How do you keep the icing on the bottom tier when you remove the top tier? The icing underneath the top tier always comes off on the bottom of the cake board. Any tips on how to keep the icing in place? It makes for an ugly piece of cake when served!

Thanks,
Robin

I remember reading in the Wilton books to sprinkle coconut on the cake before placing the top layer, but yuck! I hate coconut. I just cut my dowels slightly longer than they need to be so the top tier doesn't squash down into the layer below it.

I wrap my cake boards in contact paper and they no longer stick to the icing.

I read somewhere to use wax paper on the bottom of your cake board and sprinkle a little powdered sugar on the bottom cake to ensure it doesn't stick.

I use wax paper, no powdered sugar and never had a problem.

If you're using a crusting BC, you should give the icing a chance to crust before assembling the cake. In 30 years, I've never had the problem of the top tier sticking and removing icing.

If you look at the pics in this link, http://www.cateritsimple.com/id10.html , you can see the indentation of the cake plates on the top of each tier. You can also see how the dowels are just slightly below the surface of the icing. This tells you the plates were pressed right down onto the cake, yet the icing remained in place. I get the same result when I use just cardboard between the tiers (no plates anymore).

HEre's my view on coconut, as quoted in this thread: http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-670961-coconut.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by indydebi

I always caution folks on using coconut between tiers. I am one who DETESTS coconut, and if you delivered my 3 tier cake with ONE SPECK of coconut on it, I'd demand a full refund because I'd deem the cake totally inedible. I didnt' order coconut, I'm not expecting coconut, I dont' WANT coconut on my cake. And yes, I would not only LET you take the cake back, I'd demand that YOU be the one to get that cake out of my house.

In case you can't tell ..... I REALLY don't like coconut.

When I read about the coconut I was a little scared. I am personally allergic to coconut and I break out in hives when I eat it. We normally cut our cakes with a larger knife, we warm the knife in warm water and slide it between the bottom cake and the cake board. Seems to work for us.

The Wilton page I looked at also said you can use PS but I've not tried it, but I agree about not using coconut, not only do some people hate it but allergies too!

i have never had this problem. I too let my icing crust first. and as for coconut.. I too would go balistic. I am allergic to it. and besides that I truly HATE the taste of it.

I use cake crumbs made from the trimmings when I level the cake.