Hello..I was goin to do a wedding cake .....16 inch on the bottom and middle 12 inch and then 8 inches....on top.

Is a 16 inch too big? too big to bake in my oven and will it look funny? should I ask her to make it smaller...like 6,10,14?

NOt sure...and you guys are the masters!! This is only my 2nd wedding cake...Thank you!

First off, you need some information, like:
How many servings you need.
Will the bride and groom keep the top tier.
Also, just measure the inside of your oven to see if 16 is too big.

I am sure there are other things that the experts here can recommend also, but you came to the right place.......the people here are wonderful at giving wonderful tips, and there are sooo many talented cake decorators here- I am in awe every time new pictures are posted!
Good Luck!

I am not crazy about the look of a cake with a four inch difference between the layers.There is something wrong with the proportions. It looks kinda flat to me. That is totally my opinion, and you certainly can make a 16 inch cake on the bottom. If the whole 16 inch layer won't fit in your oven, they make pans for you to be able to bake half at a time, and CC sells them.

Keep in mind though, bigger layers are unwieldy to handle, especially if you haven't done a lot of them. I freeze cakes that are 14 inches or above to prevent breaking whilst I am torting, stacking, etc...


Good luck, HTH

I agree with kerri729 you need to know how many servings they need
16 = 100, 12 = 56, 8 =24 this is 156 serv. if couple keep the 8" or total of 180 (these are Wilton figures)

6" = 12, 10"=38, 14=78 this is 116 serv w/o the top or total of 128

So you are looking a big difference in the amount of servings.

Measure your oven!! Also if you don't already have the 16" pan - do you think it will be something you will use a lot or just for this job? Just something to consider.

I have made the 16" before and it is a monster to handle but can be done. Freezing the layers before assembly like txkat suggested helps a whole lot.

As for the look 4" difference or 2" difference in pan size, I've done both ways - the looks are different but neither one is bad - just what ever you prefer and depends if you want flowers on the tiers.

HTH

I have a pic in my photos (1st birthday) that is a 16 square with a 12 & 8 rounds. It was a pretty big cake. And it was scary to use the 16 for the first time because it is huge especially stacking the second layer onto the first but luckily I didn't have any problems and no breaking or cracking!

As far as oven size, it fit in my sister's new gas oven but would not have fit in my mom's older oven, so you will just have to measure.

If I remember correctly this amount of cake would feed over 200.

I have a 16,12, and 8 in my album if you want to look at one. It does feed alot. I did this one for my first.

GOOD LUCK!

Try measuring the inside of your oven first to see if a 16" pan will fit with 2" of space around for air to circulate. If not, use a 16" half pan. The half pan will be easier to manage. To assemble tiers with half pans, make the join perpendicular on each layer (if seam on bottom cake layer is horizontal, make it vertical on next layer). I hope I'm saying it clear enough.

I agree that you must first find out from the bride and groom how many servings of cake they will need. IMHO, an 8" for the top cake will make the whole cake look too flat as it is too wide for a top cake.

I agree with checking serving sizes and oven size. If you have a Hobby Lobby near you, they have a 40% off coupon every other week and that is good to use to buy the pan. The wedding cake (Rebekah) in my photos is a 16-12-8.

To get a basic idea of how it will look in person, next time you go to Michael's or Hobby Lobby, stack the 16-12-8" pans on top of one another while you are in the store.

I have done many with a 16 inch and even an 18 inch but they were very large weddings.

I like the 4 inch difference some call it more American and the 2 inch difference more European most of my cake here are the 4 inch difference.

my only problem is the 8 inch for the top teir.. it take a big topper for an 8 inch top teir. Though you could add a smaller 4 inch on top from the mini teir set

I use the half pans when using the half pans make sure the seam on the top layer is turned from the seam on the lower layer. I doubt it would move but why take a chance.


Well I went and looked at my photos and most of mine here are NOT the 4 inche difference... I do prefer delivering them they are more stable but it seems lately they have been picking out the 2 inch difference.

Well serving size is 200-250 people...There is about 450 people at the wedding...and there is a sweet table too.....So they wanted the cake for half the people...I was just thinking I could do an extra slab...to cut in the back..
This is not the main dessert. Just extra for later. There is already dessert being served with the meal.
But they are keeping the top layer....

If anyone has the new Martha Wedding mag....It is on page 88.
So it is squared and corners cut off....It looks like a bigger gap then the 2 inches between....AM I WRONG????

Thanks, nicole

IMHO = in my humble opinion

HEHE....Love your answer txkat ...very cute!


So....I can be ok...Should I talk her into having a slab that no one sees? in the back?

Or cause she is having 450+ people.....a bigger cake is better?

Sorry all the questions...I am a worry wart!!!!

Hi, Nicole! Long time...

I've handled 16" before without any trouble. The 4" difference is OK. But, these people are having a lot of guests. So, I think you should add another tier, which can be the one they save. It would also look better. A 6" cake doesn't have the 4" difference but I think it would look acceptable. Or maybe a 5" cake.
If not, well go with the slab. Good luck! Hope to see it soon. I know it will be beautiful!

Marie

I too am doing my first large cake for a friends wedding at the end of the month. It is the exact same sizes and square, my biggest concern is how to handle the 16" cake.

So I finished the cake I was talking about - with the same sizes you are using, here's what I learned...two people handling the 16" layers is the (and most importantly, the wedding couple and guests) thought it look ed great! Here is a pic!

Oh yeah - the wedding had around 150 guests and another dessert and there was ALOT of the cake left over! There was just so much!! It does feed a lot of people!!

OH Thank you very much!! Gives me a great visual...
Plus...Your cake is beauitful!! Fabulous job!!

OH Thank you very much!! Gives me a great visual...
Plus...Your cake is beauitful!! Fabulous job!! Did you just use your hands Carson...to lift up the fondant? or did you use a tool or some sort?

Ummmm I have to feel your pain!!!! This weekend I have a 7 yes SEVEN tier cake.Granted this cake is a fake and sheet cakes will be served but the bottom layer is 2ft X 2ft square up to 6in square. How in the world am I going to do this. It didn't sound so big taking the order because I knew it was fake but now that I recieved the dummies this cake is going to be MONSTROUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Did I mention this needs to be covered in fondant????

Sorry - my last post was a little hard to read. For some reason the one sentence got cut off, I shouldn't type after midnight! 2 people handling the 16" is best (thank you mom!). I may of made each tier a little taller as well (although it doesn't look real bad as is), mine were not quite 4" tall.

Covering in fondant was not easy for me, since I used mmf and had extremely high humidity here. Since there were "ribbons" of fondant down the middle of each side, I covered only half the 16" in fondant at a time, and was able to cover the seam with fondant ribbon. No one noticed once cut up. I was luckly my first cake this size had a lot of decoration to cover any problems, however, the seam on the bottom tier was my only real problem! I wish you luck, it may take you some time, but it will turn out great I'm sure!