I have just made my first 3 tier wedding cake. It was a Choc cake receipe that I found on here for my first tier then white chocolate mud for the middle and chocolate mud for the top. I decorated it and noticed a slight bulge in the bottom tier as if the filling was squirting out however it seemed to settle. I stacked and iced it the day before using plastic dowels between each tier. I moved it around my home a few time and it has been sittng for well over 24 hours. Bride collected it and was thrilled. I did adivse it needed to be kept flat they took in the back of the car but I noticed it being tilted a lot putting into the car. 1 hour later I had a phone call to advise it had collapsed and the bottom tier had given out. What did I do wrong? Can anyone give me any advise I am devestated although the bride was really nice and the top 2 tier were saved in tact.

So sorry this happened to you. I believe that buldging happenes if the cake hasn't properly settled. Did you let the cakes rest before you stacked them? I let my cakes rest overnight.

As sad as it may sound....they picked the cake up in one piece. It collapsed after they had paid and picked it up. On the other hand, did you use anything other than dowels? On 3 tiers, or larger 2 tiers, I use dowels to hold the cake straight and cardboard seperators between tiers to prevent collapsing. Needless to say, I learned my lesson like you have learned yours. Dont give up...it gets easier the more you make...Promise. Good Luck in the future.

Yes each cake had it'w own board between the tiers. I let each of the cakes settle overnight then I put the filling and a soft ganche coating on them. The bottom tier the ganache did not set hard as it picked up a bit of the chocolate fudge filling. I wondered if I put too much filling but the cake had stood stacked without moving for over 24 hours so I thought it was ok.
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Did you cut the dowels? Maybe they weren't perfectly even/level?

Sorry this happened.

Hmm you stated the ganache picked up the filling. Did you use a cake dam? I'm betting on the filling causing the issue. But as brett9008 stated it was fine when they picked it up. Who knows how they treated it after it left your hands.........

Can you explain what a 'cake dam' is please as this is a term I have heard but don't understand. The filling was soft chocolate fudge and strawberry frosting. Yes I think maybe the filling caused the issue but also them not keeping the cake flat I think might have caused the tiers to slide. Thanks everyone for all your support I am starting to feel a bit better but don't think I will be confident to do a wedding cake again.

a cake dam is piped icing that is piped around the circumference of a layer providing a "dam" or "wall" for the filling to sit inside of. It is supposed to keep the filling in place.

I personally don't dam and I've never had an issue with collapse...knock on wood.

The most important part of a tiered cake is the support structure and how it is assembled. As long as the proper number of supports are in place and in place correctly, the cake should be stable and should be able to be moved around.

Don't let this stop you from doing another tiered cake, practice makes perfect. None of us started out knowing everything...we learn as we go.

Thanks so much for your advise and words of support I do feel a bit better and once over the shock may try a few practise one.