I am making a stacked cake that includes the following cake sizes 14", 12", 10", 8", and 6". How many dowel rods should I use for each layer. I am living in Germany right now and can't find the wood dowel rods anywhere and could only come up with square chop sticks. Any suggestions? Thanks!
I use 4 per tier, no matter what size the tier. I've seen the suggestion of one dowel per inch, but having been the person who has cut the cakes made by people who followed that guideline, let me tell that it turns the cake into swiss cheese, makes it very crumbly and difficult to cut.
In my pix, the towering inferno cake, I had a 16 inch dummy, followed by a 14, 12, 10, 8 and 6 inch dummy on top. I used the CK smart marker plastic thing to help me mark the dowels -- where they went and how many. I could look it up and tell you exactly how many I did on each tier, but if you have opportunity to buy the smart marker, I highly recommend it! 
Leah,
When you use the plate system can you still use 4 dowels per plate or does it have to be the pillars that fit those plates? I've only seen the taller pillars so can you use shorter ones if needed?
I've seen pegs and cake jacks but don't know if they fit those plastic plates. I ask because I have only seen the 7" pillars and the pegs and jacks are shorter at 3-4".
Thanks!
KimAZ
Leah,
When you use the plate system can you still use 4 dowels per plate or does it have to be the pillars that fit those plates? I've only seen the taller pillars so can you use shorter ones if needed?
I've seen pegs and cake jacks but don't know if they fit those plastic plates. I ask because I have only seen the 7" pillars and the pegs and jacks are shorter at 3-4".
Thanks!
KimAZ
Not Leah here, but I can help you (hope you don't mind Leah, maybe you can ask them if you can make a sticky faq!)
Dowel rods - NO!! That's the whole point of this system, absolutely no dowel rods. Yes, you purchase the pillars that fit the plates. For a stacked cake, I purchase the 4" pillars, part number GC-4S. There is no need for plate pegs or cake jacks.
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