I know I'm psyching myself out, but I've never made a topsy turvy cake - I totally ripped myself off when I quoted this cake, but I'm in generous mode becuase I'm a recent graduate and have never made this style before.

Here's what she wants - a 3tier topsy turvy cake to feed 25-30 people (is that even possible???) White cake for bottom and top, strawberry for center - Buttercream - no fondant. Challenging much?

I've looked around on this board and you all seem pretty helpful - I really don't want to have a panic attack about this cake - LOL

Here are my questions:

How big should my cakes be to get an affective look for a 3 tiered cake that's not going to have an abundance of waste for 30 people?

Do you know of a sturdy, carvable strawberry cake recipe?

What's the easiest way to accomplish this with buttercream? Prayer?


Thanks in Advance I really appreciate any information!

I don't have much advice for you, but wanted to welcome you to CC. Have you tried looking in the recipe section for a strawberry cake recipe?
I hope somebody else chimes in with some answers for you!!
Good lucking and happy baking!!

I have a topsy turvy cake in my gallery that I did with buttercream...only the decorative accents are fondant. It's really not that much different than doing buttercream on a regular cake. As for the three tiers, I would try to talk the customer into a 2 tier if it only needs to feed that many people. My biggest fear with the tt cake was stability. I used SPS and it survived the 40 minute ride to deliver it.

Hi, I just did a topsy turvy cake recently and it was all buttercream ( my buttercream is too good, covering it with fondant would be a sin

It takes a lot of patience and it will not be perfect. My 2nd layer was a MESS so i created the wavy look to cover it up. I charge an extra $30 to do this again.

But it can be done. It will not look like a fondant topsy cake, so as long as the client knows this, then go for it.

Definately freeze your cake before carving. And make the angled cut very extreme.

Hope this helps!

( I have a pic, but it won't upload, so pm if you want to see it)

Hey Pamcakes3, Im not much of a help size wise but your going to end up with alot of waste! for 30 people thats going to be hard to do with out alot of waste, but you can try doing something with a jumbo cupcake as the top tier so that its smalller scale. but i have heard the recipes that use straw daquiri mix work great! ill add a link here for you to see the tutorial i used but make sure one thing...... measure carefully the way the tiers sink into eachother is a tight fit if theres a lil extra space you can always cover it with a thick boarder. (good luck im not sure how it will work with butter cream) http://cakecentral.com/articles/6/how-to-make-a-topsy-turvy-whimsical-cake

I saw what looked like a good Strawberry Pound Cake recipe on Bakerella.

Every TT cake I have done has been in buttercream. Not a big deal. Make sure you cut the hole big enough for the next tier to set down into, if it isn't big enough, the pressure from the higher tier will cause the sides of the one under it to crumble. That is going to be a small TT for those many servings...would they consider a dummy tier?

try this video- its not an "instructional" per se, but she does show you all the steps she uses to create the cake. its amazing and out of buttercream also, i'd really suggest you check it out =D

(if link is blocked, go to youtube and search "how to make a topsy turvy cake" by tbug200712)

hth!

Thank you all for your helpful input! I'm going to contact my friend and go over details again after a little more research. I truly apreciate you all responding to this!