Hi,

     I am doing my first wedding cake and have read a lot of comments on here about how to's on making it but I haven't been able to find the answer to my question. 

     I bought a 14" white plastic separator plate from my baker's supply store.  It is sturdy and has four 1/2" feet that it sits on.  My question is: Can I just put my 12" bottom tier directly on that surface or do I have to have a cardboard cake circle under the cake and then stick it to the plastic stand with icing?  What are the pro's and con's about both?  Will it not be stable? 

     There is a 10" layer (set on dowels) on top of that, then a wilton decorative separator.  Then I will add a 6" and an 8" on top of that when we get there.  Oh also, I am using BC.

It is do-able but I would still recommend putting it on cardboard and then the plate if only so that you can ice it making as large of a mess as you like then transfer it to the brand new clean plate for decorating and presentation.

AYou really need a cake drum for the bottommost board. If you've bought whet I think you have from the description. (Which actually founds like a separator plate) it will not support a cake that heavy.

     Thanks so much for your advice!  It helps me think through it.  I actually made the bottom 2 layers (12" and 10 ) put them on the plate and filled them just to practice.  I have never done this size before and just needed to see the process and what works... so then I put the separator on top and filled the 2 smaller pans with flour and set them on top of that.  It seemed to hold w/o a problem.  The plastic is thicker than Wilton's seperators.  But, I agree with you that it is more professional to use a cake board and it looks better.  I am doing this for free and didn't want to go to the expense unless I had to.  My friend at work does cakes and I may use her cake board just to be sure.

     The other thing I  am concerned about is that even though I used bake even strips and the layers looked very flat and even to me, after I iced it (nice and flat too, at least I thought) the stacked layers on the cake seemed just the slightest bit off level.  What do you do to prevent that?  Do you actually have to use a level (tool) on each layer so you aren't off when all the layers are put on?  I am really worried that it will look tilted. Please help!

many people use a level when assembling cake layers (i do). Be sure to check the level between each layer and in each direction, as you assemble. 

If you are using a level, check the level of your work surface also.  I found that my table was slightly tilted but my counter was flat.  Are you using cardboards and dowels on the other layers?

Yes, I am using cardboard under the top 6" layer, then dowels in the 8" to support it then the 8" with a cardboard and a 10"separator plate under it.  The  Wilton decorative stuff connects to that plate and has a  8" plate under the decoration. This sits on top of the 10" layer (with dowels to support it).   The 10" layer has a cardboard under it and dowels to support it sitting on top of the 12" layer. 

Thanks for the tip on using the level.  I will check out my work surfaces.

Another way to do the bottom board if you are a thrift store shopper to check around for a large glass plate there.  I picked up a couple of really large, round glass microwave turntable plates.  Heavy glass that won't bend a bit.  Re-usable and usually a buck or two.