I've been asked to do a cake for a luncheon after a family memorial service. I'm really new to cake decorating so I'm pretty nervous about this
I was thinking of doing a sheetcake then putting another cake on top the shape of a cross.
Do you ALWAYS use a cake board on any type of stacked cake? Do I also need to stabalize it more with dowels?
Any and all suggestions are extemely welcome 
It just depends on how stable my bottom cake is and how heavy my top cake is and how long between assembling and serving. For me, typically, I would not board and dowel what you described.
I don't ALWAYS use a cake board but on something like this I most likely would...especially if the cross if one flavor and the sheet cake is another flavor. It's just easier when it comes time to cutting and serving the cake. The "cross" could be lifted off and cut and served rather than trying to cut through the whole thing.
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