I have been asked if I can make a Spongebob sitting up. I see he is taller than wide or deep. I was thinking a two layer 8x8 turned on end. Now, I am thinking that's a dumb idea.
Would it be best to just treat this as a tiered cake and the cake layers are still horizontal?
Also, when transporting this tall narrow cake, even with a center dowel, wouldn't this have the tendency to fall forward or back? I'm not moving it, she is.

Still looking at a cake about 8" tall, taper in a little at the bottom, as does the character, so about 7" wide at the bottom, and I wanted him no more than 4" deep, but stability may change that.

He will be full fondant to help hold him together. I hope.

Lastly, do you have a good proven idea about doweling this? I have steel supports for rounds, but nothing for narrow rectangles. I have a proven track record of failing with wood sticks and cardboard!

I think I would cut up a sheet cake into the correct width and stack to the height you want Bob and dowel every two layers with cake board, then two larger dowels that go thru all layers and into the base. You would need to use a dense recipe though.

I agree - - layers would be safer.Then even at 8 inches tall, with a couple of dowels through him, you shouldn't have a problem with him falling over.

I made one a couple of years ago........ it worked out fine...... The Mom sent me a picture of the little guy when he saw the cake for the first time........ Open mouth and wide eyes...... I put it in my portfoilio.......

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1437500/vinnys-4th-birthday

I too use the steel supports for big round cakes but for small ones (under 3 tiers) we use plastic doweling between the tiers and 1-2 wooden dowels (depending on design) through the entire thing and secured into the board.

I did a 3D Spongebob this summer. He was almost 3 feet tall and 4 " wide. Just make sure you have a central support and you should be fine. He was fondant covered and displayed in the park in HOT (over 100 degrees) windy (10-15 mph) west texas weather and he stayed upright the entire two hours. You can see him in my gallery.

I made a sitting Sponge Bob cake last year, almost to the exact dimensions you discussed. I baked square cakes, leveled, then cut out 8" x 4" sections. My Spongebob was 8" tall. I stacked and filled the sections until I got 2 - 4" tall cakes. The cake used for the lower half of Spongebob was doweled (I use bubble tea straws). Then I just put the other cake on top with a cake board underneath it, just like stacking a regular tiered cake. From there I carved the cakes to get that tapered look.

You're right in the fact Spongebob will be a little wobbly since he is tall, wide, but skinny. I drove two wooden dowels through both cakes, and into the foam core I was using as a base. One was on the right, one on the left to keep him from tipping forward. My Spongebob had a party hat on so it easily covered where I drove the dowels in.

The cake behaved itself when I transported it an hour away. He didn't move at all.

I made a sitting Sponge Bob cake last year, almost to the exact dimensions you discussed. I baked square cakes, leveled, then cut out 8" x 4" sections. My Spongebob was 8" tall. I stacked and filled the sections until I got 2 - 4" tall cakes. The cake used for the lower half of Spongebob was doweled (I use bubble tea straws). Then I just put the other cake on top with a cake board underneath it, just like stacking a regular tiered cake. From there I carved the cakes to get that tapered look.

You're right in the fact Spongebob will be a little wobbly since he is tall, wide, but skinny. I drove two wooden dowels through both cakes, and into the foam core I was using as a base. One was on the right, one on the left to keep him from tipping forward. My Spongebob had a party hat on so it easily covered where I drove the dowels in.

The cake behaved itself when I transported it an hour away. He didn't move at all.

I made a sitting Sponge Bob cake last year, almost to the exact dimensions you discussed. I baked square cakes, leveled, then cut out 8" x 4" sections. My Spongebob was 8" tall. I stacked and filled the sections until I got 2 - 4" tall cakes. The cake used for the lower half of Spongebob was doweled (I use bubble tea straws). Then I just put the other cake on top with a cake board underneath it, just like stacking a regular tiered cake. From there I carved the cakes to get that tapered look.

You're right in the fact Spongebob will be a little wobbly since he is tall, wide, but skinny. I drove two wooden dowels through both cakes, and into the foam core I was using as a base. One was on the right, one on the left to keep him from tipping forward. My Spongebob had a party hat on so it easily covered where I drove the dowels in.

The cake behaved itself when I transported it an hour away. He didn't move at all.

I made a sitting Sponge Bob cake last year, almost to the exact dimensions you discussed. I baked square cakes, leveled, then cut out 8" x 4" sections. My Spongebob was 8" tall. I stacked and filled the sections until I got 2 - 4" tall cakes. The cake used for the lower half of Spongebob was doweled (I use bubble tea straws). Then I just put the other cake on top with a cake board underneath it, just like stacking a regular tiered cake. From there I carved the cakes to get that tapered look.

You're right in the fact Spongebob will be a little wobbly since he is tall, wide, but skinny. I drove two wooden dowels through both cakes, and into the foam core I was using as a base. One was on the right, one on the left to keep him from tipping forward. My Spongebob had a party hat on so it easily covered where I drove the dowels in.

The cake behaved itself when I transported it an hour away. He didn't move at all.

Well SpongeBob was a SUCCESS!! He went out yesterday afternoon. The customer thought it was better than the photo she found online and sent me. That means I exceeded her expectations, and that is always great!

I ended up baking an 11x15x2 sheet, quartering it on the long side and trimming down as needed. I used 1/2 inch foam core between the 2nd and 3rd layers. I doweled very well and drove two long dowels through the whole thing - one on the left, one on the right. He was much more stable than I ever thought he would be. I did bake a WASC; I usually just use a plain box mix. That WASC is tasty and firm. It is fast becoming my standard now. I might take up more cake carving now. Maybe.

The only part I really didn't like was covering it in fondant. I paneled it, but I don't do seams wells. And it showed. Overall, it was really quite cute. I am posting it in my gallery.

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR ADVICE! IT CAME IN HANDY!!!!!

You did a fabulous job! Way to go!