I have a friend that wants a 5 tier cake but only needs 4 tiers. Does anyone know how to make a dummy that will stand up to the weight

THANKS

Sure. Buy a cake dummy and then decorate it like the cake. I'd put the dummy on the bottom. You can get dummies here - www. dallas foam online .com

unless you don't need all that much cake, then maybe you want to use a dummy on the bottom, and you just put supports in that dummy as you would if it were cake, and thats your support hth

You don't actually have to put supports in the styro cake dummy. It is strong enough to support the upper layers w/o doweling. The doweling may actually affect the structural integrity of the styro.

To be honest, it will probably cost as much to make one as it is to buy one. They're really pretty cheap. If there's a ckae supply store in your area they probably carry them. If not, ask at a bakery - they may be willing to sell one to you.

I think globalsugarart.com has them pretty darn cheap, I get mine from there every time I place another supply order.

A caker in another city near me makes hers out of pink insulation board. She uses a hotknife and a hand saw. IMO it's too much work, but she gets several dummies out of one sheet.

Theresa

I've never decorated a cake dummy and would like to try. Do you cover it with something first so you can re-use it? Or do you only use them once? Also, do you normally just do fondant? or buttercream too?

Some folks cover them with plastic wrap so they can be re-used. I don't know how they keep the wrinkles from showing through. Maybe someone will share their secret with us today.

Theresa

Check this out: http://www.dallas-foam.com/store/cakedummies.html