Center Pole Construction

Decorating By CakesbyMichele Updated 25 Jan 2013 , 9:00pm by Charmed

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CakesbyMichele Posted 28 Apr 2010 , 2:55pm
post #1 of 6

What is the best way to construct a cake with a center pole for support? How do you core out the cake and ensure you are in the center and it matches with the board? What should be the base and what kind of pole should be used and the best way to secure it to the base? Thanks!

5 replies
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cakebaker1957 Posted 28 Apr 2010 , 3:18pm
post #2 of 6

I have a Wilton center pole cake stand, and what i did i used the decoraters nail in each cake i baked and made sure it was centered, and used that as a guide for my cake to cut out the hole, HTH

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this-mama-rocks Posted 28 Apr 2010 , 3:27pm
post #3 of 6

Depending on the size of the cake, I use either MDF board (Home Depot lumber department), or 2 layers of 1/2" foamcore. If you use the MDF you will also need a floor flange (HD plumbing department) screwed into the center. Cut a piece of PVC pipe a couple of inches shorter than your total cake height. Glue pipe to a PVC connector (looks like a hollow cup with the screw thread on its bottom). Twist and glue into foamcore or into the floor flange. Cover the PVC pipe with modeling chocolate and let set to harden. Do not block the pipe opening and cover the first couple of inches inside the top of the pipe.

Get the general diameter of the chocolate-covered PVC pipe. Cut a hold slightly larger than this size in dead center of your cake boards. Secure cakes to boards, flip onto counter, and cut out the hole all the way through thei cake. DO NOT do this for the top cake tier. You can use a knife, but I prefer a pineapple corer. Ice, dowel, stack on the pole, and decorate.

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Bubbl3h3ad Posted 19 Oct 2010 , 10:53pm
post #4 of 6

So, with the foamboard, do you just glue the 2 layers together? I'm trying to get a picture in my head of all this! Sounds like a great idea!

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Kakie Posted 25 Jan 2013 , 7:53pm
post #5 of 6

Apologies for coming into this so long after it was originally posted, would you mind posting images of the components required to create this because I'm finding it difficult to imagine with descriptions.....pictures say a thousand words and all that.

 

 

How do you make the mdf hygienic? It's a material that sheds slightly round the edges (where it's cut, so how do you prevent the dust getting into the cake? I was thinking of stainless steel but mdf would actually be so much cheaper!!

 

Is the plumbing pipe system stable enough for a 5 tier cake? I have a 5 tier cake to do and I'm wondering if it's stable enough? I had looked at this but I'm in the UK, so it will be rather expensive by the time I've had it shipped over, so would much prefer to have the flexibility to be able to make myself!

http://www.cakestackers.com/cake-supports.html

 

Many Thanks for your excellent advice.

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Charmed Posted 25 Jan 2013 , 8:58pm
post #6 of 6
Quote:
Originally Posted by this-mama-rocks 

Depending on the size of the cake, I use either MDF board (Home Depot lumber department), or 2 layers of 1/2" foamcore. If you use the MDF you will also need a floor flange (HD plumbing department) screwed into the center. Cut a piece of PVC pipe a couple of inches shorter than your total cake height. Glue pipe to a PVC connector (looks like a hollow cup with the screw thread on its bottom). Twist and glue into foamcore or into the floor flange. Cover the PVC pipe with modeling chocolate and let set to harden. Do not block the pipe opening and cover the first couple of inches inside the top of the pipe.

Get the general diameter of the chocolate-covered PVC pipe. Cut a hold slightly larger than this size in dead center of your cake boards. Secure cakes to boards, flip onto counter, and cut out the hole all the way through thei cake. DO NOT do this for the top cake tier. You can use a knife, but I prefer a pineapple corer. Ice, dowel, stack on the pole, and decorate.

Do not block the pipe opening and cover the first couple of inches inside the top of the pipe.
This mamarocks could you explain what you mean by covering the first couple of inches of the inside pipe?  how you do it? thanks

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