Hello,

I've never made a stacked cake with more than 2 tiers so I have a few questions about using a center dowel for bigger cakes. Do you use a cakeboard under EVERY tier? If so, how do you add the center dowel? Do you pre-cut a hole in the center of every cakeboard then add the dowel or do you simply "hammer" it in so it pierces the cakeboards as it goes down on all the stacked tiers? (I hope my question is clear...) Thank you for your replies!!!

Lou

Yes, you must use a cardboard circle under every tier, along with dowels or straws under each circle to support the weight of the tiers above.
For the center dowel, I use a pencil sharpener and sharpen the end and then just tap it down through all the tiers, it goes through pretty easily if you have it sharpened.

Lou, I had been making cakes for 25 years when I found CC and had never used the center dowel before because I never delivered a cake already assembled. But one day I was forced to pre-assemble the cake and with fear and trepidation, I knew I had to center dowel it. I had read all of the threads on center doweling but was still very skeptical.

but let me tell ya ... it works!!!! Just like everyone says it does!!

yes, you put cardboard between each tier just like you normally would. No, you don't have to pre-cut a hole in the cardboards. cut a dowel to length (Mine were 2" shorter than the height of the cake); sharpen the end to a sharp point. Many use a big pencil sharpener, but being a home grown country girl, I grabbed a knife and just whittled mine to a point!

Center it over the top of your cake, take a hammer and hammer the dowel thru the cake.

I kept my eyes open and EVERYTHING!! The dowel will go right thru those cardboards. No, they won't buckle and tumble the cake (like I thought they might). Easy peasy puddin' pie!!!!

If I can do it .... anyone can!

Ditto all of the above. I just wanted to mention to keep in mind that not only are all tiers (4" tall) on their own boards, but taller cakes may require additional boards as they should have supports for every 4" of cake height. HTH!

AI have never had to put in dowels before either and i have a wedding cake coming up in July and im scared to death.

AI forgot to mention it will be my first larger wedding cake.

Or, you could just use SPS.  I think there's a sticky on how to use it.