Assembling A Small Wedding Cake: A Step-By-Step Guide

Wedding cakes are often tiered and decorated with flowers or piped cream. To assemble a small wedding cake, you'll need to frost each cake layer with a thin layer of cream, chill the layers, and then stack them on top of each other. You can use supports such as plastic drinking straws or wooden dowels to hold the layers in place.

How to stack the layers

To assemble a small wedding cake, you'll need to stack the layers on top of each other. First, lay a piece of plastic wrap slightly smaller than the next layer on top of supports. Repeat to insert supports into the other layers. Then, gently stack the layers on top of each other, making sure they're on cardboard rounds. To keep the layers stable, you can use plastic drinking straws or wooden dowels. Push them down through the cake layer to the bottom at even intervals about 2 inches in from the circular guide. Mark the straws about 1⁄8 inch above the surface of the cream, then pull them out slightly, cut them, and reinsert them in the cake. Pipe adjoining dots around the base of each layer to hide the cardboard. You can also decorate with orange blossoms, other fresh flowers, or piped cream.

How to decorate the cake

To decorate a small wedding cake, you will need a pastry bag full of icing, an offset spatula, dowels, and scissors. You can also use fresh flowers or piped cream.

First, frost each cake layer with a thin first layer of cream, using 2 quarts total. Chill until the cream is firm, about 1 hour; cover separately and chill up to 1 day. Then, remove the layers from the refrigerator and frost with a second layer of cream, using 2 quarts total. Chill until ready to assemble and serve.

Next, set the 12-inch layer (on cardboard round) on a large flat plate or board. Hold the next smallest cake pan centred above the surface of the cake layer; touch it down very gently to make a faint guide in the cream. At even intervals about 2 inches in from the circular guide, push four plastic drinking straws (or 1⁄4-in. wooden dowels) down through the cake layer to the bottom. Mark the straws with a pencil about 1⁄8 inch above the surface of the cream, then pull them out from the cake slightly. Cut off at the pencil mark, parallel to the cake surface, using scissors (or pruning shears, for dowels); reinsert in the cake.

Gently stack the layers (on cardboard rounds) on top of each other. Spoon more cream into a pastry bag fitted with a 1⁄4-inch plain tip. Pipe adjoining dots around the base of each layer to hide the cardboard. Decorate with orange blossoms, other fresh flowers, or piped cream as desired.

How to cut the cake

Cutting a small wedding cake is a two-person job, so make sure you practice beforehand. When the moment arrives, place your hands on the knife together and cut about an inch into the cake, then cut a connecting line. Use the knife to lift the slice onto a plate.

Traditionally, the bride feeds a bite to the groom, and the groom follows suit by feeding the bride a bite.

If you're working with a square or rectangular cake, cut squares or rectangles instead of circles. If you're cutting a layered cake, remove all the layers. However, since the cutting of the first slice is a major photo op, you'll want to leave the layers intact and cut the initial slice from the bottom.

To slice with precision, gently insert your serrated knife vertically into the cake, about 2 inches from the edge and guide it downwards in a gentle sawing motion towards the edge. Start cutting pieces in a concentric circle. After that outer circle has been cut and served, cut in another 2 inches from that edge and cut another concentric circle of pieces. Eventually, you'll be left with a 6 or 4-inch round centermost piece, which you can score and then cut into wedges. Repeat the same process for smaller tiers of cake until the entire cake is cut.

How to transport the cake

Transporting a small wedding cake can be a nerve-wracking experience, but with the right precautions, your cake will arrive at the venue in one piece. Here are some tips to help you get your cake from A to B:

Firstly, it's important to know the dimensions of your cake so that you can ensure your vehicle has enough room to transport it. Ask your baker how heavy the cake will be, so you know how many people you'll need to help you lift and carry it. If your cake is particularly large, you may need to check that the venue has space in its refrigerator before you arrive, especially if it's a hot day and the buttercream could melt.

The easiest way to transport a wedding cake is to use a cake drum, which is a heavy-duty cake board, typically at least 1/2 inch thick. Place your cake on a cake drum that fits perfectly in a cake box or cardboard box. Your baker may be able to supply you with these.

It's best to avoid stacking and decorating the tiers on-site. Handling the decorated tiers is tricky, and you'll have more opportunity to react to mistakes if you work on the smaller tiers first. When stacking the tiers, try not to touch the sides of the cake.

How to insert dowels

To insert dowels into a small wedding cake, you will need four plastic drinking straws or 1⁄4-inch wooden dowels. Push these down through the cake layer to the bottom at even intervals about 2 inches in from the circular guide. Mark the straws with a pencil about 1⁄8 inch above the surface of the cream, then pull them out from the cake slightly. Cut off at the pencil mark, parallel to the cake surface, using scissors (or pruning shears, for dowels); reinsert in the cake. Insert one dowel in the centre of the largest cake, and four around it in a square, in an area that is just smaller than the next-largest cake.

Frequently asked questions