I am making a carousel cake for my neice and I want to make it all out of cake if possible.
I was going to make the base a single layer 8" the center part 2 stacked 4" and the top a carved double layer 8".
If I put straws in the 4" center cake and wooden dowels ( with the horses on them ) around the center will that support the weight of the top 8" cake?

I might use something stronger than straws and make sure to space them out (not all bunched in the middle) but I think it could work. What about using plastic dowels? I think that would give more support than the straws.