My bride wants a dummy cake as the bottom 2 tiers with a real 6 in on top for her & her husband to cut during the reception.
I have never used dummy cakes so I'm kind of in the dark about them...
Is there a preferred website in which to order them?
Do I need to do anything before covering them in fondant?
What do I do as far as a support system? Do they need dowels or anything or just sit on top of one another?

Any input is helpful!

TIA

I order mine from www.dallasfoam.com (Remove parentheses--the name was getting blocked.)

Before you start, gently sand the top edges just so that aren't so "sharp"--this will keep the foam from possibly tearing your fondant when you cover them.

To cover the dummy, some people use piping gel. I have found if I just dampen the styrofoam with water, later, if I want, I can strip and re-use the dummy. It seems w/ the piping gel the fondant is less likely to want to peel off.

I haven't placed real cake on dummies before, but I would think you wouldn't need support for just a 6" cake on top. (If you use all dummies, you don't need any supports.)

Hi

I've used dummy cakes a few times and they're really easy to use. I just make the surface damp by brushing on a little water (make sure you go right to the edges) and the fondant will stick easily.

I'm in the uk and prefer to buy them with a rounded edge, for me it's easier to match them up to my real cakes.

They're great for practicing new techniques on too, once they're iced they'll keep for ages.

Good luck

Lyndsey xx

First, please make sure you're properly paid for decorating the dummy tiers. The bride seems to think that you can re-rent the dummies to another bride so she doesn't need to pay you much to "use" them. But trying to find another bride who wants that same design is impossible. Then you have to go back and pick the dummies up after the wedding and someone will try to stab the dummies with a fork to check and see if they're truly fake, (been there, done that). Fake tiers should be priced the same as real. Water works well to affix them but piping gel works even better.

there are many places that sell the dummies.. my bride two weeks ago decided at the last minute to up her cupcake order and put two dummies over the 14 in base tier.

It was easy I just went to my local craft store and bought the styro that was already cut to what I needed... and put them together.. she was not having any fondant so the butter cream frosting was perfect and I was able to put them together early. took almost no support on the 14 but remember these are much lighter than your regular cakes and while don't need the support they do need anchors (dowels etc) to keep them on the cake during transport and while sitting at the reception.

I have also used the pink insulation board at your locaal home improvement store cut to my sizes.. it lasts a long time... and comes in variety of thickness to match your tiers if 3 - 4 inches.


you will enjoy the dummies but remember like was already said.. charge for them... it still takes your work and time and your frosting/fondant..