Hello All! I am making a wedding cake for a good friend of mine next month. I am self taught so I really don't know all the BEST tips and tricks to making a tiered wedding cake. I have a few things that I would love answered if any of you could please help me! :)

Details:

- 200 people attending

- I want to make a vanilla three tiered cake (12", 9", 6" - 2 cakes split for each layer) and sheet cakes (15" by 19") with chocolate mousse filling and vanilla buttercream frosting

Questions:

1. How many sheet cakes will I need to make in addition to the tiered cake to feed 200 people?

2. What is an AWESOME but easy chocolate mousse recipe for the filling between layers, something that will hold up well?

3. What is a basic timeline for when to start the cake, what to make on certain days, etc.

4. Transportation of both tiered cake and sheet cakes (Best ways - will I need to assemble at the venue? Do I take the the sheet cakes out of the pan or keep them in?)

5. What is a great vanilla buttercream recipe that will hold up without sweating and getting too soft

6. I am making a marshmallow fondant ruffle flower topper and would like to know how to make it so it doesn't dry out and look cracked? Is there anything to add to my marshmallow fondant, or a completely different recipe so it holds up and looks smooth?

7. What is the best way to secure real ribbon to the bottom of each tier, without it going through the ribbon itself?

Any help will be wonderful! If you have extra tips and tricks that you want to throw in, please do!! Thank you very much!!

AI'm not trying to sound rude but based on the basic nature of the questions you're asking, it sounds like you're in over your head. But if you insist on making this cake, every question you're asking can be answered with Google

I don't want to sound rude either, but really, why are you offering chocolate mousse, vanilla buttercream and MMF flowers if you don't know how to make them? This is for a friend of yours. Please don't spoil her wedding. Your questions are not so much about making tiered cakes, but basic cakes. You have one month to get practicing, or she has 1 month to find someone responsible to make cake for her 200 guests. You need to decide now if you can do this or not, based on your experience up until now.

Lots of us on Cake Central are self taught, but we would not offer to do any cake, let alone a wedding cake, with the limited experience you appear to have, whether there is money involved or not. This might wreck your friendship, really.
 

The last thing you want to do is be the "wish I would have done this different" on your friends wedding day. If you can do the basics that is cool, talk her into something you can physically handle right now.You honestly do not want to set yourself up for a bad day so stick to the things you know you can do. There are some very simple but beautiful wedding cakes out there, have you looked at something a little easier.

if you are going with a round cake theme you will need 3 sheet cakes 12 x 18 for the rest of the guests if doing 2".

ACarliBCakes,

The previous posters are not meaning to be discouraging. Tiered cakes do take a lot if practice & no one wants to be responsible for a cakewreck.

If your friend knows this is your first & has examples of your work & has reasonable expectations, I wish you lots of luck. This can be great.

I'm on my phone at the moment & can't get to some of my useful charts but I can point you in the right direction. First, you'll need a cake chart. Find out how many servings your main cake serves. I don't typically do sheet cakes because they don't look the same. If you do, remember to have the same amount of layers. Otherwise everyone knows. Not everyone will eat cake. Horrifying as it is to me! If they are serving alcohol & a buffet you really only need about 150 servings.

I'm not certain where you are. Mousse may not be a good option especially for an outdoor event. Suggest something with which you are comfortable.

You'll find lots of buttercream recipes here in cc. I recommend a crusting version. What works for some is awful for others. What do you normally use?

I'm not entirely certain what you mean about the ribbon going through itself? My best advice re ribbon is do Not use wired ribbon. Ever!

Questions:

1. How many sheet cakes will I need to make in addition to the tiered cake to feed 200 people?

here is a link to a chart that gives you all that information including how much batter you need

http://www.wilton.com/wedding/wedding-cakes/wedding-cake-data.cfm

2. What is an AWESOME but easy chocolate mousse recipe for the filling between layers, something that will hold up well?

chocolate mousse is not shelf stable and therefore does not hold up well--must be fridged and pampered--i suggest a whipped ganache-- i recommend searching the joy of baking for ganache info

3. What is a basic time line for when to start the cake, what to make on certain days, etc.

• make all boxes boards and advance decor on mon

• make icings tues/wed  

• wed/thurs bake level and fill cakes wrap them like a mummy & freeze

• final ice & decorate friday for sat delivery

4. Transportation of both tiered cake and sheet cakes (Best ways - will I need to assemble at the venue? Do I take the the sheet cakes out of the pan or keep them in?)

sheet cakes go on sheet cake boards that are very stiff and do not flex or the icing will crack

you can assemble on site or before delivery either way--you probably wanna use sps--single plate system--look that up too--then you can deliver already setup

5. What is a great vanilla buttercream recipe that will hold up without sweating and getting too soft

sweating? why would your icing sweat? your icing should not sweat because you are controlling the temperature of this cake all the way through--everything goes in a box--sealed up in a box for delivery--only gentle temperature changes after final icing --look up high humidity icing--a great buttercream is made with butter and real vanilla

6. I am making a marshmallow fondant ruffle flower topper and would like to know how to make it so it doesn't dry out and look cracked? Is there anything to add to my marshmallow fondant, or a completely different recipe so it holds up and looks smooth?

you can add 2 oz of white choco if you want -- or combine the mmf with some modeling chocolate--i would recommend that you get store bought fondant for best results

7. What is the best way to secure real ribbon to the bottom of each tier, without it going through the ribbon itself?

dab of icing or piping gel will hold it--test your ribbon -- it can get grease spotted-- if you 'grease' it on purpose then it will not spot--but then test your dab of icing or piping gel to make sure it will perform correctly

and best of the best to you!!!

the whipped ganache is just cream and chocolate so it is nice and rich and luscious -- similar to the mousse but not fussy like mousse is

it's a nice bang for your buck

and add extra time into your schedule--

~~~you'll never be sorry you had extra time on your hands~~~

come back and check with us if you have more questions

good luck!!!! you can do it!!! we're behind you!!!

AJust wanted to give you another thought on timeline. I typically do the boards, prep te pans, cut cake circles, etc no later than Sunday. I bake everything Monday (or Monday & Tuesdays for big weeks. I crumb coat Tuesday, final coat Wednesday, start decorating Thursday. Final details on Friday so all that's left for Saturday is delivery.

This allows for extra time in case something goes wrong.

I also like my frosting to set at least overnight,

AGod bless you K8 and Delicious for taking out time to answer the poster's questions.

As Delicious said, I hope your friend is well aware of your level of cake baking and decoration.

I agree that chocolate mousse might not hold up well. Like K8 said, you can add chocolate to the fondant, use modelling chocolate, or google Nicholas Lodge's gumpaste. If you go with gumpaste, you can steam the flower on the day of the wedding to freshen it up.

You don't really have a lot of time till then so I suggest you get to practising.

Also, Delicious' timeline is spot on.

Watch a lot of youtube videos, they help a lot.

Good luck!

Hi All!

Thank you for taking the time to post! I have made cakes like this before and was just hoping to get a few helpful hints, tips/tricks, and maybe a few recipes that sounded awesome and made the process a bit easier. I am confident in my ability to do this cake, otherwise I wouldn't have said yes to the task. I am SO excited!

THANK YOU SO MUCH for all of your kind words and encouragement K8Memphis, DeliciousDesserts, and DinMauk2! I so appreciate all of the information you provided and can't wait to use it on this cake! The time you took out to respond means a lot to me!!!

Carli :)