Being new to baking I am wondering is it best to make cakes with 2 thick layers or do people tend to prefer 3 or 4 thinner layers with more filling? Or as a baker is there advantages/disadvantages of one way or the other in terms of torting, filling achieving straight edges, covering with fondant etc? Many thanks

Ai think it's definitely a greater degree of expertise/difficulty, takes more time, uses more filling, makes a prettier, tastier serving -- i think it's the mark of a mature cake veteran -- when i started i had two big layers, sometimes two skinny layers :) maybe one of each :)

so i think it should be the goal of every caker to be able to pipe a rose, fondant and smooth ice a cake, do wired flowers and stack beautiful, fragrant, secure, multi-layered (3-4 or more layers) tier cakes-- these were some of my goals -- this to have a working basis of all 'round cake skills --

Athe advantage is in the eating of course as well as in the price you should be able to charge or the glow you get to bask in

AWhen it's for a family gathering, I will make two layers of 1.5 inches with one layer 1/2 inch of buttercream.

When it's for a wedding or a formal event, I do four layers of cake 3/4 inch each with four layers of icing 1/4 inch each. Which gives me the perfect 4 inch cake. But for that I heavily rely on my agbay knife.

I have started torting all my cakes (4 thin layers, with 3 layers of filling) for family and customers alike. I think people just think it has a nicer appearance, and you can't go wrong with more frosting/filling, IMO!!

AThanks everyone. I think I will give the 4 layers a try. Had thought 3 but any cake I have made so far has been in 2 tins so to do a 3 layer cake would either 1 thick and 2 thin cake layers (which would look bad) or a waste of a layer ie torting both and only using 3 layers. I assume 3 layers would come from baking 1 deep cake? Not something iv tried yet :)