I spent 2 days making my daughters cheer cake. I went to deliver it to her gym and stopped at Walgreens to get some plates when I decided to check on it. My heart sunk when I saw that it had fallen over and broke the bottom layer. I ran over to Top Foods and bought one of their cakes and salavaged one of the fondant cheerleaders and placed it on the purchased cake. I was sooo bummed!
Jacqui 
awww ... what can I say but I'm sorry this happened ... I know how much love goes into putting a cake for a loved one 
I am soooooo sorry that happened to you. The cake is so beautiful too!!! My daughter is also a cheerleader and I almost made something similar to this for her birthday party.
Did you use dowel rods to support the cake??? I can not imagine why it slid apart like that. 
Thanks for your support everyone. I used dowel rods in the bottom cake and didn't think I would need to place one through the whole cake but maybe I did. I also put fancy foil on the cardboard that is under the second layer so maybe that's why it slid? Maybe my frosting was too soft? I think next time I will refrigerate my cake, frost it and refrigerate it again prior to decorating. I baked the cake the day before and just wrapped it in plastic wrap (no refrigeration). The next day I iced and decorated it.
Jacqui
I have to agree with you Traci. I think that the cake is firmer when refrigerated so it withstand traveling better. I'm just glad it wasn't a wedding cake!! I got a bit discouraged after my disaster because I'd like to make and sell wedding cakes and I thought "holy cow, what would I have done if it were a wedding cake or a purchased cake"! YIKES
Jacqui
Oh I'm so so sorry that happened. Did you use any filling? I made a cake for my dh to take to work with him. He called me from work and said that it had slid apart while he drove to work. I think I used way too much filling and the cake layers just drifted apart as a result. I suppose the cake could have been too soft even for the dowel rods to hold together. Regardless it was a gorgeous cake and you still have a before picture to show off 
Beautiful cake, maybe I can offer some help....
When I do a two tier cake I do not cover the top tier cake boards with fancy foil as it is a bit slippery. In fact I leave the cake board uncovered and just dust both sides with powdered sugar to prevent it from sticking to the icing when removed.
As far as traveling, I ALWAYS use strips of non-slip foam material under my cakes in the car. I also give these to my clients (I bought a huge foam mat that I just keep cutting up) for when they pick up their cakes. I've NEVER had a problem with a cake even budging when using these.
As far as the cake itself, I certainly don't think a center dowel would hurt and if I'm doing three tiers of 4" high cakes or two tiers of 6" high cakes I center dowel...just don't forget the pilot hole!
Man that stinks that was such a pretty cake! At least you got a pic of it before it was smashed.
I do the opposite. I do not stack the cakes until I am at the site. (but then I don't freeze or refrigerate them either) I put the dowels for each layer in before transporting it, and then stack it after delivery. I also have a 4" thick piece of foam for all the tiers to set on (with the non - skid stuff under each layer)
Thank you for the compliments everyone and the great tips too! I did not have filling just buttercream but I torted all of the cakes. I too use a non skid mat. I actually use one under my cake on the turn table as I decorate as well so my cake doesn't shift while decorating. I guess I'll take this as a learning experience and thank God that it was my daughters cake and not one I was selling. I was looking at everyone's cake photo's and all of you have some beautiful cakes! TamiAZ, I commented on a few of yours and added them to my favorites....luved the Graduation Cake and the officer hat cake....my husband's a pilot....I'll have to keep that in mind for his retirement. You are very talented!
Jacqui 
That was such a pretty cake, I may steal ( maybe I should say borrow), your design for a niece the has put in an order for a cheerleading cake for her next b/day. I would always use a center dowel on a tiered cake. My thinking is "never take any chances'. Sorry This happened to you.
Oh my what a pity, it must have just broke your heart!
I have to agree with you Traci. I think that the cake is firmer when refrigerated so it withstand traveling better. I'm just glad it wasn't a wedding cake!! I got a bit discouraged after my disaster because I'd like to make and sell wedding cakes and I thought "holy cow, what would I have done if it were a wedding cake or a purchased cake"! YIKES
Jacqui
I dont have room in my fridge to place a tiered cake...so I usually bring the tiers to the wedding and stack them there.
BUT I have a wedding in April where there is going to be a lot of decoration along the edging of each tier and I won't have time or space to decorate the cake at the reception. I never thought about placing a center dowel...do I just put a hole in the center of the cardboard plate and just pass a dowel through the entire thing? ( assume after icing but before decorating?)
Subaru, of course you can borrow my idea. I actually got the fondant cheerleaders idea out of the Wilton 2005 book. Their cheerleaders were on a square cake in a pyramid.
After I had place my 2nd cake on I had thought about a dowel rod but I hadn't cut a hole in my cardboard so I left it. So much for that. Oh, well. Today I'm going to make a basketball cake similiar to the one I saw on here that Lisa did. I will definatly use a dowel rod on this one!
I don't usually put a hole in my cake board. Just sharpen one end of the dowel to a point and use the flat side of a small meat tenderizer to hammer it in (I only use that tenderizer for cakes). I could never get the dowel to line up with the hidden hole, so this works well for me.
By the way, sorry to see how the cake fell. The "before" photo looked really nice.
Kitti, that's a good idea! Is it a quick tapp and it doesn't damage the cake?? WOW!! I'll try it.
Jacqui 
Yes, just a quick tap. I've never had a cake fall apart on me doing that. Once the dowel is in the cake, I usually have that spot covered with a flower or something or I ice the top after I insert the dowel. It's good for transporting cakes to. Sometimes the "base" cake board, that supports the whole cake is a couple of layers of boards, so I will make the dowel long enough to go through that, especially when I have to transport the cake. It acts like an anchor. If I am doing a wedding cake and they want to save the anniversary cake, I won't put the dowel through that layer. I put that cake on at the reception, so they can remove it from the cake. You just have to cut the slices from the stacked cake.I know some people don't like to do that though.
I don't usually put a hole in my cake board. Just sharpen one end of the dowel to a point and use the flat side of a small meat tenderizer to hammer it in (I only use that tenderizer for cakes). I could never get the dowel to line up with the hidden hole, so this works well for me.
Thats a great idea! I will have to give it a try!
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