Foam Core Versus Cake Boards

Decorating By wildwolves Updated 17 Jan 2013 , 5:25am by shebaben

wildwolves Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
wildwolves Posted 4 Nov 2009 , 9:00am
post #1 of 77

Hi everyone..
Just wondering what everyone prefers to use... I have only ever used cakeboards between layers and MDF for the base board.
I'm not quite sure how foamcore supports the cake.. and do you cover it to make it food safe?
Do you use it just like you use a cake board between layers and then MDF for the base board?
Sorry for all the questions but i just have no idea about foamcore... icon_confused.gif

76 replies
suzie1962 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
suzie1962 Posted 4 Nov 2009 , 10:26am
post #2 of 77

I have wondered the same thing. I always think that foamcore between tiers would be too thick and you would really need to put a large border between tiers to cover it. I would love to know the answer to this.

leah_s Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
leah_s Posted 4 Nov 2009 , 10:54am
post #3 of 77

I use cardboards ALL the time and they are fine. I have never understood why people have a problem with them.

Loucinda Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Loucinda Posted 4 Nov 2009 , 12:54pm
post #4 of 77

I use 1/4" foamcore for all tiers but the base. The base is 1/2". The reason I use the foamcore vs. cardboard is because when I use cardboard, it flexes on me and then I have cracks in the icing. The foamcore does not flex. Use whatever you are comfortable with. thumbs_up.gif

pieceacake830 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
pieceacake830 Posted 4 Nov 2009 , 1:06pm
post #5 of 77

I use cardboard for all sheetcakes, and for tiered cakes I use cardboard in between the layers, and 1/2 foamcore for the base. When I dowel a tiered cake, I like being able to sink that center dowel all the way through the base board. That makes it so much sturdier. I cover all base boards with freezer paper, shiny side up.

wrightway777 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
wrightway777 Posted 4 Nov 2009 , 1:24pm
post #6 of 77
Quote:
Originally Posted by Loucinda

I use 1/4" foamcore for all tiers but the base. The base is 1/2". The reason I use the foamcore vs. cardboard is because when I use cardboard, it flexes on me and then I have cracks in the icing. The foamcore does not flex. Use whatever you are comfortable with. thumbs_up.gif




Ditto! I dont use cardboard between the layers anymore. A few years ago I had a fondanted 3 tier topsy turvey that started to sink a little bit too much from the second tier. I was a wreck even though the Wedding group didnt seem to notice. Save yourself the drama. If you use the 1/4" foamcore (its not thick at all - just cut to same diameter as your crumb coated cake) for 2nd tiers and up it is thin enough to run your mid dowel though and I have had no structural drama since.

__Jamie__ Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
__Jamie__ Posted 4 Nov 2009 , 1:45pm
post #7 of 77

You could use 1" thick for all it matters, and it shouldn't show through. It's how you ice your cake that determines if you have a border.

suzie1962 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
suzie1962 Posted 4 Nov 2009 , 2:27pm
post #8 of 77

So if you have the foamcore the same size as the cake, you just ice the foamcore as if it is cake?

__Jamie__ Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
__Jamie__ Posted 4 Nov 2009 , 2:34pm
post #9 of 77

Yep.

Loucinda Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Loucinda Posted 4 Nov 2009 , 6:11pm
post #10 of 77

If you look at my cake pics, virtually each cake in there is done with the foamcore. Works perfectly every time.

Texas_Rose Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Texas_Rose Posted 4 Nov 2009 , 6:17pm
post #11 of 77

I always use foamcore too. I use the 3/16" for the regular boards and I'll use a double thickness of it for the bottom board, or if I'm feeling rich icon_razz.gif I'll use the 1/2". I cover it with press and seal wrap, except for the bottom board which gets fondant.

wildwolves Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
wildwolves Posted 4 Nov 2009 , 6:28pm
post #12 of 77

ok sounds good.. thanks for the tips everyone.. Just one more question.. When u are putting a centre dowl into the cake with a base foamcore doesn't it go through the bottom board too? I just see the foam core as being very flexable and brittle... icon_confused.gif But i'm keen to try as i have had cardboard flex on me too icon_smile.gif

playingwithsugar Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
playingwithsugar Posted 4 Nov 2009 , 6:31pm
post #13 of 77

The only problem I have with cake boards is that it's not often that I can find the waxed ones anymore.

I'm switching to MDF for all my boards. I don't sell cakes, and I don't do enough cakes to need a huge inventory of them, so it won't be much of an inconvenience. I really wished I had them last weekend, when I stacked 4 tiers of pound cakes on each other. I was so worried that it was going to crush down on itself, because the separators were made of dummies that were backed on the bottom with cake board. The cake would have been much more secure if I had backed the dummies with MDF, and used the same under the cakes.

Theresa icon_smile.gif

__Jamie__ Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
__Jamie__ Posted 4 Nov 2009 , 6:31pm
post #14 of 77

Sharpen your dowel with a clean new pencil sharpener.

__Jamie__ Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
__Jamie__ Posted 4 Nov 2009 , 6:33pm
post #15 of 77

MDF under each tier?? Wow. That would be unbelievable overkill, unless I am missing something....

suzie1962 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
suzie1962 Posted 4 Nov 2009 , 6:36pm
post #16 of 77

do you have to cover each board if you use MDF? do you have to cover them if you use foamcore?

wildwolves Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
wildwolves Posted 4 Nov 2009 , 6:50pm
post #17 of 77
Quote:
Originally Posted by suzie1962

do you have to cover each board if you use MDF? do you have to cover them if you use foamcore?




That was my next question.. icon_smile.gif
But still want to know if you just use foam core for the base board and nothing else.. Does the centre sharpened down go through the base board?? icon_confused.gif

__Jamie__ Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
__Jamie__ Posted 4 Nov 2009 , 6:51pm
post #18 of 77

It will if you hammer on it hard enough! You can "feel" when your dowel finally gets to the very last board.

leah_s Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
leah_s Posted 4 Nov 2009 , 6:59pm
post #19 of 77

[quote="playingwithsugar"] I was so worried that it was going to crush down on itself, because the separators were made of dummies that were backed on the bottom with cake board. The cake would have been much more secure if I had backed the dummies with MDF, and used the same under the cakes.

Theresa icon_smile.gif[/quote]

I don't understand. It's not the board, it's the dowels or legs attached to the board that are supporting the cake. Why would cake "crush down on itself"?

wildwolves Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
wildwolves Posted 4 Nov 2009 , 7:16pm
post #20 of 77

thanks jamie i thought that might be the case! lol. i really want to give it a go now!

sugarshack Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
sugarshack Posted 4 Nov 2009 , 8:40pm
post #21 of 77

I use 1/2 inch fomecore under each tier: SUPER stable for very heavy tiers and I like the added height. The way I ice/prep my tiers you never see the board and I can go borderless if desired.

center sharpened dowel thru all tiers

MDF for base

HTH

wildwolves Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
wildwolves Posted 4 Nov 2009 , 11:19pm
post #22 of 77

Thanks heaps for the info everyone.. Foam core sounds great! will be trialling this soon icon_smile.gif

whitet4 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
whitet4 Posted 4 Nov 2009 , 11:29pm
post #23 of 77

I would highly recommend getting sugarshacks video it goes through each step. It helps sooooooo much.

Jeff_Arnett Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Jeff_Arnett Posted 5 Nov 2009 , 2:40am
post #24 of 77
Quote:
Originally Posted by wildwolves

Hi everyone..
Just wondering what everyone prefers to use... I have only ever used cakeboards between layers and MDF for the base board.
I'm not quite sure how foamcore supports the cake.. and do you cover it to make it food safe?
Do you use it just like you use a cake board between layers and then MDF for the base board?
Sorry for all the questions but i just have no idea about foamcore... icon_confused.gif


I use 1/2 inch foamcore for the base and 3/16 inch between layers.

Foamcore is thin but very strong and makes an excellent support material for cake tiers.

Save yourself a bunch of work and wasted time running to craft stores to buy foam board.....you can now buy premade foamcore cake boards in many shapes and sizes and they are already covered with a waterproof and grease proof FDA approved styrene coating....all I do is glue a 1/2 inch ribbon around the outside edge of my 1/2 inch base board.

Visit http://store.foamboardsource.com/cake-boards.html for all shapes and sizes of pre-made boards.

Normita Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Normita Posted 5 Nov 2009 , 2:57am
post #25 of 77

What is MDF??

wildwolves Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
wildwolves Posted 5 Nov 2009 , 3:02am
post #26 of 77

thanks so much Jeff the site is great! icon_biggrin.gif Makes it easier than cutting everything out..

Peridot Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Peridot Posted 5 Nov 2009 , 3:05am
post #27 of 77

I want to know what MDF is also.

joknee Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
joknee Posted 5 Nov 2009 , 3:08am
post #28 of 77

MDF is medium density fiberboard. Really strong and relatively cheap!

Normita Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Normita Posted 5 Nov 2009 , 5:06am
post #29 of 77

Where can I purchase mdf?? Are they similar to cake drums/bases?

wrightway777 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
wrightway777 Posted 5 Nov 2009 , 1:14pm
post #30 of 77

You can purchase MDF boards at Home Depot, Lowes, etc.

whats everyones favorite tool to cut the MDF boards?

Quote by @%username% on %date%

%body%