Okay...so I'm making a cake. It's a two 8 in round layers, with one 6" round layer on top.

Do I need to dowel it or not? Also, should I separate with a cake board? I was planning to just set it right on top of the 8 inch cakes, since it's only one small (6in round x 2 in tall) layer.

Thanks,

Jamie

I would dowel it, I dowl anything stacked, no matter how small it its, and YES, I would use a cake board. Even a "light" cake might sink in the BC. HTH.

When in doubt, I dowel mine. Just makes me more comfortable. Also I always use cake boards between my different sizes. I just think it makes them easier to cut or save the top if it's left over. Just my opinion. The top 6" layer probably won't be too heavy though to make a difference if it's just one layer thick.

What type of cake is it? I would dowl it if it is a light and/or delicate cake. I probably wouldn't if it's a realy satable/heavy cake. Still, better safe than sorry right?

It's a duncan hines fudge marble cake. It's a pretty dense cake.

I'm going to have a border around the bottom of the 6 inch on top of the 8 inch, so even if it sinks into the icing some, the border should hide that...right?

jamie

Eh... are you planing on doctoring the mix? If not I would definatly dowl. Mixes just aren't that satable IMO. Yummy and foolproof, but not stable.

I did not doctor the mix, but it's only a very small top layer. It's not very heavy, I can't imagine it causing much, if any, trouble.

Do you really think a 6inch round by 2inch tall layer is too much to just set on top of a two layer 8 inch round cake?

Thanks!

Well... it probably will be fine. I just like to error on the side of causion. If I was going to be transporting it anywhere I'd either dowl it or stack it there. If It's staying at home I'd probably be ok with not dowling.

Thank you all for your help!

Jamie

Always dowel. You can do a 1000 cakes and never dowel, and it will only take that one to make a convert. Always dowel.