I'm going to attempt my first TT tomorrow (gulp!!) for my daughter's going away party. I figure it's as good a time as any to try it -- at least she's family and will still love me if it falls over?!! 
Anyway, can anyone share tips on how to cut and serve it? Since the tiers are really tall and taper from the top down to the bottom, the pieces will be oddly-shaped won't they? Thanks in advance.
I recently attended a birthday party that had a topsy turvy cake. The caterer "disassembled" the cake (starting at the top tier), and sliced each tier individually. Hope this helps.
Bev
When serving TT cakes, I disassemble and cut each tier separately. I cut the taller pieces a little thinner since they have more cake height (otherwise it will be a massive amount of cake!). Have fun! 
Well, I did it!!! It was actually a lot of fun to make. I realize that it's not a masterpiece compared to everything else here on CC, but I'm very happy with it! It was going to be 3-tiered. So, I baked all of the scratch devil's food cakes for the bottom tier, but they were starting to crumble as I was carving them. So, I didn't even attempt to use that tier -- I just settled on 2. They are WASC and were very easy to work with. Here's the photo:
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1383571
I had wondered about serving them too!! When I had to do my first one for a weddding I wasn't sure what to allow each tier to serve, I ended up just going with my regular numbers which gave them some extra.
I just found out that when it came time to serve the cake, the mother of the bride didn't get anyone to, so the guests finally just started serving themselves. The first lady, along with her child, started to cut there peice, not sure where from, but the cakes fell. I was told that about 1/2 cake went into the floor. I feel awful, not sure what happened so I don't really know if it was my fault or not...
I didn't mean to hijack your thread. I'm sorry.
You cakes looks awesome!!
Katie 
You're cake came out great. I have been examining the TT cakes for about 3 weeks now. i havent had the courage to try it until now. I am planning on making one this weekend for practice. I can get by the whole stacking, filing and icing part. It is the slicing of the cake that i do not really understand. I read the suggestions aboive which make sense, the only thing that i am still lost on is the supportive dowells in the cake. How do we cut around them?
Since you did your TT cake recently, i was wondering if you can give me tips on serving.
Thanks in advance.
I just finished my first one today. Hands down the funnest cake I have ever done! I just did a small one. I thought I'd share this you tube from Jannelles cakes--it is so good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHY_F53ClJ8&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fjanellscakes.blogspot.com%2F&feature=player_embedded
as for cutting.........don't know......I'll let my SIL worry about that one
ikajo309, I just did my best. I took an extra plate with me so that when I removed the top tier I would have somewhere to set it. (Remember to lift the tierstraight up because of the wooden dowel in the center.) I sliced that up first and, yes, the pieces were pretty tall so I cut them thinner than a normal cake slice. The bottom tier is the one with the support dowels. You just have to do your best to cut around them or, if you can see them as you slice, pull them out. HTH and please show us a photo when you make it!!
That goes for you, too, tonimarie -- where's the photo?? I'd LOVE to see it!!!
sorry here's the pic link!
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1387018&sub=1387023&done=1
your cake came out fantastic. BTW i am in the middle of making my first topsy turvy. It is definitley a piece of work, but im sure with practice, it will get easier as does everything else.
I'm not sure if i will decorate it today, but i am for sure going to try covering it fondant right now.
keep your fingers crossed
JGMB- Your cake looks great......I was just looking at this thread-paying attention to the dates (duh!) and realized that you had already done your first one and posted in this thread......I was thinking you were making it yesterday and it would be on today or tomorrow. Anyways you did a great job on that mardi gras cake. I would love to try one in buttercream instead of fondant-I love fondant, but everyone around my area Hates it! I thought buttercream might be to hard to even try, but you did great!
So....anyone know what they really serve?? I just got a request today for one for 80 people. I quoted $9.00 a serving for the sheer hassle...they didn't exactly balk at it either, I thought for sure that number would scare them off.
I mean, it looks pretty straight forward, but the parts of the cake you cut off, the part inside you carve out, then the slicing thinner and thicker in places...throws me off completely!
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