Using Cake Dowells__ Plastic Or Wooden?

Decorating By threetiercake Updated 19 May 2010 , 2:15am by mbark

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threetiercake Posted 18 May 2010 , 8:32pm
post #1 of 7

I am going to stack a cake for the first time and would appreciate some advice. I have purchased some plastic dowells and was surprised that they are rounded at the ends. I assumed that they would need to be flat at the ends to help with stabilisation,obviously the end that is cut level with the cakes will be straight but what about the other end? All advice welcome please.

6 replies
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The_Sugar_Fairy Posted 18 May 2010 , 8:50pm
post #2 of 7

I've never seen plastic dowels that are rounded at the ends. Are you able to cut them? I recommend using plastic dowels, but the hollow ones. I use the plastic hollow ones made by Wilton. I find that the wooden ones are too skinny and therefore, they probably would not support a cake properly.

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baker101 Posted 18 May 2010 , 9:01pm
post #3 of 7

i dont think it will matter that the end is rounded, it should still work fine, however i use wooden dowels as i find them more cost effective. I buy long wooden dowel rods from home depot and cut them to size. I wash well before using. The only place to purchase plastic dowels around here is michaels so wooden ones work better for me.

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UpAt2am Posted 18 May 2010 , 9:27pm
post #4 of 7

i strongly urge you to buy bubble (boba) tea straws. they are thick, hollow straws that can easily be cut to any size, are sturdy, and best of all....cheap! you can buy 200 for less than $2! i get mine at a local asian supply grocery store. funny sidenote: they have a $10 minimum with debit purchases, so i bought 5 packs! i thought, it will take me forever to go through all of these straws! but i'm already on pack #3 so i guess business is good icon_smile.gif

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threetiercake Posted 18 May 2010 , 10:01pm
post #5 of 7

Thanks for all the advice everyone, I'm in uk and not so familiar with the bubble tea straws, do you not waste a lot of cake with them?

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UpAt2am Posted 19 May 2010 , 2:08am
post #6 of 7

nope, you don't waste any more than you would with those wilton straws (maybe even less!). boba tea is a drink found at asian rest. that has tapioca beads in it, so the straws have to be wide enough to fit the beads through them. if you don't have a local asian grocery to get them from, you could ask a local rest. you can find them on ebay, bobateadirect.com, amazon.com etc.! and because they are so light, shipping is cheap icon_smile.gif

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mbark Posted 19 May 2010 , 2:15am
post #7 of 7

I second the boba tea straws as dowels! not only are they cheap but they're SO easy to cut, you can use scissors instead of cutting the plastic ones with a knife (I was always worried it would slip & I'd gash my hand)

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