hi quick question I have a stacked cake that I have to have put together to travel I can't put it together later since I won't be there and it would be easier for the client to have already stacked.
if I use cakes boards under each level... how do I get the center rod straight down the middle with out messing it up....how does it get through the boards.

To get the dowel to go through the cake, I take a pencil sharpener and sharpen a wooden dowel to a point. Suprisingly it goes through the layers with no trouble as long as you're using cardboard/foamboard cake boards. It's a little scary to try the first time!! Good luck!

Once you have a nice sharp point, just lightly tap it through with a small hammer..it does go thru fairly easy. Don't forget to cover the hole in the top with icing...unless, of course, it will be covered by an ornament or something else!

Thanks ladies I just wanted to make sure that it was possible to go through the boards with out making a complete disaster

hey- just on that...how do you get the dowel to go thru straight???? If you push it in how can you make sure that it goes down the center of each of the tiers??? thanks.

The dowel won't bend or anything, just eyeball it and go slow. Also, I use plywood under myheavier cakes, but when I'm doing a center dowel I also use about 3 cardboard layers on top of that. This way, when you hammer the dowel in you can give it an extra tap and it'll catch into the cardboard at the bottom as well!