Ok-Several Questions-Plz Help Or My Sister Will Laugh

Decorating By bibbles6598 Updated 23 Jul 2010 , 11:11pm by bibbles6598

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bibbles6598 Posted 23 Jul 2010 , 9:35pm
post #1 of 12

I've promised my sister a cake for my nephew. It's a five tiered toy story cake that a pic was listed of here on cc. Now, I'm no professional but I seriously think I can pull this off. The tiers are pretty basically designed but what makes it are the characters. I was thinking of making the bottom two tiers "fake" so the questions are:

1. where would I buy the two "fake" layers? Global sugar art?

2. What sizes do they come in?

3. I was thinking of a 14, 12, 10, 8 and 6 inch stacked cake...does that sound good and big enough?

4. What kind of support system should I use? Since I have only done 2 tiered cakes I have just used a dowel but I know that won't work with this one. Keep in mind the bottom two tiers will be fake. I'm assuming I could set them up and drive them to the party and then stack the rest there??
And lastly....could I decorate the two fake layers ahead of time and if so, how far ahead? The party is in 3 weeks.

11 replies
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tesso Posted 23 Jul 2010 , 9:44pm
post #2 of 12

1. you can get cake dummies here... http://www.dallas-foam.com/store/cakedummies.html

2. they come in those sizes and many others.

3. dowels would work. If the bottom three are cake dummies then you would only have a three stack of actual cake. dowels would be fine. I have not used the straws or sps. so no info to offer there.

opps.. for got about the deco question, you can decorate the fakes anytime. if you are modeling the charactes get started NOW!! they take forever to dry!! In my experience anyway

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bibbles6598 Posted 23 Jul 2010 , 9:57pm
post #3 of 12

Thanks so much!!! I'm going to be doing the characters out of gumpaste ..or should I do fondant?

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tesso Posted 23 Jul 2010 , 10:01pm
post #4 of 12
Quote:
Originally Posted by bibbles6598

Thanks so much!!! I'm going to be doing the characters out of gumpaste ..or should I do fondant?




personally I like fondant, others swear by gumpaste. You could always do fondant with a touch of tylose to give it a gumpaste strength. I say try fondant first.. see how it does..then take it from there. I just did a hand recently and used MMF to do it. It took a few weeks to dry, but it was thick!!

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mamawrobin Posted 23 Jul 2010 , 10:12pm
post #5 of 12

[quote="bibbles6598"]

4. What kind of support system should I use? Since I have only done 2 tiered cakes I have just used a dowel but I know that won't work with this one.

I'm a little confused by what you mean by "I have just used a dowel" when referring to stacking cakes. icon_confused.gif Do you mean that you just put a center dowel in the cak
es?

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bibbles6598 Posted 23 Jul 2010 , 10:47pm
post #6 of 12

well, I would put cardboard under each tier and put the second tier on top and then run a dowel through the center. I guess, with this cake being so big I'm not sure how to go about it. Like I said, the bottom two tiers will be fake. I guess I will do the other tiers with the cardboard underneath and just stack them when I get to the party? Should I even bother with a dowel then? Sorry if I'm confusing by the way I write I just AM NOT a professional and honestly, half the time I don't know what I'm even doing icon_biggrin.gif Thanks for the help!

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mamawrobin Posted 23 Jul 2010 , 10:54pm
post #7 of 12
Quote:
Originally Posted by bibbles6598

well, I would put cardboard under each tier and put the second tier on top and then run a dowel through the center. I guess, with this cake being so big I'm not sure how to go about it. Like I said, the bottom two tiers will be fake. I guess I will do the other tiers with the cardboard underneath and just stack them when I get to the party? Should I even bother with a dowel then? Sorry if I'm confusing by the way I write I just AM NOT a professional and honestly, half the time I don't know what I'm even doing icon_biggrin.gif Thanks for the help!




I never use a center dowel on a two tiered cake.. You're going about stacking the wrong way. Yes you should use cardboard cake boards to put your cakes on BUT you should be using dowels (I use straws) in the bottom cake to support the weight of the next tier. The dowel the way your using it does absolutely nothing to help support your cake. The center dowel is used by some to keep your cake from slipping when transporting.
You need to watch some video tutorials on youtube on "How to stack a cake" You will learn the proper way to stack. Since you're planning on making a 5 tier cake you are going to have to learn how to properly stack a cake or you're headed for disaster. The tiered cakes in your photos have no support system other than cardboard circles and a center dowel? If not...you're just fortunate that they didn't tumble. If you did and I'm misunderstanding what you're saying...I'm sorry for the confusion...LOL....

You have some very nice cakes in your photos so I imagine that this one will be great. Just make sure that you use proper supports.

The dummies can be decorated anytime.

As far as figures...use gumpaste or gumpaste mixed 50/50 with fondant.

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Karen421 Posted 23 Jul 2010 , 10:55pm
post #8 of 12

Yes cardboard underneath, and dowels, or bubble straws to hold up the tier above. Or SPS (single plate system).

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bibbles6598 Posted 23 Jul 2010 , 11:00pm
post #9 of 12

Sorry I didn't mean to be confusing... icon_redface.gif I DO use straws to support the layers when placing the tier above on. And then when I'm done I HAVE used a dowel but not always. So I've never had trouble with the support on a two tier but I guess I'm worried about the 5 tier. But I guess, If I stack them at the party and don't drive them already or partially stacked, there's nothing to worry about right?

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sberryp Posted 23 Jul 2010 , 11:03pm
post #10 of 12

You can also get the fake cakes from Ebay!

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mamawrobin Posted 23 Jul 2010 , 11:06pm
post #11 of 12
Quote:
Originally Posted by bibbles6598

Sorry I didn't mean to be confusing... icon_redface.gif I DO use straws to support the layers when placing the tier above on. And then when I'm done I HAVE used a dowel but not always. So I've never had trouble with the support on a two tier but I guess I'm worried about the 5 tier. But I guess, If I stack them at the party and don't drive them already or partially stacked, there's nothing to worry about right?




OK icon_lol.gificon_lol.gif SO glad you cleared that up for me icon_lol.gif I looked at your photos and icon_eek.gif Your cakes are really cute and look well constructed so I was confused. icon_lol.gificon_lol.gif
Honestly, if you're assembling the cake on site I wouldn't worry about that center dowel. I transport 3 tiered cakes all the time w/o a center dowel. icon_surprised.gif

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bibbles6598 Posted 23 Jul 2010 , 11:11pm
post #12 of 12

Thanks to everyone for your help! It makes me feel better to talk to people who actually know what they are talking about unlike myself. I'm sure I will be having more posts in the next few weeks because I am NERVOUS about this one!! And will need lots of help lol! thumbs_up.gif

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