My cakes tiers are really tall, I think. Most 2-layer cakes I make are too tall to fit in the boxes that come from the local bakery supply place. I overfill my pans so I get a solid 2 inch layer of cake, by the time I finish frosting it the cake is 4.75 inches tall, then add in the 1/2 inch board. It's really tall.

Are your cakes that tall and I'm over-reacting, or should I be trimming the layers to 1.5 inches thick?

I have a 4 tier wedding cake to make for Valentines day, and I want to use the 1/2 inch foamcore underneath each tier as support (if I can find it) because I've already tried the 1/4 and what an improvement in stability (magic!), but I feel like the cake will be too tall.

Of course, maybe there is no such thing as a "too tall" wedding cake

Thanks for your thoughts!!

Stephanie Still Learning

I think mine are about 4 inches. But you really can't go wrong with the height of a cake. Just make sure that you are charging more, if you are making a cake that tall.

I charge per serving, per height of cake. Typically, I am always under my height so I end up having to bake another layer. I've got the opposite problem of you!

mine end up about 4.75 high per tier with the fomecore under it

A cake can be TOO tall. If it is too tall, it will not fit on the small plates! Trust me, I know...

Mine are about 4.75 inches also with foamcore. I think that is about how tall they are when you use 2 inch pans and make sure each cake is 2in high when cut.

mine are 4.75 inches tall too... of course its because I use Sugarshacks technique

I like my layers tall, to me it looks more professional. But it all depends on design. imho.

As much as I try to make mine tall (because I think they look alot better) I just can't. Something must be wrong with me. Well I bake my cakes to be atleast 2 in each layer but I end up cutting some off to even out then I add thin layer of frosting because it's seeps out the sides even if I have a dam. Well practice makes perfect. Hopefully I'll be better one day. By the way where do you get the foamcore?

I can't stress Sugarshacks videos enough on dams.

You make the BC really THICK and fill properly and let the cakes settle. It makes ALL the difference. I think the DVD is 25 bux and so worth it. you will learn soooooo much.

sometimes my cakes get up to 5 - 5.25 because I tort the layers, or my foam core is thick .

I got both the Buttercream and Stacking dvd's from Sugarshack in January.

I bow down to her

What a difference! I highly recommend them. They're worth every penny and then some.

Now if only I could figure out where to buy the 1/2 inch foam core.

Michaels has foamcore in the art section.

I couldn't believe it when I found this thread this morning. My brother ordered a cake for one of his customers with their company logo on it. He was very pleased with the cake, but when I put it in the container, the cake ALMOST touched the top of the lid. (I used the clear plastic lids). I told him to be VERY careful removing the lid -- even cut it off if he had to. I am very anxious to hear how it went -- I didn't know until last night that the cake will be their dessert at a very formal presentation today. From now on, I will trim the layers (just a little bit).

There is actually more to this story that I must share. I iced the cake and printed the edible image before leaving for my real job yesterday morning. I went straight to church after work and then straight home to finish the cake. The first thing I did was the bottom border, and I guess because I still had the bag in my hand -- i did the top border. It was the most perfect border I have done and I even considered taking a picture of it. Then reality hit -- I had not put the edible image on it. DRAT

what thickness foamcore do you use??

I'm not sure if the foamcore thickness question was for me or not.... All I had was a decorative foil covered board. They are thicker than my plain Wilton cake boards, but they are not the foam core boards.

Sugarshack's DVD recommends 1/2 inch.

My local craft (AC Moore & Michaels & JoAnns) & independent hobby stores only sell 1/4 inch.

However, I just found an art supply store in Providence that sells 1/2 inch, so I am golden now.

I tried the 1/4 inch, wrapped plastic wrap, for an 8 over 10 inch square stacked birthday cake I made last weekend, and it made a remarkable difference in the stability of the cake. So I can't wait to see what a difference the 1/2 does, especially because I am using it for a 4 tier wedding cake next Saturday.

Do you wrap the foamboard in saran wrap and then cover cake and bosrd in bc? Also, how hard is foamboard to cut?

GO to Sugarshacks blog, she says on there where to but the foamcore... I think it is called sturdy board

I've used the foamcore for my smaller wedding cakes, but for the larger ones (like the 4 tier, according to their sizes) I use foil-coverd plywood. I also use foam core under cakes that have edible images on them. It keeps the image from wrinkling when moved.