OK you wonderful CC experienced decorators- I have been inspired, I know the cake I am doing and the decorating will be done tomorrow. I am doing a 4 tier cake- 14", 12", 10", and 8", with the crusting cc icing, and white chocolate seshells. I am going to construct it with the hidden pillars (too scared to try dowels yet), and I have a few (probably dumb) questions:
1) Do I put my cakes on cake circles/boards before I put onto seperator plates?
2) For the seperator plates/circles, do I use the same size as my cake, or a little bigger to allow for my base border?
3) What is the best way to cut the hidden pillars to size and make them even, so my cake doesn't topple over?
4) I have my cakes in the freezer triple wrapped in saran wrap, aluminum foil, and garbage bags, when do I take them out to thaw if I am going to decorate 24 hours from now?
5) Will my icing crack if I put them in the fridge after decorating?

Sorry so long, I thought I had this handled, but I am scared now. Does anyone else think I am nuts for doing this at my own reception? The wedding was in January in Jamaica, but my husband still thinks I am nuts. I am really hopeful that this will jumpstart a wedding cake business for me.
TIA all you kind people!

1. yes

2.a little bigger

3. I don't use these, sorry can't help much here

4.sorry can't help ya there either b/c I don't freeze cakes

5.mine never has...the crusting bc recipe is what I use

I don't think you're nuts at all, lol, you'll pull it off and it'll be great!

Good Luck! (sorry if I wasn't much help, but atleast I can give you a bump)

Anyone????????

Cricket-----------

mmdd.........
Thank you - I must have made my second post the same time as your reply- my questions are too many I am sure, but thank you for your advice- it helps ease my nerves a little. I guess I strive for perfection and I want everyone to "ooh and aah" over the cake!

I freeze my cakes all the time and I find that they thaw out to room temp in a few hours....I always pull them out...torte them and brush with simple syrup while they're still frozen and stack them back up and put on the crumb coat...it sets up nicely because the cake is so cold...then I leave it for a few hours and come back and do a final frost and decorate...I have never had issues with condensation or anything. I also haven't had any issues with the icing cracking when I refrigerate after decorating, however if your cake is not filled or frosted with anything perishable...cakes are fine at room temp for days!!!

Cake Boards...definitely use them! Use 2, tape them together, then I put white contact paper over entire board to make them firm and grease-proof. Trace you cake pan onto cardboards and cut out, if you cannot buy the sizes you need.

Separator Plates....use at least 1" bigger, 2" is you don't mind a little plate showing. That way you have room for your border and it is not falling off!

Never used Hidden Pillars either, but will be watching for answer as that is coming up soon for me.

Defrosting Cakes....Laid out separately, mine took 5 hours for biggest layer to defrost, still wrapped in saran wrap. I cut saran wrap off, Leveled, stacked, and Frosted using BC and smoothing to look like fondant.

I never refrigerate my cakes...so not sure about the cracking.

This is great you are doing your own cake....have fun with it and remember to take pics for us! Good Luck!

Thank you for your replies! I will definitely post my results and findings on Monday and pictures too. I would love to do this more, but I am keeping track of my time and expenses to see exactly how expensive of a hobby I have latched on to!