Hi all, 

I need some input. I have done cakes for a few years now and I am perplexed as to what I am doing wrong. When I look at stacked  cakes they always look so tall and graceful but when I make a stacked cake they tend to look squat and chunky. I always do 2 layer tiers that are made using my 2" pans What I want to know is the size tiers you generally put together. I am making a wedding cake this weekend for my BFF and I want to keep it from having the heavy look I am talking about. We are serving about 80 people so I was going to do a round 6', 10" and 14" cake. I also plan to do 3 layers per tier.  What would you suggest? Would you use 2" or 3" pans? I can alter the size of my tiers and the number of layers to suit. 

All those views and nobody has input for me? 

According to wiltons serving chart a round 6,10,14 would serve 128 people. If you want to serve only 80 I would do a 6,8,10 round which wiltons serving chart would serve 74. I have never used 3" pans and I have never used 3 layers of cake for one tier. I always bake in 2" pans and use a thick cake drum under the cake to give it a bit more height. I also like the top tier of a stacked cake to be a 6" and I like to go up in 2" sizes from there. Thanks just how I like to do it :) If you are wanting taller tiers you could torte each cake and use the thick cake drums under each tier. Hope this info helps!

Maybe you could pop up a picture so that people can see if your cakes really do look like you say or if you are just being overly harsh on them? Also my opinion doesn't count for much at all but perhaps each of your tiers doesn't have enough layers to make it look tall? From what I've been reading the general height of each tier is 4 inches (10cm).

Yeah, I know it would get me a whole lot of cake but I was trying to come up with a solution that left more of a distinct transition between the tiers and with the pans I have that seemed to work best. On the 3 layers I should not have said layers. I was talking about torting the layers to give them more height. Using drums under each tier is a good thought. I am putting a wide ribbon at the base of each tier and at least I would have something solid to secure it to. You have given me some food for thought. Thanks for your input!

AA 6", 10", 14" will look squatty in 4" much less shorter.

When you describe your layers, are these 1" or 2" layers. I bake 2 cakes each 2". I torte them to make 4 one inch layers. My tiers are 4 1/4- 4 1/2" tall.

4 inch tiers are pretty standard, but a 14/10/6 isn't going to look as graceful as a 6/8/10 because the wider 14 inch base draws the eye down where the weight is. 

if you want more slices, go for a 6/8/10/12.  Generally, bakers keep their tiers in 1 or 2 inch gradients. and then play around with the height for more visual interest.

if you're going to prepare a tier that has been torted twice, then you can either bake 2 inch layers and torte or bake 1 inch layers and trim. I go with the one inch layers because i like them a little fatter. 

2 or 3 inch pan will work the same, though you may want to collar your two inch pan if you're baking the thicker layers. 

Thanks ladies, 

I use 2" pans normally but I had a set of 3" that I had not yet opened and considered using them. I have never had luck with torting as I cannot seem to get a clean cut no matter what I do and they end up crooked. If anyone has some tips I am open to it. I have tried partially freezing the cakes so they are firm and I have used a cake cutter but I have never had it work properly for me.

I think I have decided to do a 6 9 12 then I bought some dummies that I am cutting down to 2" and will be putting each tier on a dummy for added height. The reason I went with more graduation between the sizes is that it is a beach theme and there will be ribbon with "sand" and shells on the top of each tier and I did not want them to look like they were going to fall off the cake. I figure if I secure the ribbon to the iced dummy it will not only give me height but I won't have to worry about removing the ribbon for cutting. I know the cake will have a somewhat squatty look but it seemed like the best combination. Any further input?