Hey everyone! I still have so much to learn from all the great decorators here, and I would love for any helpful criticism on my most recent cake.
It was a 5-tier fondant covered cake. It was definitely leaning, but I think that it had something to do with the supports (I used the wooden dowel rods) rather than uneven cake layers...
TIA! 
Whats there to rip you to shreds over?? It doesn't look like it starts to lean until the third tier. Did you have that tier supported like two cakes? It looks alot taller then the others and you need to add support every 3 to 4 inches of height or you can end up with that kind of lean.
I bet a lot of it has to do with that tier being all stripes like that - makes it much more noticeable. Next time you do stripes do a shorter layer, that will help.
When the tiers are that tall I do find it is a good idea to fill and frost them and then let them settle - overnight if possible before putting the fondant over it. Last week I filled and frosted and put the supports in before the fondant and then did not get to it until the next day - I could not believe how much it settled!! I swear the supports that were even with the cake the night before were now sticking at least 1/4" out of the cake! Could not believe it, but now that I have seen it for my own eyes I will always let those tall tiers settle. The shorter ones I still think I can get away with it, but I should probably let those settle anyway.
I still think you did a great job, also next time try smaller accents, like smaller squares and circles and they are a little easier to put on evenly.
Good job!!
Hi!
Other than the lean, this is a great looking cake. Bright colors, nice design, the wire curls...it all looks good to me 
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I'll take this opportunity to recommend the SPS for stacked cakes...can't say enough good things about it. CC member leahs has done an instructions sticky on this, it's at the top of the How Do I? section in the Forums.
Again - well done, and was it a cake for a 90th birthday? If so what a party that must have been 
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HTH
Your cake design is bold and well balanced in colour and pattern. The lean is not sooo bad. I think Laura is right. All those cakes needed some time to settle and you can try that next time. Good for you having the chutzpah to tackle this job - a daunting project. Congrats!
Thanks everyone! Any other suggestions are greatly appreciated! I've been thinking about switching over to SPS, and I think having to cut all the dowel rods for this cake is that final kick I need!
For the tall red tier I did separate it half way up with dowel rods and a new cardboard plate. I didn't let it set overnight though, so I think that was my problem! Also, I tried making homemade fondant (for the red, the black was leftover Satin Ice), but it failed horribly! I've made MMF before and I love it, so I think it's just personal preference.
It was definitely embarrassing at the party though! My family is really supportive of my cake hobby, and my great aunt, of course, had to call me up in front of everyone to talk about it!
It did feel great though that everyone came up to me after they ate some to rave about the taste. I work hard to make sure all my cakes taste great (the most important part!) and I was so glad to blow away everyone's expectations. No one thought some dinky 17 year old could make a good scratch cake! Hmmph!
17? Years old??? !!! Whoa, wow do you rock.
Idea--you probably already know this but take a smooth blob of fondant to rub over your tiers to help even things out and de-ribble things.
You are amazing to do that!!! Stripes are really hard.
Oh yeah on your spirally things--wrap them around something round to avoid the corners & make them smooth.
Wow --keep going you're gonna be famous.
u da bomb
....... No one thought some dinky 17 year old could make a good scratch cake!........
Now you STOP THAT!!!!!!! You are NOT 'some dinky' kid!! You have talent and they don't!!
There are not many kids in your age group that would take time to learn what you have. CONGRATS!!!!!!!!
I agree w/K8....... u d bomb
If I notice a lean I usually "fix" it by gently slipping a piece of cardboard (cut from a cake board) under one edge to lift it 
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Maybe you could roll the fondant a little thicker to help hide the bumps.
I try to get my BC as smooth as possible before applying the fondant (easy to do over a cold crumbcoat), but bumps still happen!
Oh my gosh!! 17 years old???? Man, I don't think I can do that and I'm a lot older than that!!! That is AWESOME!! Just tell your family that it was one of those Topsy Turvy Cakes and you meant for it to look like that - you just wanted to see what they would say! lol Seriously though, you did great!
You discovered your talent and passion at an early age......good for you.
We are our own worst critics...Everytime I do a new design.....I can look back and see my flaws, even though I think I work them out ahead of time, and no one else sees them.......but you learn from them....
A good tasting cake is always inportant.....A beautiful looking cake is always important.....you seem to have both......Good Job. Keep up the good work and enjoy what you are doing.
Hey Sweet-Dreams...it's a really good cake! You have a a bright caking future in front of you....keep up the good work!
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