Stacking A Wedding Cake: Tips For A Stable Masterpiece

Stacking a wedding cake is a straightforward process, but it requires a few key steps to ensure the cake is stable and secure. The first step is to prepare each tier by layering cake and fillings, and ensuring the sides are straight and level. The tiers are then chilled to allow the fillings to set. Next, a support structure is created using wooden dowels or plastic straws, which are cut to the exact height of each tier and inserted into the cake. This provides stability and prevents the cake from sinking. Once the supports are in place, the tiers are carefully stacked on top of each other, with a layer of frosting or buttercream in between to act as glue. The final step is to add any desired decorations.

Prepare the tiers

Preparing the tiers is a crucial step in stacking a wedding cake. Here is a detailed guide to help you prepare your cake tiers:

Step 1: Bake and Chill Your Cakes

Firstly, ensure you have baked all your cake tiers to the desired size and flavour. Once baked, allow your cakes to cool completely before chilling them in the refrigerator. Chilling the cakes will make them easier to handle and manoeuvre when it comes to stacking and frosting.

Step 2: Gather Your Supplies

You will need several tools and materials to prepare and stack your tiers successfully. These include:

• Cake boards: You will need a cake board for each tier, ensuring they are the same size as the corresponding cake. For example, an 8-inch cake should be placed on an 8-inch board.
• Cake drum: The bottom tier of your wedding cake will need to be placed on a cake drum, which is thicker and stronger than a standard cake board to provide extra support.
• Dowels: You can use wooden or plastic dowels, or even thick straws, to provide support between the tiers.
• Spatula: A spatula will help you frost your cakes smoothly and evenly.
• Serrated knife: This will be useful for trimming and levelling the tops of your cakes to ensure they sit straight and evenly on top of each other.
• Frosting: Buttercream or another type of frosting will be used to fill and cover your cake.

Step 3: Prepare Your Cake Boards

Before stacking, prepare your cake boards by attaching a cake board to each tier. The cake board should be the same size as the cake. You can use a small amount of frosting or glue (such as hot glue from a glue gun) to secure the cake to its corresponding board.

Step 4: Level and Frost Your Cakes

Using a serrated knife, carefully trim the tops of your cakes to ensure they are level. This step is important to ensure that your stacked cake has straight sides and does not lean to one side.

Once your cakes are level, it's time to frost them. Using a spatula, apply a thin layer of frosting (known as a crumb coat) to trap any crumbs and create a smooth base for your final coat of frosting. Chill the cakes again after crumb coating to set the filling and hold the layers in place.

Step 5: Create a Support Structure

To stack your tiers securely, you need to create a support structure using your dowels or straws. Start with the bottom tier and insert one dowel into the centre, pushing it down until it touches the cake board. Then, distribute more dowels evenly in a circular pattern around the central dowel. Mark where each dowel reaches the top of the cake with a cake decorating pen, and then remove and cut the dowels to the correct height. Reinsert the dowels, ensuring they do not sit above the top of the tier.

Repeat this process for each subsequent tier, remembering that fewer dowels will be needed as you move up the cake. If your cake is particularly tall or heavy, you may also need to insert a central dowel through the length of all the tiers for extra support.

Step 6: Stack Your Tiers

Now it's time to carefully stack your tiers! Pipe or spread some fresh buttercream onto the centre of the bottom tier to make it sticky. Then, carefully lift and place the next tier on top, using a spatula for support if needed. Repeat this process for each tier, ensuring they are centred and level.

Once all the tiers are stacked, you can pipe buttercream along the base of each tier to cover any visible gaps and create a smooth finish.

Your wedding cake tiers are now securely stacked and ready for any final decorations!

Use cake boards

Using cake boards is an essential part of stacking a wedding cake. Cake boards provide direct support to each layer of the cake. The bottom tier of the cake should be placed on a cake drum, which is about one inch thick and provides extra support. The remaining cake tiers should be placed on cake boards that correspond in size to the tiers, for example, an 8" cake should be placed on an 8" board.

When using the dowel method to stack a wedding cake, each cake should be placed on a cardboard circle that fits underneath. Start by placing your bottom tier, which is on cardboard, centred onto a strong base with glue. Then, place wooden dowels cut to the height of the cake into the bottom tier to act as supports for the cake above. Repeat this procedure for each cake as you stack them.

If you are using the Cake Stackers method, you will not need to use cake boards as this method provides its own support system. However, if your cake is on the larger side or has more than three tiers, it is recommended to use Cake Stackers as they are a safer option for stacking and delivery.

It is important to note that the cake boards for the upper tiers do not need to be as thick as the bottom tier cake drum. The upper tiers do not need to support any weight because you will build a support structure using wooden dowels or plastic straws. Therefore, the cake boards for the upper tiers can be made of thin cardboard rounds with a greaseproof lining.

To assemble the cake, spread some frosting or buttercream onto the cake board to attach the first layer of cake. Pipe or spread filling onto the cake layer and then press the next cake layer on top. Continue alternating cake layers and filling. Make sure the layers are level and straight, using a serrated knife or spatula to trim and smooth the frosting.

Once all the tiers are assembled, you can cover the seams where each cake rests on the cake below it by piping buttercream or frosting along the base of each tier and using a scraper to even out any visible gaps. This will give your wedding cake a smooth and neat finish.

Frost the tiers

Frosting the tiers is an important step in stacking a wedding cake. Here is a detailed, step-by-step guide:

Prepare the Cake Tiers:

Before you start frosting, ensure your cakes are completely cool. Place each tier on a cake board corresponding to its size—an 8" cake on an 8" board, for instance. Using a serrated knife, trim the tops of the cakes to ensure they are level. This will help you achieve a straight cake with no leaning.

Apply the Crumb Coat:

Use a spatula to apply a crumb coat of frosting to each tier. This initial coat of frosting will trap any crumbs, ensuring the final coat is neat and crumb-free. Chill the crumb-coated tiers for about 15-30 minutes. This will help the crumb coat set before you add the final coat of frosting.

Apply the Final Coat of Frosting:

After the crumb coat has set, apply the final coat of frosting to each tier. Work quickly to keep everything cool. Return each tier to the fridge while you frost the next one. For a sharp finish, use an icing smoother or a cake scraper. Alternatively, for a rustic finish, hold the tip of your palette knife against the sides of the cake while rotating it to produce a swirl effect.

Chill the Frosted Tiers:

Chill the frosted tiers in the fridge for about an hour or the freezer for half an hour. This will help the frosting set, making the cakes easier to handle when stacking.

Create a Support Structure:

To support the weight of each tier, you will need to create a structure using wooden or plastic dowels, or boba/bubble tea straws. Push your first support into the centre of the bottom tier, all the way down until it touches the cake board. Mark where the support meets the top of the cake, then remove and cut it to the appropriate height. Re-insert the support, ensuring it does not sit above the top of the tier, as this will prevent the upper tiers from sitting evenly.

Prepare for Stacking:

Using a spatula, carefully slide it under the chilled cake tier to loosen it from the cake board. Angle the spatula sideways to slightly raise the cake, then slide your hand underneath to lift it gently. Place a dollop of fresh buttercream in the centre of the tier below, then carefully lower the next tier into place, using the spatula for support if needed.

Repeat for Additional Tiers:

Repeat the above steps for any additional tiers. As you add each upper tier, you will need fewer supports. Don't forget to mark and cut the supports accordingly for each tier.

Cover Seams and Decorate:

To cover any visible seams or gaps between the tiers, pipe buttercream around the base of each tier, resting the bag down so that it touches the cake below. Use a frosting smoother to scrape around the cake, filling in any gaps and creating a neat, smooth finish. Choose the prettiest side to be the front of your cake, then add your desired decorations.

Following these steps will help you achieve a beautifully stacked and decorated wedding cake!

Chilling the tiers

After the cakes have been baked and frosted, they should be chilled before stacking. This helps to set the frosting and makes it easier to handle the cakes without damaging the decorations. The chilling time can vary depending on the recipe and the number of tiers, but it is generally recommended to chill the cakes for at least 30 minutes to an hour.

During the chilling process, you can prepare the cake boards and other equipment needed for stacking. Each tier should have a cake board of the corresponding size. For example, an 8-inch cake should be placed on an 8-inch cake board. You can also prepare the wooden dowels or bubble tea straws that will be used for support.

Once the cakes are chilled, they are ready to be stacked. Take the bottom tier and insert one wooden dowel or straw into the centre, then distribute more in a circular pattern around the central one. Mark the height of the tier on each dowel and remove them for cutting. Cut the dowels to the marked length and re-insert them into the bottom tier. The dowels should not sit above the top of the tier, as this will affect the evenness of the upper tiers.

Repeat this process for each tier, marking and cutting the dowels accordingly. For upper tiers, you may use fewer dowels, but ensure they are evenly spaced for adequate support. If the cake is particularly tall or heavy, consider using a central dowel that runs through the length of all the tiers for extra stability.

Stacking the tiers

Stacking a wedding cake is a straightforward process, but it requires a few key steps to ensure the tiers stay in place. Here is a detailed guide on stacking the tiers of a wedding cake:

Preparation:

Before stacking, chill your cakes to ensure the frosting is firm and the cakes are easy to manoeuvre. Each tier should be placed on a cake board, with the bottom tier placed on a thicker cake drum for extra support. The cake boards for the upper tiers should correspond in size to the cakes, e.g. an 8" cake on an 8" board.

Creating the Support Structure:

The support structure is crucial for holding the weight of each tier. You can use wooden dowels, plastic dowels, or even thick straws as supports. Mark the height of the bottom tier on one of the dowels and cut it to size. Repeat this process, spacing out the dowels in a circular pattern around the central one, usually within 1-2 inches from the edge of the tier. The number of dowels per tier will depend on the size of the cake, typically ranging from 3-9.

Pipe some buttercream or frosting onto the bottom tier. Carefully place the next tier on top, using a spatula for support if needed. Repeat the process of inserting dowels into the centre of this tier, pressing down until they touch the cake board. As you add each upper tier, you will use fewer dowels. Mark and cut the dowels as needed to ensure they do not sit above the top of the tier, as this will prevent the layers from sitting evenly.

Final Touches:

Once all the tiers are stacked, pipe buttercream along the base of each tier to cover any visible gaps. If extra support is needed, such as for a heavy fruit cake, insert a central dowel through the length of all the tiers. Now your wedding cake is ready for decorating!

Frequently asked questions