Crafting Mini Tiered Wedding Cakes: A Step-By-Step Guide

Making mini tiered wedding cakes can be a fun and creative project, perfect for bridal showers, rehearsal dinners, or wedding favours. Here's a simple guide to help you get started:

Ingredients and Supplies:

You'll need a box of white cake mix, eggs, oil, milk, sour cream, and a tub of fluffy white frosting. Additionally, you'll want to have a multi-tiered cake pan, a mixing bowl, an oven, a cooling rack, and decorations such as ribbon, pearls, or sprinkles.

Baking the Cakes:

Preheat your oven to 350°F. In your mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, oil, milk, and sour cream. Beat the mixture for 30 seconds on medium speed, and then increase to high speed for 2 minutes. Spray your multi-tiered cake pan with cooking spray and fill the molds up to the bottom line of the largest tier. Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for an additional 12-15 minutes.

Frosting and Decorating:

Once your cakes are baked, it's time to frost and decorate! You can use a spatula to spread an even layer of frosting or use a star decorating tip to cover the cakes in stars. Get creative with your decorations—use ribbon, pearls, sprinkles, or even edible flowers to make your mini wedding cakes look elegant and unique.

Tips and Tricks:

- If you're looking for a no-bake option, consider using frozen pound cake. Cut the cake into slices about 1 inch thick and use a cookie cutter to create uniform rounds.

- To create a glue that holds the tiers together and evens out the layers, use some frosting, jam, or even Nutella between the layers.

- When microwaving the frosting to achieve a pourable consistency, do it in 20-second intervals to avoid overheating.

- If you're making a larger quantity of mini wedding cakes, plan your time accordingly. It takes less than 5 minutes to build and decorate each cake.

Choosing the right cake mix

Type of Cake Mix

Decide on the type of cake mix you want to use. You can choose between a traditional cake mix, such as vanilla, chocolate, or red velvet, or go for a more unique flavour like carrot cake or lemon cake. Consider the preferences of the couple and guests when making your decision.

Number of Tiers

The number of tiers you plan to have will impact the amount of cake mix you need. For each tier, you will typically need two layers of cake. As a guide, a 6-inch cake will require about 4 cups of batter, an 8-inch cake will need 7 to 8 cups, and a 10-inch cake will need around 12 cups. Adjust your mix accordingly.

Baking in Advance

If you want to bake the cakes in advance and freeze them, choose a cake mix that freezes well. Pound cake, for example, freezes well and can be easily cut into layers for mini cakes. You can also make buttercream frosting in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Stability

For a tiered cake, stability is essential. Choose a cake mix that will result in a sturdy cake that can support the weight of the tiers above it. Avoid overly moist or delicate cakes that may not hold up well under the weight. Consider adding extra support, such as wooden dowels or plastic straws, to help bear the weight and prevent collapse.

Decorations

Think about the decorations you want to use and choose a cake mix that will complement them. For example, if you plan to use fresh flowers or edible decorations, select a cake mix that will provide a good base for these toppings. If you want to add sprinkles or pearls, choose a cake mix that will provide a smooth surface for decoration.

Practice

Finally, don't be afraid to practice and experiment with different cake mixes before the big day. This will help you find the perfect mix that tastes delicious and meets the structural requirements of a mini-tiered wedding cake.

Preparing the pans

Firstly, you will need to gather the right equipment. For a mini tiered cake, you will need cake pans in different sizes. The exact sizes will depend on the number of tiers you want and your desired serving size. For a simple 2-tier cake, you will need one 6-inch pan and one 9-inch pan. If you are making a 3-tier cake, you will need three pans of different sizes, such as 6-inch, 8-inch, and 10-inch. It is recommended to use pans that are three inches deep to prevent batter overflow. You will also need cake boards or circles, which should be the same size or slightly larger than your cake pans.

Once you have the right equipment, it's time to prepare the pans for baking. Here is a step-by-step guide:

• Grease your pans: Use cooking spray, butter, or non-stick spray to generously grease the bottom and sides of each pan. This will ensure that your cakes don't stick to the pan.
• Line with parchment paper: Cut a round piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of each pan. Place the parchment paper rounds into the greased pans and grease them as well. This step may seem unnecessary, but it is crucial to ensure that your cakes will release easily from the pans.
• Dust with flour (optional): If desired, you can dust the pans with a light coating of flour after greasing and lining them. Tap out any excess flour.
• Prepare your batter: Follow your chosen cake recipe to prepare the batter. If you are making a multi-tiered cake, you will need to divide the batter evenly between the different pans.
• Fill the pans: Fill each pan with batter up to the bottom line of the largest tier. Do not overfill the pans to avoid batter overflow.
• Baking: Follow the baking instructions for your specific cake recipe. The baking time will depend on the size of your pans and the number of tiers. For example, a 6-inch cake may take around 25-30 minutes to bake, while a 10-inch cake may take 55-60 minutes. Always test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean, your cake is ready.
• Cooling: Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before turning them out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

By following these steps, you will have perfectly prepared pans for your mini tiered wedding cakes. Now you are ready to assemble and decorate your cakes!

Baking the cakes

To make mini tiered wedding cakes, you'll need to bake multiple cakes in different sizes. For a 3-tier cake, you'll need to bake two 6-inch cakes, two 8-inch cakes, and two 10-inch cakes. The cakes should be about 2 inches thick, so it's recommended to use pans that are 3 inches deep to prevent overflow.

Before baking, prepare your pans by spraying them with cooking spray and lining the bottoms with wax or parchment paper. This will ensure that your cakes don't stick to the pans.

For the batter, you can use a box of cake mix, adding in eggs, oil, milk, and sour cream, and beat until smooth. Alternatively, you can make the batter from scratch, combining milk, egg whites, vanilla beans, all-purpose flour, baking powder, butter, and sugar.

• 6-inch cakes: 15-20 minutes
• 8-inch cakes: 35-40 minutes
• 10-inch cakes: 40-60 minutes

Keep in mind that these are just guidelines, and the actual baking time may vary depending on your oven. It's important to test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, and the cake springs back from your touch, it's done.

Let the cakes cool for about 10 minutes before removing them from the pans and transferring them to a cooling rack to finish cooling completely.

Making the buttercream

Ingredients:

• Egg whites
• Sugar
• Vanilla
• Butter

Method:

• In a heatproof bowl, combine the egg whites and sugar. The amount of each ingredient will depend on the total quantity of buttercream you require. For a basic buttercream, you will need 6 cups to frost a 3-tier wedding cake.
• Create a double boiler by placing the heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water. Ensure that the water is not boiling vigorously, as this can cause the egg mixture to cook too quickly.
• Heat the egg and sugar mixture, stirring constantly, until it reaches 70°C/160°F. At this temperature, the sugar should be completely dissolved, creating a smooth and glossy mixture.
• Transfer the heated mixture to a stand mixer or use a hand mixer with beaters. Start beating the mixture on low speed and gradually increase to high speed as the mixture cools.
• Continue beating until the mixture forms stiff peaks. This process may take some time, so be patient and allow the mixture to reach the correct consistency.
• With the mixer still running, gradually add the vanilla. The vanilla will enhance the flavour and aroma of your buttercream.
• Now, it's time to add the butter. Slowly incorporate the butter into the mixture, a little at a time, until it is fully combined. This step is crucial, as it transforms the mixture into a light and smooth buttercream. Don't be discouraged if it takes a while for the buttercream to come together—keep beating until you achieve the desired consistency.
• If you are not using the buttercream immediately, store it in an airtight container. However, it is best to use fresh buttercream for decorating your mini wedding cakes.

By following these steps, you will create a delicious and stable buttercream that is perfect for frosting and decorating your mini tiered wedding cakes. Remember to adjust the ingredient quantities based on the number of cakes you are making and the desired amount of buttercream. Enjoy the process of creating your mini wedding cakes, and don't be afraid to add your own creative touches!

Assembling the tiers

To assemble the tiers of your mini wedding cake, you will need to use cake circles or cake boards. These can be made of cardboard or plastic, but they need to be sturdy enough to support the weight of the cake and not bend easily. The cake circle for the base tier should be an inch or two larger than the cake itself, making it easier to move the cake. For the middle and top tiers, the cake circles should be the same size or slightly bigger than the cake tier.

You can use the cake circle as a guide for frosting the cake tier—trim the layers so they are slightly smaller than the circle, and use the circle as a guide for your bench scraper to get a smooth finish. If your tier is going to be more than 6 inches tall, it is recommended to use another cake circle in the middle of the tier for added support.

Next, you will need support dowels to stabilize the cake. Bubble tea or coffee straws can be used as a cheaper and lighter alternative to wooden dowels. You will need one dowel for every 2-3 inches of cake. For example, a 10-inch cake would need 4 or 5 support dowels. It is also recommended to put one in the centre of the cake to make stacking easier.

To assemble the tiers, follow these steps:

• Stack and frost your cake layers. Use a bit of frosting underneath each tier to hold the cake layers to the cake circles. Apply a crumb coat and then spread the cake tiers with frosting and smooth.
• Mark the centre of your base tier and outline where the next tier will go. This will help you place the support dowels in the correct position.
• Cut your dowels to the height of the tier they will be supporting. Mark and space the dowels at least 1/4 inch inside the circle where your next tier will go, then insert them into the base tier, pushing them straight down.
• Centre your middle dowel and slide the next tier down onto it, making sure to centre it on the base tier.
• Repeat steps 1-4 until your cake is fully stacked.

You can now decorate your cake as you wish!

Frequently asked questions