Hi,

I can't find a 2' long food safe dowel anywhere, so I think I'll have to use one from the hardware store. I read some posts a while ago about covering a dowel with aluminum foil - how does it not get scrunched up when the dowel is inserted in the cake?

Is there another option for covering the dowel to make it food safe? It still has to pierce cake rounds when inserted in the cake.

Does anyone use PVC as a center dowel? Would that work? I believe that PVC is food safe.

wow, how big is the cake!? A 2' dowel is 24". Based on cake tiers being 4" tall, that's a 6 tier cake. Can you even lifet and carry a 6 tier pre-stacked cake?

I just wash the dowel with hot soapy water first, let it dry and have never covered a dowel.

Indy: it's a 5-tier cake which will be 20" high (I just figured the long dowels would be sold by the foot so I rounded up). It's a mountain cake so it has to be delivered all assembled. I am scared for sure since I have made a 3-tier in the past but never 5 (I'm a hobbyist). I don't have time to order the SPS system so I'm stuck. I'm using my sturdy chocolate cake and it will be covered in fondant.

Any advice appreciated.

You can get long dowels from the hardware store. I saw one lady post that she wipes hers with Everclear and that disinfects the dowel. I use the bigger dowels on my stacked cakes as well.

I've seen long dowells (24 inches and over) in AC Moore and Michael's. They're in the wood crafts dept

wow, sounds like an awesome cake! Just be sure you have strong help to carry that thing!

Everclear?? i didn't realize Everclear was a disinfectant... interesting. Makes sense though - its really close to rubbing alcohol (ha ha)

My husband is in charge of delivery - he's the only person I trust! He has delivered cakes for me in the past and is capable (this one is going to weigh a ton though!)

I'm in Canada so we don't have Michael's.

Isn't the hardware store issue more one of chemical contamination than germs? Someone told me disinfecting a dowel is useless if it has been handled by someone who just handled chemicals or has fallen into a puddle or something (I don't remember exactly).

I've used PVC in the past, I just washed it really well. The key is to make sure you're buying the pipes used for plumbing (which is, of course, food safe) not for conduit.

Good luck!!!

I do not know where you live in Canada, but we have very many Michael's stores. I and many other instructors on this site teach in Michael's

maybe you can coat it with candy melts (aka almond bark, aka candy coating) or chocoalte before inserting?

If for any reason you have to pre-cut a hole in the middle of the cake, you might be able to use a pineapple corer.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0037XBC7W/?tag=cakecentral-20

I am in Quebec and we definitely don't have Michael's here - I wish we did!