I am guessing this has been asked before but I haven't found the answer.  When frosting each tier of a stacked cake, I know to frost the tiers separately, then assemble. My problems arise when trying to frost each cake tier that is on the same size cardboard cake round.  Each tier slips and slides around as I am trying to frost and smooth the sides of the cake; it won't stay still for me to even get a crumb coat on. What am I doing wrong? I have tried to "glue" it down on a larger round but it still slides around. Any tips on how to frost each individual upper tier before assembling them as a stack?

ATry using a piece of nonslip shelf liner between cardboard and turntable.

Thank you so much!  I have tried and tried to find online videos and the only ones I find show them assembling the cake after it's frosted. Hopefully this will help.  :o)
 

http://www.wilton.com/cakes/decorating-cakes/

AWell, you're doing something wrong, I can't say it any other way. Either you're pushing on it way too hard or your icing is way too thick.

AThank you for your responses. I've actually been making cakes for years but stayed away from stacked tiers bc of the stress and time they were for me. I have had a lot of time over the last few months to invest in practicing making them again and while they come out good, it takes way to long to get the tiers frosted and is stressful. If someone can tell me the process of how they frost each tier individually, that might help. I am still hopeful about the non stick shelf liner. I have another order in 2 weeks for a stacked cake, so it would be nice to not have the process take as long as it has been. :o)

If I am icing a 6" round cake that is on a 6" board...to be later stacked, I put it on a 8 or 10" board..what ever I have...just bigger,  secured with a smear of butter cream.  No slipping. 

AThank you so much for the detailed description Ddaigle! I actually have done that, but find that it still shifts when doing the sides of the cake. Any idea as to why? I am afraid if I get my frosting thinner it will be way too runny, that's the only thing I can think of.

AStart icing around the bottom of your cake first and make sure that your icing its on that baseboard to create mes if that make if that makes sense