Okay, so I wanted to try doing a whimsical cake. I want to make one for my mom for her birthday. I think I know what I did wrong with this in a few areas, but please tell me if there are more. Here's what I know:

I used 3 pans all the same size...The bottom didn't look THAT bad, but the top looked horrible...it was three 6 in cakes and it looked like it wanted to fall.

I didn't support it. This is just a cake for the house, so I didn't think it would be too heavy, it's not a big deal though (for this one!)

fondant would be better than buttercream...

Like I said, not sure if I covered it all or not. I can tell that the upper cake is smooshing, not sure if you can from the photo (I didn't look at the photo before uploading).

Thanks for your help! I ordered a 7in pan today...that's the only odd that I didn't have.

I havent done any t opsy turvy cakes, but I think you answered your own question. I think it really needs to be supported. It looks as if the top cake is sliding right off the bottom cake. A central dowel would have secured it in place. Oh well, that is how we learn, right?

......three 6 in cakes and it looked like it wanted to fall.... didn't support it... fondant would be better than buttercream...

Ok. three 6" cakes is going to be a very top heavy cake since there is not enough base for the tallness. You must support any cake over 4 or 5" tall....you say you didn't put any support at all in there. Your angle is much too steep. It should be abut 1/2 what you have there. How did you create the tilt?
Fondant would not been any better.....if anything it will make the cake heavier so more supoort would be needed.

....A central dowel would have secured it in place........
UUUmmmmm NO it probably would not. It needs suport under it.

Another bit of advise that I saw on another post.....
once the top is slanted on your bottom cake, using a cake board or even pan, mark the size of your top cake into the bottom cake and actually carve out the higher part of the cake so that your top cake is sitting down into the bottom cake, this way the top cake is not really resting on a slant which will cause it to slip even with a dowel....then carve the slant into the top cake and frost.

I hope this makes sense - if not I think better instructions are here on CC somewhere! I'm still too chicken to try a whimsical cake, but when I do get the nerve - this is the method that sounds the easiest!

I've made two topsy-turvy cakes- they are posted in my pics here- using the instructions here on CC, which are awesome instructions. I woudl highly recommend using that technique.

The "tiki" topsy-turvy cake I did was all buttercream and it actually held up better than the one covered in fondant.

Haha...the funny thing Kathy is that it really isn't supposed to be sitting on a slant, it's carved out in the middle, but I took the picture this morning AFTER the gravity set in.

Kakeladi-My thoguhts on Fondant being better that BC was because I just thought it would look a little smoother. I didn't support it thinking it would be fine, and it was last night. Since I was just practicing (and really didnt' feel like icing it...but didnt' want to hear dh's mouth) I didn't put a lot into the support. If I were doing a "real" one, I would definitely support it...I'm looking into the sps. As for the slant on the top, I just cut on an angle and then put the big sides together (like the tutorial says).

Albumangel-I definitely like those instructions. I am waiting now for my 7 in round to arrive so I can follow them more precisely. I was also too lazy to chill in between steps, so I think the BC was a little soft.

I think all in all what I'm going to try next time is less of a slant on the top tier, graduated pans, support...and perhaps a little more "desire" to do the cake in the first place. Thanks ladies, you all are SO awesome!

Keyshia

[quote="kakeladi


....A central dowel would have secured it in place........
UUUmmmmm NO it probably would not. It needs suport under it.[/quote]

I meant in addition to support underneath.

However, I see now that she carved the cake out instead of it actually being on an angle. I thought the "cakey" part I saw was the cake sliding, but it is where it was carved.

I think I really just needed to be supported underneath.