I have a cake coming up that I am building a PVC structure for. This is my first time using this medium as a structure, and I'm a little intimidated TBH. The biggest question that I can't wrap my mind around is how I actually get the cakes ONTO the thing. It's not like regular stacking since there's this big tube in the middle...and even different from stacking on a center dowel that has a sharpened end. Do I need to cut the circle from the board and the cake, and then slide it down over, or should it be cut from the side and slid onto? The first way seems like it'd give the cake more structural integrity, but like I said-- first time, so I don't know. I really need to just go pull out one of the frozen leftover cakes I have and try it out, but I thought I'd ask you experts to see how you do it before I go play.

I would like to use a PVC structure for a very important project. I dont mean to crash into your thread, but how do you even begin to put it together? We have a family reunion and Im doing the families homeplace in cake. I think that method would make it the most structurally sound....P.S. I watch ALOT of the cake competitions and I always see the cakes being slid down onto the pipe..circles have been cut through the board and cake. Thanks for any help you may be!!!

Cut the hole in the cake board and cake, then slide the cake over the center support.

I like to cut the hole in all the cake boards first. The last time I stacked one on PVC I had made an additional cake board with a hole to use as a template for the cake layers to make sure the holes were exactly center ever time. Once you do it the first time, you won't be intimidated anymore

Thanks all. Two more questions...

The pictures I see of others doing this method, cakes aren't torted and filled the way I normally do. Is there a reason I can't tort and fill? Also, supporting the cakes within the structure-- I assume I still need to do this every 4" cake as normal, but I'm carving out, so should I just use cardboard rounds that are a couple inches smaller than I normally would do leave room for the carving?

YellowBrickRd- it may not be helpful to you by the time I get to posting them, but I'm going to assemble the board/structure this weekend, and plan to take pictures step wise to post with the final cake to hopefully help someone else out. I've searched like crazy to try and piece info together on how to do it, so maybe it'll lessen someone else's search. So far, this has been one of the most helpful sites I've found about how to go about the PVC structure: http://www.mysweetandsaucy.com/tag/cake-sculpting/

You are awesome friend!!! Thanks so much for the link. I have a visual now and my hubby said okie-doke He can do...good luck on your project. I cant wait to see how it comes out. I assume tort/fill the cakes being stacked probably depletes the stability of the cakes. Smaller cake boards yes-unless you have a knife that will allow for cutting through with ease.

I have been asking this same question for months now with no response. I am so glad that I finally found that someone got the answers! I had posts about center pole but didn't think to do a search on PVC, so glad that I found this, and I'm not as crazy as I thought!

Thanks,

I have never done one myself, but I do remember a little from a Day of Sharing that I went to recently. Mike Elder and Pat Jacoby taught on this and from what I remember some of their strongest hints were when doing a lot of carving and using pvc structures it is good to use a heavier type cake. like pound cake or fruit cake or even fake cake or RKT. They make them w/o butter when using the RKT. Also anything that could possibly not be food safe was wrapped before hand with some kind of tape that would not be a problem. the Pvc pipe was cleaned with a food safe cleanser and dried and of course it was brand new from the hardware store. Mike talked more about creating the structures and Pat decorated a cake that was a flour pot and a watering can was suspended over it with water flowing out of it. If I was any good at putting pictures on my computer from my camera and saving them I would put a picture on of the cake she did. It was so cool. Good luck MKTKnt? WOuld love to see your results and the other pictures too of the steps you took to make your structure.

if I can I'm trying to attatch the watering can photo, a friend of mine went to. I was suppose to go, but I was coming back from vacation that day.
It's not letting me.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=1840420782943&set=a.1840372901746.101528.1613266977&type=1&theater
see if you can access it tis way!

The picture does not even do it justice. Although that is a good picture. It was fun to see her put it together.

So Sewsweet2, you must belong to the Kansas Club people that came. From your name I am assuming that you sew also. I do myself. I will have to see If I can possibly meet you the next time. Either in Columbia or KC. I can't afford to go to the saint louis ones yet. or if you come to one of our meetings(fancyfrosters) My name is Julie.

The ones where I live don't sell fabric anymore. The liberty one stopped about 3-4 months ago and the new ones just don't even have it. I will look forward to meeting you sometime.

Hi! Stupid question: when putting the cakes onto the pipe, should you have pre-cut a hole for the pipe? Thanks!

Not a stupid question. I would have asked the same thing if they hadn't addressed it themselves at the Day of Sharing. Yes, they cut a hole in their cake. I personally think that it would have been easier to have used an angel food cake and decorated that . there would have already been the hole and there would not had have to have that much carving to make it like a pot. Yes, it is lighter, but it would have handled the flowers I believe. Maybe someday I will get brave enough to make a stand like that and do a cake like that using angel food. I love angelfood cakes. Also You could maybe come up with your own heating type core that is straight up and down all the way through the cake that was the same size as your structure pipe. so you did not have to do any carving there. that is where I would be afraid of losing structural integrity. No it is not a stupid question. another way that you could do it is to make a slight marking on the top of your finished cakelayers. Then cut in half and cut a semi-circle out of the center and allow for the structure. Ice back together. My first question would be what do I use to get into the center of the cake like that? I honestly do not remember if I took notes on that or just watched. Since I really didn't figure that I probably would make one like tha I probably just watched in amazement.

I have recently started making cakes that require PVC pipe through the middle and here is what works for me (so far!).

I cut a hole in my cake board(s) where the PVC is going to come through. I use the PVC to mark the size of the hole needed, and cut it just a little bit wider. I then put the hole I cut out back in place and use a piece of painter's tape to hold it there (on the bottom side of the board which won't touch the cake). Once ready, I put the cake on the board and fill as normal. I tape the cut out circle back on the board because I am afraid the cake will sag there before stacking!

When my cakes are ready for stacking, I pull the painter's tape off and remove the cut out circle. Now here is what I found out works good for me for the hole needed in the cake... I take a scrap piece of the PVC used to form the structure and cut a pretty good angle on the end (45 degrees or more). This makes a perfect "spear" to push through the cake and make the needed hole. The cake I am removing for the hole goes into the PVC so I don't have to worry about cake displacement. I just push the PVC spear up through the bottom hole already in the cake board to make sure it is in the right place. It works like a charm! It helps to have a second set of hands for this, but I can do it solo if needed.

The cake(s) are then ready to stack. If you make the hole in the cake a little off, it shouldn't matter. You have removed enough cake with the PVC spear to adjust a little.

Hope this helps!

I guess that the slant you put on your pipe does not affect the rest of the sculpture then? Or is it all hidden by cake when you are done ?

I wouldn't mind doing a cake that had to have hidden support system to it, but It would have to be a pretty important occasion for me to go to that much work. Because I am afraid that I would never get the money to either make up for the time making the support system or decorating the cake around here so it would have to be a family thing.

Think I'll try the carving thing first... I had this idea of using a serated (spelling?) apple corer, it's about the same diameter as my pvc. We will see what works...I will keep all of your ideas in mind!

I am not sure that the apple corer would work unless you carved the layers individually before filling them and putting together and Icing. unless you have a long handled corer. I would think that your hand would get in the way of getting to the bottom of the cake. if it didn't then you might not have the control of the corer that you would want. Good luck. Serrated is with 2 r's you were close. Good luck.