I have never had a customer pick up a stacked cake before. I've always just built it on site.

I know all about running a dowel through it, but I have two problems with that. fist, how do they unstack them with no cake knowledge at the party? And, two, this is a barbie cake and I'm going to use a real barbie. So, where will I put the dowel? It's probably just going to be a 12 in round or square bottom layer with an 8in with a wonder mold on top.

I'd LOVE some help!! I don't have the time or money for the SPS. I don't make enough cakes to make it worth it.

TIA ~Mindy

Mindy, If you're going to use two size cakes you are probably going to use the dowel method for stacking the cakes and then carve? Your Barbie, will be your dowel. You will be making a hole in the middle of the cake to fit the doll use an empty roll of paper towel to put in hole you'll make and your barbie goes in there so it doesn't get dirty. It should hold up just fine.
HTH

Thanks for you help! But my doweling question is between the two cakes. The barbie cake it self will sit on an 8 in board, I will use dowels cut to length in the 12 in tier under it. But, I'm worried about Barbie sliding off or tipping over. I can figure out how to run a Big dowel through both cakes. And if I did, how they would remove it at the party.

I would run a dowel through the whole thing. You just need to explain to them how to take it apart. if they can not pull the dowel out of the top first then tell them to take a spatula under the 8" cake board and lift it off the the cake and dowel. Then they can pull the dowel out before cutting the bottom tier. I always try to give directions to my clients on carved or miss shaped cakes.

But, where do I put the dowel, since Barbie will be occupying the space where it should go.

I guess I have never done a barie cake before (so you use the entire doll?).

If you didnt want to dowel it, maybe you could cover the cake in fondant before doing your decorations in buttercream? that would keep the two tiers from sliding. I am assuming with the shape that the top tier is not going to be really big or anything??

Do you just shove the whole doll in the cake?

Yes, I am using a full sized barbie. She will go through the whole top tier. Which will consist of an 8 inch round and a wonder mold. That top (barbie) tier will sit on top of a 12 inch round or square (I haven't decided which will look best yet. Maybe I can do a short dowel between her legs?

I did a barbie cake for my niece out of a pyrex bowl and an 8 inch round. I wrapped Barbie in saran wrap and pushed her into the hole I had carved through both layers when the cake was semi-frozen.

Your cake sounds taller than mine so could you run the dowel up to the height of Barbie's waist and then wrap saran around her and the dowel, melding them together? I assume you will be piping on Barbie's clothes?