has anyone made the Wilton Princess Castle cake?
If so, the turrets that go in the cake actually go INTO the cake or do they sit on dowels? They seem awful thick to go into the cake?

I know, I'm such a rookie!

You attach a dowel to the bottom of the turrets with melted chocolate or royal icing. I have done it with chocolate, but the royal might harden faster and hold up stronger. I have done it with chocolate though and it worked fine, just took a few minutes for the chocolate to set up. It is a good idea to refrigerate them until they are ready to go on the cake if you use chocolate...

I had my husband drill small holes in the bottom for wooden skewers, I was worried the plastic dowels would break off. The one I did is in my pictures if you want to take a look. HTH.

I made sqaure cakes and then cut the edges so that the turrets fit against the cake then I put dowels underneath and attached with royal icing. You can look at in my pictures to get the idea.

I had my husband drill small holes in the bottom for wooden skewers, I was worried the plastic dowels would break off. The one I did is in my pictures if you want to take a look. HTH.

I used melted chocolate to attach and let them set in the fridge. A friend was helping me nad one broke off, but I can't say how gently she was handling it at the time. It broke off while decorating the turret, not in the cake so no harm done. We just re glued and had no problems after that, even stayed on when we took the cake apart for cutting.

WOW. how kind of you all to give me your tips. I'm sure they will be helpful. All of your cake work is so amazing. I hope one day to be able to produce such beautiful results. I've never posted my photos yet but if this castle comes out okay, I think I will!

Sweeteats....how in the world did you make that alligator?!?! You should post the instructions some time, my nephew would love it!

Thanks again...

Coumpy if you want directions for the alligator just Pm me. I think I have some in progress pics as well

I made one (although not the princess one) for my Children's birthday this year. I tried the candy melts, but the dowels kept breaking. I would try royal next time.
The other thing I would do if I ever did one again (which is a big Noooooo! That cake was such a headache and it did not even come out so well) in addition to having my DH drill holes in the bottom like someone brilliantly suggested would be to drill some holes in the side so I could stick a dowel in the side. (Mine had to be covered in fondant, I don't know about your, so the hold would not show if I did that.
We had an outdoor party and a gust of wind came and the turrets all blew over.

Well, I can tell you what NOT to do: do not cut your dowels too short. I did that and thought "no big deal" - I pushed the turret all the way in until the dowel touched the cardboard round and blew out the side of the cake. Dumb, dumb, dumb mistake - I just was not thinking about the displacement of all that cake.

As a pp suggested, I did have DH drill holes through the sides of each turret (they were covered w/fondant) so I could anchor the ones sitting on the cake board to the cake with a skewer. I just didn't think the candy melts would hold them from the bottom only (I wanted them stuck to the cake).

I like the idea of drilling a hole in the bottom & insterting a dowel straight up through. next time i use the set I will have DH do that too.