have a hard time putting the dowel rod through all the way. But, I've gotten the hang of it I learn thought not to do the decorating on the top layer till I have the dowel in. That way you don't knick the boarder.
I have to make a 4 tier cake tomorrow and I know that I need to use wooden dowels, but for boards I just have silver covered boards that are usually used for cakes. Can I us these or should the boards be really thin? Where do you usally get these dowels for the centre? I found just a 12 inch dowel at bulk barn. Do you have a problem putting the dowel through the boards?
THANKS !!
if you are talking the 1/2 " thick silver foil boards, youre going to be tapping pretty hard with a hammer to get it through each tier. i would suggest you go to hobby lobby, michaels, joanns fabric, party city or even walmart and buy the cardboard cake rounds. you can also buy a large piece of foam core board at any of those stores and cut your own shapes based on the sizes you need. i buy dowels at walmart , they are 36 " long, i wipe them clean with vodka and then measure, cut, sharpen one end and push all the way through to the bottom baseboard. push through one cake, twist and push through the board , repeat until you get to the base, or gently tap through with a hammer.
i find covering rounds with fondant are easier in the begining. you dont have the corners to worry about.
as rendee said, you'll also need to put dowels in each tier to hold up the cake above it (one dowel for every 2 inches or so), as well as the center dowel through all tiers. sounds like you could have used a trial run! good luck, let us know how it turns out.
For that amount of weight you need to get those board that are really thick I think there like 3 triple ply cardboard put together. I buy those at me local Hobby Store. But, I have seen them at Micheal's in packs of 2. I do have a hard time putting the dowel rod through all the way.
this is really only necessary for the base. the others are fine to be one layer of cardboard, but foam core is sturdier, yet still easy to dowel.
I"m trying to picture your cake. You said 20" tall I would use a cake board about every 4 in Just dowel under each board I've never ran dowels through a cake that tall you just want to stablize each tier. Can you see what I'm trying to say. Then your bottom tier should be on a very strong board. I sometimes glue 3 layers of foam core board for base.
You can get 36" tall dowels at any hardware store. Make sure you wash them throroughly before inserting into cake. for the central dowel, sharpen one end and drive it through the entire cake.
The 12" dowels you bought will be cut down to support each tier under the cardboards.
I suggest you visit the Wilton site for help w/ stacking... http://www.wilton.com/wedding/makecake/building/dowelrod/index.cfm
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