Need Help With Support System For A Tall Cake
Decorating By careylynn Updated 4 Jul 2010 , 6:59am by keriofcakes
Ok, I have a "cat in the hat" themed baby shower cake due the end of July. The customer wants "the hat" as the cake. I sketched up the idea of having a teacup with a baby in it on top of the hat(borrowed idea from shelley-101). It will be TWO 6 inch 2 layer cakes, making it 8-9 inches tall. I have never made a cake this tall and I don't know the best way to support it. I would obviously be using a cake round in the middle, under the top 2 layer cake. My two thoughts are to either screw a dowel into the board and stack the cakes on it, or hammer a sharpened dowel through it after its done. Which way would you suggest and is there anything I should know beforehand? Also, how would you attach the teacup? Below is my sketch for the cake. Thanks
Oh, and would you wrap the fondant around the cake or cover like normal??
When I did a cat in the hat cake I screwed the dowel into the base. Then I used a foam core board for after every 4" of cake. (which was every 2 layers) with bubble tea straws. I didn't do the teacup on top, that is really cute!!! Mine was about 12" tall. I wrapped the fondant around the hat, except for the brim of the hat and the very top of the hat.
I'd use SPS of course, with a cardboard and plate in the middle (at the 4" tall point.)
leah_s, I've heard of SPS, but don't know how to use it. If I order it, do instructions come with? Or is there a forum/video link you can forward me?
Leah has better instructions posted on here, under cake decorating. I use them for all tier cakes and it is a great system!
I read the SPS instructions, and I want to try it, definitely... but I don't think it'll work for this particular cake. The hat has a "leaning" effect to it, so it will need carved. If I use the SPS, it will be straight and perfect, which isn't Dr Suess' style at all
Any other ideas??
When I did a cat in the hat cake I screwed the dowel into the base. Then I used a foam core board for after every 4" of cake. (which was every 2 layers) with bubble tea straws. I didn't do the teacup on top, that is really cute!!! Mine was about 12" tall. I wrapped the fondant around the hat, except for the brim of the hat and the very top of the hat.
Please elaborate on how you screw a dowel into a cake base. Also, what did you use as your base?
I like to over support, especially after a couple of disasters. So this is how I did it:
I used a 10 round cake for the brim and 6 - 8x2 rounds cakes for the hat itself. (with strawberry butter cream filling)
I took a 8x ½ round plywood and ½ wooden dowel and screwed the dowel into the plywood.
Then I took the 10 round cake & cut 8 circle out. Put that on my Cake board and fit the 8 plywood/dowel into it. I screw this into the cake board. (The cake board itself is ½ plywood).
I covered the brim with whit fondant.
Then put a plastic tube over the dowel and stacked my 8 cakes for the hat.After every 2 layers, I used bubble tea straws, and foam core. (cut the holes out of the foam core all at the same time) I did take a couple of pictures. I hope that helps you. I did try to screw in my dowel at an angle so my hat would be crooked, but of course, this would be the only time the dowel went in straight!! ( I am going to try to attach the pictures)
Thank you Karen421 for the info!! I just wish I saw this sooner! Over support is the way to go. I now have an under supported Uncle Sam top hat that is slowly sinking! Lesson learned thanks again!
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