Ok I need to make a cake for my daughters baby shower. I do not know what each layer of cake should be. 3 or 4 inches? It will be a 3 tier or 2 not sure. But what looks best or what does every one else do?

Thanks

You might consider the number of servings needed and what size pans you have on hand. I recently made a two-tiered cake using 2-layer 8-inch and 12-inch cakes. It looked great, tasted delicious but followed a brunch with not as many present as expected. Therefore, we had lots and lots of cake left but we just cut it up and sent large pieces home with everyone. I made and donated the cake so it was my decision and the mother-to-be wasn't interested in taking it all home. Hope that helps some.

If you have using the 3in tall pans then your cakes will be around 3ins. Sometimes a little taller if you torte once or twice. If you use the 2in pans and do two layers your cakes will be around 4in tall.

I use the 2 in pans, do two layers and torte both of those layers so my cakes are often a little taller than 4in.

Height is really about accommodating the design of your cake, not about what everybody else is doing...like if you decided to use a cake stencil that was 4 inches tall on the sides of your cake, then the cake would need to be at least that tall.

I've been using three inch pans with a generous layer of filling but I've contemplating switching over to the two inch one to get four inch layers, I just personally like that look better, but it's really preference. I mean no one's ever complained that my cakes were too short but I think they may be more impressive if they were taller, of course that's more pans and that = more $$ so everyone will have to get 3.5" ers for a while yet.

All my tiers are between 4.5" and 5" tall... I always think that taller cakes look much more professional.

so what you are saying is. If I am using a 3 inch pan go ahead and torte it once. That will make it like 4 inches or so. If I use a 2 inch pan torte it twice?
And that a taller cake looks better. When I torte a cake I am so afaid it is going to fall apart. Should you put it in the frig or freezer first?
as you can tell I am new to all of this..

and another question. is there a secret when you take off the top layer that all the fondant and frosting does not come off with it. That does not look pretty..


Thank you..

I think that they are saying when they use a 3'' pan, they only bake one layer and cut in half and fill. If they use 2'' pans, they bake 2 layer, cut those in half and fill. So it would be 4 cake layers, 3 filling layers, for that ONE tier. I hope that makes sense. I agree with the rest, though. I'm all about the taller cakes, but it's preference...sometimes I only do 3 cake/2 filling layers if the count isn't as high. HTH and doesn't confuse you more!

I always make at least 2 - 2" cake layers then torte each layer. so it is - cake filling cake filling cake filling cake - 4 layers of cake and 3 layers of filling. They are usually between 5 and 6 inches tall.

I bake the layers let them cool then wrap in plastic wrap and freeze overnight. When I take them out of the freezer I torte them while still semi frozen , It is much easier to torte while they are still firm from being frozen then let them thaw and assemble.

ahh,. Thanks guys, You are the best...

I was told that if you torte your two inch layer cake into 1-in...it weakens it... I too am making a two layer 10-in cake on bottom and a 2-layer 6-in cake on top...and I have to travel with it...so sure don't want to weaken it.. Trying to decided if I should just do the two layer (2-in cake each) and not torte it, and same for the two 6-in cake on top, leave it as is?