I have a four tiered cake I want to do 6,8,10,12 inch. My question is when I go to stack and have the cardboard seperaters in, how is this wooden dowel suppose to go thru the whole cake and cardboard seperators without mushing cake. Should I cut holes in the middle of the cardboard? This is my first attempt at stacking and it's for a wedding so please HELP!

Hi,
I do this often on my stacked cakes & you just have to sharpen one end of your dowel with a pencil sharpener, wash off the residue & dry it, then push it in the center & lightly tap the end with some kind of hammer. It should not crush the cake if you have it stacked properly supported.

The dowels wont mush the cake....you need to sharpen them to a point then hammer through all the cardboards all the way to the bottom.

I actually use the thinnest foam core board for my cardboards, and the thick foamcore for the bottom..And the dowel goes right through them. Then all the way into the bottom

I squished a cake once using this method (it was the pink Dora cake in my photos). It was at that moment that I realised that i had picked up my 2nd tier and put it on the cake, leaving the cake board behind........ Lack of sleep. LOL. I use this method on all my cakes (normally remembering to use board, duh) and it works great. You'll never squish your cake, if you have the proper supports in place and it gives you a bit more piece of mind against slippage during transport. Lots of luck!

Thank you! I never even considered using foam board. I'm going to have to practice more on cake stacking. I can't believe my first experience is with somebody's wedding cake.

When I used cake cardboards, I have had cakes start to sag here and there, as cake boards can get soggy.....Since I have used foamcore, I have not had one problem. I buy it when Hobby Lobby has it 50% off. 20"x30" thin $1.00 thick same size is $2.50 I only use this for the very bottom boards.

I've just recently starting using foam core for my bottom base board! Love it. =)

...........when I used cake cardboards, I have had cakes start to sag here and there, as cake boards can get soggy.....

I have made over a thousand cakes and not had one of them sag because of a soggy cake board. I don't understand.
I do cover my cake boards - usually with foil.

Can I talk you into consider using SPS?

I did not cover my cake bds with anything....hence they got soggy. But, you dont have to cover foamcore.

But, I will check out sps....

Right now I use foamcore and the stressfree supports

Leah, I love your SPS shout outs. I converted because of you! Haven't had a problem since.

To the OP, I use cardboard & bubble tea straws for celebration cakes that are two tier and smaller, but for large tiered orders and especially weddings, I do not trust anything else but a very sturdy support system. SPS has proved to be the best for me. It's very simple and not intimidating at all!

awww, amyh1

I agree, leah_s. I converted awhile ago after hearing your acolades. I transport fully decorated up to 60 minutes away (hobbyist, mainly). The last transport was a 60 minute drive in hot weather...I kept chanting to myself "leah never had a problem.." LOL I will never look back...

I hope my question doesnt sound dumb. Is foamcore the big sheet of paper found in many colors at Michaels? It has paper on both sides and sponge in the middle?

I have never used it before, assuming you have to cut you circles,squares etc. How many do you usually get out of a sheet of foam core

It's because of Leah_S pushing SPS system that I am using it for my next stacked cake. I hope it's good Leah_S!!! You have me sold on it!