How do you stack wedding cakes?

Question

I am getting married and i am making my own wedding cake well i am buying the cakes ready made and iced from marks nd spencers, i will be arranging and decorating them so was wondering if anyone knows how to stack a 3 tier wedding cake?
And also how do you stop them sliding off? lol And what do you put around the edge so you cant see the joins of the cakes? I am presuming ribbon for that or more icing?! Thanks Gem x

Answer 1

They have wood dowls that you can put in the middle of the cake. Get about 3-4 of them and just slide them through all the layers. Make sure the dowls are long enough to go through all but the top layer. Nothing will slide around. Extra icing is easy, just make sure you use the same kind. (sugar based or cream based)
Good Luck.

Answer 2

You can stack them one on top of the other, with icing in between and with/without the wooden sticks in between.

As the other poster suggested, there are those plastic tier pieces also that help you to 'stack' the different levels. The cake can be placed directly on them(with a little bit of icing to help it to stay in place) or you can place parchement paper circles on top of the plastic ones(with some icing)and then the cake.

You can put the icing in a decorator bag and pipe edging around where the joins are at or you can use silk flowers and leaves around those areas.

Answer 3

PART 1: Adding Dowel Rods to Support Layers of Stacked Cake
Use the upper tier for size reference when determining dowel rod placement. All the dowel rods must be placed within the area you will mark (see steps below) to provide adequate support.

1. Center a cake board the same size as the tier above it on base tier and press it gently into icing to imprint an outline. Remove. Use this outline to guide the insertion of the dowel rods*.
2. Insert one dowel rod into cake straight down to the cake board. Make a knife scratch on the rod to mark the exact height. Pull dowel rod out.
3. Cut the suggested number of rods the exact same length, using the mark on the first one as a guide.
4. Now, insert rods into tier, spacing evenly 1 1/2 inches in from the imprinted outline. Push straight down until each touches the cake board. Repeat this procedure for every stacked or pillared tier on the cake.

*The general rule for the number of dowel rods to use is: the larger and more numerous the tiers, the more dowels needed. If the tier above is 10 in. or less, use six 1/4-in. wooden dowels. Use 8 dowel rods for 16 in. and 18 in. cakes; on these larger tiers, use 3/4-in. plastic dowel rods in the base tier. When using white plastic dowel rods that are wider and provide more support, the number needed may be less.

PART 2: Stacked Cake Construction
Stacking is the most architectural method of tiered cake construction. Tiers are placed directly on top of one another and pillars are not used. Cakes are supported and stabilized by dowel rods and cake boards.

1. Dowel rod all tiers except top tier.
2. Position the middle tier on the base tier, centering exactly
3. Repeat with the top tier.
4. To stabilize tiers further, sharpen one end of a wooden dowel rod and push it through all tiers and cake boards to the base of the bottom tier.

Answer 4

At a cake decorating place you can buy plastic plate like things (i dont know the name of them) that go on the cakes so they stack properly. Some stack the cakes seperately so you dont need to worry about the edges and some dont - talk to the people at the store they know.

Answer 5

cardboard sets between each layer, unless you want them on pedestals then they also have that option. Go to a place like
AC MOORES, they have a big selection of decorating ideas, for cakes and weddings, thats where we go..
never use real ribbon to cover things up, you won't be able to cut into it, Use frosting with the decorating tips to make your own
designs. Good luck.
Your a brave girl making your own cake, you don't have enough things to worry about?

Answer 6

it is definitely available. the only element you could no longer do is have diverse cake varieties in layers with fruit cake on suitable of alternative truffles. it particularly is no longer worded nicely, see M&S link under. while you're in any respect concerened: you need to continuously choose for the alternative of a multi-tiered cake stand, so not one of the cake layers touch the different ones. that's what i'm thinking of going for.

Answer 7

put those really long wooden sticks in the middle

Answer 8

Put one on top of the other....????

Answer 9

put plasic cups on it.