I really could use some good CC advice here!!! It seems every time I try to stack and carve a cake it slides and or collapses. This time I was trying to carve a dog cake, I torted the first 4 layers, put in supports (boba straws), placed another cakeboard on top, and repeated. The cake was only 6" in diameter, so I thought this would be plenty strong. I was using the WASC recipe. I didn't chill the cake again after I torted and before I carved, so maybe that was part of my problem? FYI, the cakes had been chilled overnight, but not frozen.

Any advice would greatly be apprecaited!

Thanks,
Deb

Start with a firm textured cake such as pound cake. Cake pans come in different shapes and sizes so try for example bake 4 mini loaves for tht feet and legs and use the large egg pan for the body. Bake the cake as close as possible to the shape then minimal carving to do.
Hope this helps.
Happy Baking and Decorating,
Chef Angie

I have done several carved cakes. I do not use straws only dowels, a few of them. I also crumb coat and refrigerate. I don't like using fillers or heavy buttercream between layers either on carved cakes, they slide too much and can create bulging. I'm changing to pound cake for my carved cakes. I have been using WASC for carved but I still don't think they are sturdy and dense enough for intense carving. Hope that Helps!

~Kim

Thanks Ladies!!! I had seen a youtube video by Elisa Strauss of Confetti Cakes (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOyibd6tDvo&feature=fvw) which showed how to carve a dog cake and I was following that one. It was carved from one piece...but, mine obviously didn't work out as great as hers did. ha ha Maybe I will need to do the separate pieces as ChefAngie suggested and see if that doesn't work better for me.

Do either or you have a pound cake recipe you wouldn't mind sharing that makes a large amt. , similar to the WASC recipe here on CC? Seems most pound cake recipes I come across are only for a loaf pan or maybe two 8 or 9" pans.

Thanks again for your advice!

DUPLICATE POST - Please see other for additional responses
http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-688288-.html

Sorry..not sure how I got a duplicate post?

Deb

Deb,

I freeze all my cakes but especially those I have to carve..keeps them nice and steady during the carving process. I would recommend this to you wholeheartedly.


Cat

Thanks Cat! Do you stack with buttercream before freezing, or do you carve and add buttercream afterwards?

No, I don't freeze the BC in the cake. I level and torte then wrap each layer in press and seal and then wrap both layers together again. Then the next day I take it out, unwrap, fill then carve the cake while it's still frozen. Then crumbcoat it and let it sit for at least 3 hours to settle then I'll start covering with the final coat of BC or fondant.

HTH

Cat