Okay, after many yrs of doing birthday and other cakes I decided to take on my first wedding cake. The wedding is this weekend, and now I am freaking out just alittle. I have done 2 tiered cakes for birthday parties, and always just used wooden dowel rods in the cake and sat the cake directly on top, never any kinda support that would go through the center of both cakes.
Now that I am reading all the info on here I am terrified!! I am doing a 14", 10" and 6" squared wedding cake, I will not be traveling with it assembled. I will assemble it at the reception hall. Do I need that center support? or is that for transportation purposes? I read about SPF, however, I don't have time to order that, and is that the same as The hidden pillars? I have used them before and hated them. It took chucks of cake out, Big holes. Not very nice looking to me and wasted cake. Would I be okay with the method I have always used? Wilton dowel rods for support? Any input would be greatly apprecitated!

Hi!
There is a video on youtube called asembling a wedding cake

If you are assembling on site, just dowel like normal with cake boards inbetween. No support dowel needed, unless you are going to be moving the cake around.

I would do what you know. Now is not the time (this close to the event) to start trying new things. Stick to your plan and you will be fine! First time jitters are natural!

Good Luck!

Stephanie

Thank you, and the jitters did not start until today!

I used wood dowels for a 3 tier squared cake once with no problem. If you are assembling it at the location I wouldn't even worry about it.

I used wood dowels for a 3 tier squared cake once with no problem. If you are assembling it at the location I wouldn't even worry about it.

At this point, I would agree to do what you know. NEXT cake, though, try SPS.

I will have to disagree with you about the W hidden pilalrs taking out a large amount of cake, though. Yes, each one is larger than a dowel, but collectively, I don't think they remove any more cake than using a lot of dowels. And anyway, the goal here is *supporting* the cake. And not worrying about how much cake is displaced. That should just not be a concern.

I appreciate your replys, any helpful tips on applying the ribbon around the bottom borders? I have a burgandy grosgrain ribbon to go on each tier, I fear the icing may spot through.

You're using real ribbon?

Yes, it is a real ribbon.

Yes, it is a real ribbon.

Some people will put contact paper on the back or iron it onto wax paper and the wax paper will prevent grease bleed through. I am making my first cake with a real ribbon and I am going to test the wax paper procedure this weekend and see how it works. My wedding cake is Dec. 20 so let me know what you did and how it worked for you.

So the wax paper will stick to the ribbon? That is a neat trick.

As for the ribbon, I use clear contact paper and of course, you just trim it down the edges...it also stiffens it up a bit as well...

Good luck on your first cake. I was the same way with my first wedding cake, which was my step daughters....HUGH cake for my first one...she said the bigger the better..