Newbie question.....I'm doing a wedding cake for my girlfriend this summer (my first!!), and I'm unsure of what do use for my bottom cake board. It's a 3 tiered, stacked, round cake...fairly simple. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

My cake store sells particle board or heavy cake boards. They are any where from $5-$15 depending on size. A craft store might also have these. Then dress it up!

I would just stack about 3 cardboard rounds together and then hot glue them in between layers. Cover with florist foil, like they use to wrap bouquets and wreaths. It comes in gobs of colors and has a pretty design. Fancy! Happy Baking!

My suggestion would be the cake drum. They are plenty thick enough to support the weight of the cakes.
Faye

I started to buy a cake drum once and the lady working in the cake supply shop told me "don't spend that kind of money on that thing!" and then told me cake drums are just 3 cardboards wrapped in foil.

So on drop-n-run cakes, I use 3 cardboards taped together and covered in foil.

The Wilton cake drums are NOT worth the money, no how! You can do better making them yourself. Just be sure hyou change the direction of the corrigation s. That will give it more strength. Make two of them "x" then the otheer one straight.

Some CC members also go to Home Depot or any home supply store and get them to cut boards from their scrap plywood, etc., then you can cover it with foil or contac paper. This would be reusable and very sturdy.

I use the foam core boards from Hobby Lobby. Then cut them out to the shape I want with an electric exacto knife.
A lot of times they're on sale.

I've used foam core board too, from A.C. Moore here in my area. Cover with florist foil (it's embossed). I think A.C. Moore sells rolls of that kind of foil too.

Have fun!

I use cake drums just quick and easy saves time.

Florist Foil? Is that food safe?

<...Florist Foil? Is that food safe?...>

Nope I know lots of decorators do use it but the color does come off on the icing and it is NOT made to have food put on it.
Unless things have changed in the past yr or two Wiltons FanciFoil is THE ONLY food safe foil. I'm not pushing it's use - just stating the facts ma'm

Personally, I always stick with 3/4" plywood. I want a super sturdy base for my wedding cakes. You can alway take a deposit on it if you are worried about getting it back.

Jen

I like to use my Michaels coupon and get the silver, thick foam core boards. They are really strong and I think they look good. HTH

I have used all the above methods, and my favorite (but not for price) are the cake drums they sell at the specialty cake supply store (not Wilton). They are already foil covered, very sturdy but the main reason for me is that they are very lightweight! My stacked cakes are pretty heavy, and the homemade boards I made from MDF board at Home Depot are heavy in comparison, adding extra weight.

If weight is not an issue, I like the boards from Home Depot, except they don't make rounds anymore, but specialty cake supply stores do, and they can be re-used if you get them back.

I imagine the drums can be re-covered in foil and re-used, but I didn't get mine back to find out. Too many cocktails at the reception made me forget about it...

As far as florist foil not being food safe, you could cover it with clear contact paper, then nothing will bleed into it. I use wraping paper sometimes to match the cake theme, and then just cover it with contact to protect it and the cake.

thanks ya'll

I recently asked this question and found some boards online that are super sturdy - "logicpic" is the website.

I normally use the 1/2" foam core boards mentioned earlier but if your cake is leaning toward the heavy side, fondant for example, I'd either double the boards or go with the plywood. I haven't used cake drums so I have no experience with those.