am going to make a stack wedding cake 4 tier with pans 16,14, 12 and 8 well I use the 10 and 12 and 6 for my pratice cake. I took it apart and the frosting i use was whipped cream it came off and was stuck to the other circle board what happend I wouldnt want them to take it apart and then have no frosting on cake I use powder sugar I didnt really like that, also I use dowls and am not sure on how many I should use with each cake I use 4 plactic dowls each cake I use for my pratic I know the top on doesnt need any but it still kind od sink?
I have heard that people have also used coconut sprinkled under their boards to prevent sticking.
The larger the tier you have the more dowels it wil need in it, so 4 dowels in the largest tier will not offer enough support.
this is from wilton's website:
*The general rule for the number of dowel rods to use is: the larger and more numerous the tiers, the more dowels needed. If the tier above is 10 in. or less, use six 1/4-in. wooden dowels. Use 8 dowel rods for 16 in. and 18 in. cakes; on these larger tiers, use 3/4-in. plastic dowel rods in the base tier. When using white plastic dowel rods that are wider and provide more support, the number needed may be less.
I just made my first wedding cake. The bottom 2 layers were stacked. After putting in my dowels and having the frosting crusted I put a circle of parchment paper down the same size as the cake going on top of it. When we took it apart to cut the cake the parchment came right off and left the frosting underneath.
Cindy
I know the buttercream would be better but the bride doesnt like buttercream its to sweet not to many people like the buttercream over here
good idea crp7!! I may try the parchment out and see how that works ... seems like it would since it doesn't really stick to anything else.. Did you put any powder sugar under it against the cake part?
I read a post the other day from Squirrelly Cakes. Someone was asking about how to do a stacked cake. She had mentioned that whipped cream wouldn't work. Others may have done so but I'm not sure. I don't know how you would keep it from pulling off because it doensn't crust and it stays moist. Good luck and let us know if you find a way to make it work. 
Charlotte
You probably want to use an Italian Meringue Buttercream. It's much better. It tastes nothing like typical buttercream(made with or without crisco, ick!) and does not need to be refrigerated. Most wedding cakes are made out of Italian Meringue Buttercream.
Ntertaynme,
I was going too fast when I posted my reply and forgot that Gloria said she was using whipped cream frosting. My cake was buttercream. I just put down the parchment did not add powdered sugar or anything and it peeled right off with the frosting underneath looking nice and smooth.
I do not know if it would work with other frostings but it seems like it would. Certainly worth a try.
Cindy
I read a post the other day from Squirrelly Cakes. Someone was asking about how to do a stacked cake. She had mentioned that whipped cream wouldn't work. Others may have done so but I'm not sure. I don't know how you would keep it from pulling off because it doensn't crust and it stays moist. Good luck and let us know if you find a way to make it work.
Charlotte
Heehee, well kiddo, anything can be made to work, I just wouldn't use an all whipped cream icing for a stacked cake.
Actually, if you put a heavy layer of coconut or cake or cookie crumbs or shaved chocolate, you will have some luck. The thing is, even a stabilized whipped cream icing doesn't really set. The longer it sits at room temperature, the mushier it gets and the cake will start to sink into the cream as the cookie crumbs or whatever you used as a barrier will eventually settle into the whipped cream.
Actually I got into a bit of a discussion (read argument) about this on anther site. Basicaly it was because someone said you could stack cakes directly when using whipped cream and I said you couldn't. Because directly to me doesn't mean placing a half inch of cookie crumbs or coconut in between tiers. For one thing, whatever you use as a barrier will effect the taste of the whipped cream. It isn't like just putting a sprinkling on top of a crusted icing.
So I wouldn't use this for a stacked cake or for a wedding cake. The only time I would use whiped cream for a cake is when the cakes are all individually supported like with the Wilton Garden stand or on individual pedestal stands.
I am not sure what kinds of dowels this poster is referring to, the larger plastic ones or wooden ones. You use a lot fewer plastic ones than wooden, but then they take up a lot more space, so that is a consideration.
You need to make sure that the underneath part of the boards that sit on the whipped cream iced cakes below, are covered with some form of grease-proof covering or you are asking for trouble.
The Whimsical Bakehouse Buttercream is not as sweet as most buttercream icings, so this would be a good substitute.
I wil post another recipe for a less sweet icing, if I can locate it.
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes
Well the icing recipe I was thinking of is on another site and I don't feel right about posting it without the author's permission.
Here is the site:
www.r-bdesigns.com
You have to go into the forums. Go to icing recipes, it is about three pages back and the post is titled, Meg1's Icing
She refers to a product called Covo, that is just a brand of a high ratio shortening, you can subsitute whatever brand you have available. She also uses Baker's Margarine, this is an almost white coloured margarine designed for bakers, it is not the regular margarine you buy at a grocery store. I know that I can get both a high ratio shortening and Baker's margarine here at Bulk Barn, but I am in Canada.
Hope that helps.
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes
Sorry Squirrelly, 
Guess I should have said "it might not work as well" rather than "it won't work" oops. I guess I just read things and pretty much if Squirrelly says she thinks it won't work then it probably won't work! 
Charlotte
Hey CharlieinMo,
Heavens, no need to apologize, haha, I likely did say that -when stacking directly meaning with nothing in between the boards and the dowelled cake underneath. Haha, just wanted to make sure I didn't get jumped on again on this topic as I have on other sites.
What I am finding also is some people call a topping or icing "Whipped Cream" but that isn't always what they mean. It could be a buttercream made with about 1 cup of whipping cream, they could mean the Wilton boxed mix, they could mean a whipped or bakery style buttercream.
Haha, anyway, I knew what meant kiddo!
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes
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