help with wedding cake

[kazzi29]

hi for my wedding i cant afford to have one professionaly made so i was thinking of getting the plain sponge ones from M&S and DIY'n it i want it stacked instead of on tiers
but i have heard that they collapse and you have to put wooden dowels in.....but then what? do u put a board ontop of that?
im just so confused.....
i will try help by showing you what i mean...
http://www.1812hitchingpost.com/wphotos ... g_Cake.JPG" target="_blank

[Busy_B]

Kazzi, I wrote this in your other thread because I didn't see this one. I've been doing cakes for 19 years. I think it's great that you want to do your own cake! I did mine, and it was the most relaxing thing I could have done the day before the wedding. Whenever I'm doing a stacked cake, I make sure that I have a cardboard round that is the same size as the top 2 layers (in the case of a 3 tier). Starting with the bottom layer--(1/4" dowels work well) put one end of a dowel into the center of the cake and finger mark where the top of the icing comes. Cut the dowel just below this point. You want the dowels to go into the cake and icing, not sticking out. The size of cake will determine how many dowels you need. Put them in a circle about 2" in from the size of the tier that will go on top. Also put several inside the circle to support the center. Once your support is in, you can put the next tier on top. I always have mine on a cardboard round that is the same size as the cake so that when it is served, the one cutting it can just slide their server under the cardboard and lift it off the other layer. We use something called dessicated coconut underneath the cardboard to help prevent it from sticking to the icing and pulling it all off the bottom tier when it is removed. Repeat the same process for the second tier. The top doesn't need anything. Use your icing border to hide the edges of the cardboard (we first wrap ours in freezer paper so the cake's not sitting on cardboard).

Sorry it's long! Don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions! I'm doing a 3 tier wedding cake for a co-worker of my mom next weekend.

[kazzi29]

thank you your an angel
im going to try this for my daughters 2nd birthday cake in a couple of weeks as a sort of trial as i figured i could do this several times over and still not come near the cost of a professional (but very lovely and better tasting) cake.....oh well
i will let you know how it goes!

[Busy_B]

Hope the test goes well!! I forgot to put the dowels in Kailey's cake because I was in a hurry and having other problems. It was fine until half of it was cut, and then it started leaning. Depending on how big you're making your daughter's cake, you could practice using cut straws instead of dowel rods. I wouldn't do it for a wedding cake, but if it's a smaller one that you're just using at home, they'll work.

[kazzi29]

thats a good idea....
i had a dream last night that i went to the venue in the morning put the cake together then went in after the service and it was all fell over

[Busy_B]

you're not alone with that type of dream! My mom and I have them all the time when we have a cake to set up.

[tattyted]

I thought you could only stack fruit cakes like this?! I wish I'd of heard of this when I got married as I wanted sponge not fruit but was told I couldn't stack it and would have to have it on a seperately layered stand. Lovely idea for the cake though.

[Busy_B]

I thought you could only stack fruit cakes like this?! I wish I'd of heard of this when I got married as I wanted sponge not fruit but was told I couldn't stack it and would have to have it on a seperately layered stand. Lovely idea for the cake though.

I'm going to play dumb here. I'm somewhat familiar with the fruitcake type that you are talking about. Sponge cake I'm not sure of how dense it is. I use a regular cake mix. When I think of a sponge cake, I think more of an angel food cake. What is the difference.