I'm making a 10" purse cake to match my granddaughter's party decorations and need some guidance, please. Picture of what the cake will look like is below.

Can I just stack layers that high before sculpting? Or will I need to put a cake board half way up? Seems like a board would would sure mess up the sculpting!

Let's try that attachment again!

I don't see why you would need to. I would put a couple dowels in it though.

I'm not really sure how big the purse you are making is actually going to be (10" long?) but here's a picture of a purse cake that I did and the base was started from a 7"X11" sheet cake. http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_624803.html This cake was carved from 3 layers of cake and I did put a cake board in between the 2 and 3 layers and I'm glad I did since it did have to travel about 1/2 an hour for delivery!

I made a shopping bag cake ( in my photos) It was 4 layers and I put a board between layer 2 and 3 just like Mencked. I generally use the same rule for carved cakes that I use for any stascked cake a board every 2 layers for stability.

Thanks, ladies! Sure am glad you guys are around for those of us who have questions--much better to find out beforehand than as an "uh-oh"!

Makes sense to use cakeboards--otherwise you'd be cutting thru four or five layers!

I'll plan on 3 layers on bottom, cakeboard, then 2 more layers. That should be a nice size cake! (Obviously, I will carve the cake and then go back and insert cakeboards, right?)

Lots of sugar for those little 9 year olds at a slumber party! Glad the party is not at my house!

This is great info, thanks for asking that question, because I wanted to experiment with it myself. Do you just stack or carve first before putting the boards in? I'm new to carving, sorry if it sounds stupid.

I'm making a purse cake that's tall like the shopping bag granpam made. How do you keep it from tipping?

paulstonia I used a dowel in the middle just like you would in a tiered cake. hope I'm not too late to help.

Thanks, not to late I putting it together tomorrow. Wish me luck