Make A Recessed "box" To Separate Tiers On A Wedding Cake?

Decorating By Sweet Blessings Updated 25 Jun 2013 , 2:21am by ApplegumPam

Sweet Blessings Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Sweet Blessings Posted 13 Feb 2013 , 2:28pm
post #1 of 16

I have seen pictures of wedding cake tiers that are separated by what looks like a covered box. The box is smaller than the tier above it so it looks "recessed". Is this just a cardboard collar covered in paper or fondant and wrapped around pillars used with separator plates? Or is there some other product being used for this? I have a client who brought me a picture of the wedding cake she wants and I'm just not sure how to do the "box" separating the tiers.

15 replies
keepingitreal21 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
keepingitreal21 Posted 13 Feb 2013 , 2:30pm
post #2 of 16

If you have a picture, you should post it. Then we can see what you mean and help you a bit more. It's hard to visualize just exactly what you are needing.

Sweet Blessings Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Sweet Blessings Posted 13 Feb 2013 , 2:52pm
post #3 of 16

Sweet Blessings Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Sweet Blessings Posted 13 Feb 2013 , 3:14pm
post #4 of 16

I tried, but Cake Central is holding my post since I'm new a member.

Sugargourmande1 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Sugargourmande1 Posted 13 Feb 2013 , 3:41pm
post #5 of 16

Could it be that it's just a covered cake dummy being used as a separator ? xx

Sweet Blessings Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Sweet Blessings Posted 13 Feb 2013 , 3:50pm
post #6 of 16

Yes, it could be. Maybe a support dowel thru the cake above and the 'dummy' cake below would keep it stable enough?

Sugargourmande1 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Sugargourmande1 Posted 13 Feb 2013 , 4:30pm
post #7 of 16

I wonder if it has 1 central support top to base as well intermediate ones ... 'Tis a BIG cake :D

Sweet Blessings Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Sweet Blessings Posted 13 Feb 2013 , 5:01pm
post #8 of 16

Yes, it is big! I don't have or have never used a central support system, and don't really want to buy one just for one cake, but you're right - it looks like that's what they probably used.

sugarpuppet Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
sugarpuppet Posted 23 Jun 2013 , 3:03am
post #9 of 16

I haven't done one of these myself, but it looks as if they used pillars to separate the tiers then wrapped around the pillars with a 2" ribbon. The dummy cake option sounds like a possibility as well.

LKing12 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
LKing12 Posted 23 Jun 2013 , 3:24am
post #10 of 16

I did one with covered Styrofoam between the tiers.  The bride provided silk roses that were put into the Styrofoam. 
 

KoryAK Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
KoryAK Posted 23 Jun 2013 , 5:51am
post #11 of 16

Styrofoam or several cardboards glued together then covered with fondant or ribbon on the side works great for that.  I've done it a lot.

jiya11 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
jiya11 Posted 23 Jun 2013 , 6:02am
post #12 of 16

A

Original message sent by KoryAK

Styrofoam or several cardboards glued together then covered with fondant or ribbon on the side works great for that.  I've done it a lot.

I have always wondered this: If I have a tiered cake consisting of cake and dummy cakes.. Lets say 6,8,10 with 8 being a dummy. For central dowel, do I push the dowel from the top tier through the dummy and then to the bottom tier? Would the styrofoam from the dummy be not be getting into the bottom cake? I have done cake combos with dummy's but that was not transported hence never dowelled centrally. I hope I am making sense..

suzied Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
suzied Posted 23 Jun 2013 , 7:21am
post #13 of 16
Quote:
Originally Posted by jiya11 


I have always wondered this:
If I have a tiered cake consisting of cake and dummy cakes.. Lets say 6,8,10 with 8 being a dummy. For central dowel, do I push the dowel from the top tier through the dummy and then to the bottom tier? Would the styrofoam from the dummy be not be getting into the bottom cake? I have done cake combos with dummy's but that was not transported hence never dowelled centrally. I hope I am making sense..

How strange, i was thinking the same reading the above posts. the moment you push the rod through, pieces of foam would go into the next cake. how do you avoid this? The above cake, looks  like dummies have been used to  separate each tier.

CWR41 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
CWR41 Posted 23 Jun 2013 , 7:42am
post #14 of 16

Use square dummies w/a cardboard under each to prevent lower supports from piercing through if not using plates.  Central dowel isn't necessary... you can use BC or skewers.

KoryAK Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
KoryAK Posted 25 Jun 2013 , 1:43am
post #15 of 16

You can't really have the styrofoam touching the cake below so you need a cardboard underneath as the pp said.  When you hammer the center dowel through (and yes I ALWAYS use one for this setup, just too precarious without IMO) it's going through everything really tightly and I have never had an issue with any strofoam bits migrating to lower layers.

 

Or just do the cardboards to avoid that entirely not to mention those are typically cheaper than styro anyway.

ApplegumPam Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
ApplegumPam Posted 25 Jun 2013 , 2:21am
post #16 of 16

I've never been able to understand the whack the dowel through the board idea - perhaps its because the boards we use here in Australia are far too sturdy to whack anything through.  We pre-drill everything when we are using central dowel system.   Presentation board is normally covered MDF - under each cake we would have a STD board (which is the silver coated thick dense card - not the hollow flute type nor foam core)  if we are using polystyrene dummy separators they would be drilled as well as the boards they sit on.    The dowel is glued into the presentation board (another smaller board would be underneath to act as a cleat)

 

Once the cakes are ganached and covered they are lowered OVER the central dowel into position - sometimes it is easier to push a dowel through the top of your cake in the required position - it just leaves a neater hole that when the dowel is being forced UP through the cake.

 

Central dowel system used a lot here - I have delivered 5 tier cakes fully assembled on windy, bumpy roads with no issue.   Yes it is a properly constructed cake which helps this  but the central dowel makes it really easy to ensure that the cake is perfectly aligned - each and every tier.

Quote by @%username% on %date%

%body%