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Re: First wedding cake disaster

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Posted by caked out on July 02, 2007 at 13:33:45:

In Reply to: Re: First wedding cake disaster posted by Diane B CT on July 02, 2007 at 08:47:56:

I'm finding that often the staff is cutting the cake right there at the cake table without moving it to the kitchen. Half the time It's set up on the opposite side of the room anyway, so I guess it would be awkward to carry the cake back through a room full of people. If I stack onsite, sometimes I won't worry about doweling through the top tier.
: I'm so sorry for you, but it sounds like the family was really great about it!

I had a problem with a cake last year, I had wooden dowels in the bottom 12" tier, had the 6" and 9" stacked and doweled and ready to place on the bottom when I got to the reception site. Something happened that wasn't pretty, but it was to the 9" tier (almost looked like it caved in rather than broke apart). I immediately called my CT cake mentor, sent pictures and as many details as I could, she explained having too many wooden dowels will compromise the structure of the cake. She has been using the wilton 1" plastic dowels (not hidden pillars) for 30 years, filled with frosting for extra stability, and then places the smaller cakes on those. I immediately switched and have felt better since! I don't use a ton of them, usually a max of 5. I cut them on the band saw so they are even.

I do have a question though... I stack on site since I can't carry a fully assembled cake. It's not doweled through the center since I'm not worrying about shifting during transport, AND because I want it to be easier for the staff to remove the top tier to be saved for the couple.... but what happens when the staff needs to move it to the kitchen for cutting? Should I put a center dowel in the bottom tiers and just place the top tier for easier removal?

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: I'm finding that often the staff is cutting the cake right there at the cake table without moving it to the kitchen. Half the time It's set up on the opposite side of the room anyway, so I guess it would be awkward to carry the cake back through a room full of people. If I stack onsite, sometimes I won't worry about doweling through the top tier.
: I'm so sorry for you, but it sounds like the family was really great about it!

I had a problem with a cake last year, I had wooden dowels in the bottom 12" tier, had the 6" and 9" stacked and doweled and ready to place on the bottom when I got to the reception site. Something happened that wasn't pretty, but it was to the 9" tier (almost looked like it caved in rather than broke apart). I immediately called my CT cake mentor, sent pictures and as many details as I could, she explained having too many wooden dowels will compromise the structure of the cake. She has been using the wilton 1" plastic dowels (not hidden pillars) for 30 years, filled with frosting for extra stability, and then places the smaller cakes on those. I immediately switched and have felt better since! I don't use a ton of them, usually a max of 5. I cut them on the band saw so they are even.

I do have a question though... I stack on site since I can't carry a fully assembled cake. It's not doweled through the center since I'm not worrying about shifting during transport, AND because I want it to be easier for the staff to remove the top tier to be saved for the couple.... but what happens when the staff needs to move it to the kitchen for cutting? Should I put a center dowel in the bottom tiers and just place the top tier for easier removal?

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