Stacking cakes sometimes requires a bit of engineering. Imagine working for days on a beautiful wedding cake, only to have it collapse into itself due to a structural problem prior to delivery. Or worse yet, have it collapse on the bride and groom when they are cutting into it!!! These are the nightmares of cake decorators!
Learning to stack a three tiered wedding cake is actually quite simple, and learning how to do it is integral to cake decorating. In my video you will see me use a total of 7 wooden support rods. You can use more if you are worried about your cake collapsing, but being that I’ve stacked enough cakes with this exact type of cake, I wasn’t worried and knew that I didn’t need more support. BUT, that being said, if this is new to you or you are using a light, fluffy cake (or a box mix) you may want to have 3-5 support rods in the bottom tier. Three in the middle layer should remain to be suffice.
The rod that goes through the top tier, all the way to the bottom tier anchors the three layers of the cake together. This helps prevent slippage of any of the tiers, keeps the cake upright in it’s stacked position and will help with stability when transporting.
This way of stacking can also be applied to any cake that is tiered, be it two, four or more layers. You will just require longer rods, and many more of them! The more tiers the cake, the more support you will want the base to have as it will be bearing more weight at the bottom.
How to Stack a Three Tiered Wedding Cake
Materials Required
- 6″ double layer buttercream coated cake
- 8″ double layer buttercream coated cake
- 10″ double layer buttercream coated cake
- 7 Wooden dowel rods (or plastic)
Procedure
- Prepare 6″, 8″ and 10″ cakes. See this step in Part One.
- Place three rods into the 10″ cake in the shape of a triangle, about 3″-4″ apart. Make sure that the rods will be underneath the 8″ cake that will be above the support rods.
- Mark the rods with an edible pen, or score with a knife, just below the top of the cake. Trim the rods using a knife, saw or sharp sears to the trim line.
- Reinsert the rods into the previous holes, and ensure that they are flush with the top of the cake. If they are not, re-trim them.
- Place the 8″ cake on top of the support rods.
- Place three rods into the 8″ cake in the shape of a triangle, about 3″-4″ apart. Make sure that the rods will be underneath the 6″ cake that will be above the support rods.
- Repeat trimming process of the rods and insert them back into the holes that go through the 10″ and 8″ cakes.
- Place the 6″ on top of the support rods.
- Trim one rod to fit below the surface of the top of the cake, and press down into the cake through all three layers of cakes. This will prevent the cake from moving.
- Using a small amount of buttercream, patch the hole at the top of the cake and spread smooth.
STAY TUNED FOR MORE . . .
In the third video, I will be showing you how to decorate a wedding cake, and I will be using the three tiered cakes that I make in this video.
If you didn’t catch it, see Part One- How to Bake and Frost a Wedding Cake
so so so sorry but what fillings can i use? do i have to fill the cakes with buttercream or can i fill it with ganache and raspberries?
You can fill it with whatever you want.
Oh an also since im doing a light purple fondant, how do i cover up the hole for the center of the 6″ in. cake. I cant cover it with buttercream so i do i cover it with more fondant?
You put the stake through the whole cake before you put the fondant on, and that way there is no hole left.
How can you cover a 3 tiered cake with fondant that is already stacked??? I don’t see how that is possible :/
You cover each individual layer prior to stacking.
ooh first to comment. Ok so i want to bake this cake for my sweet 16 thats coming up in a month but im going to use the cake recipe from your oreo cake video. I have some questions. Did you leave the carboard on and why? Do i have to use the cardboard or can i put a little buttercream in the center and stack it like that? When your inserting the dowels for the second teir how far past the cardboard are you pushing in the dowels? Do you push them in and stop as soon as you “puncture” the cardboard or are you pushing a little farther than that? My overall question is how far are you pushing in the dowels for the second teir? Also where did you get the cardboard? Did you make it or buy it somewhere? If you made it can you tell me how you made it and where you found the cardboard? Can i do the same processs for stacking if the cakes have fondant? Also what’s better for icing the three teir cake, buttercream or the cream cheese frosting from your oreo cake video? By the way it came out superb.
Sorry for all the questions,