Do I Need To Cover Cake Boards For Between Layers?
Decorating By am2pm Updated 3 Oct 2007 , 4:08am by GI
I'm going to be making a "toybox cake" tomorrow and need to know if I have to cover the cardboard cake board that will sit on top the sheet cake. I'm new to all this (start class 2 next week) and have gotten carried away by all the wonderful cakes and decorators on this site. Also, how do I dowel this structure thru the cardboard into the bottom cake?See, I told you I'm new to all this!
Peggy
You'll get a 50/50 split on this question. I never cover the boards that are under the cakes. (Not counting the bottom base board which of course is covered.)
As for doweling, the dowels go in the bottom cake and the cardboard holding the cake above sits on top of them.
I dont' cover the ones you don't see... the board that the cake is actually sitting on is covered.
HTH 
I have always covered my cake boards, since I had a cake collapse when the cake board got soggy. If you don't have a really moist cake and a light/small upper tier, you're probably fine either way.
I figure it takes me about a minute to cover the board, so better safe than sorry.
When you need to dowel through the cake board, for example a long dowel through the whole cake when transporting, you can sharpen the dowel with a CLEAN pencil sharpener. Push the dowel through the top cake tier, and stop when it comes to the cardboard. Then, use a small mallet to tap the dowel through the cardboard, then gently push the rest of the way into the cake.
Thanks everyone. Since it is a lighter cake and a small tier, I think I'll just pass on the covering.
leahs, thanks for the dowel explanation. Never could find that out on a search. Also, have been reading your posts on the SPS system and believe you will have another convert. I have 2 anniversary cakes to do this winter so I think I'll just learn to use this way right from the beginning
I also looked up the agbay leveler and told my husband that is what I wanted for Christmas. He just laughed and said free cakes don't bring in the kind of money to help pay for that. LOL
Really appreciate all your help. My cakes from last weekend turned out really well and I have so many to thank from this site for the tips, help and ideas. I never knew you could do what you all do with cake!
Thanks again,
Peggy
Nowadays I always cover the cake boards that separate tiers - I had an issue at one point where I had forgotten to brush off the cardboard before stacking a cake with white icing - when they disassembled it to be cut, there were cardboard shavings all over the icing on the bottom tier where the circle had been! Needless to say, they were offput, and I had to make things right with a free cake.
Also, for any future cakes you make which are muti-tiered, it's always helpful to stake the cake by driving a sharpened wooden dowel (the same height of your cake) through the entire thing. Hope this helps!
When you need to dowel through the cake board, for example a long dowel through the whole cake when transporting, you can sharpen the dowel with a CLEAN pencil sharpener. Push the dowel through the top cake tier, and stop when it comes to the cardboard. Then, use a small mallet to tap the dowel through the cardboard, then gently push the rest of the way into the cake.
Pencil sharpener! 
duh! I couldn't figure out people were sharpening their dowels and I don't have a dremel. When you have a dowel hit the 'very last tier on the very bottom', how far into the board do you push the dowel?
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