Wedding cake for this weekend and bride is supplying the apples, on a 3 tier square 6/8/10 wedding cake, all crusting buttercream. I just realized I am not sure how to secure the apples on the tiers, since there is only a 2 inch space instead of 3..

Any one have ideas, i have seen photos with apples all over and wondered how are they getting them to stay in place?

Also any one know how to get the rustic non smooth buttercream look? I planned on taking a spatula and pass and lift, but I know someone probably has a tried n tru way..

Would you want to put long wooden skewers in the apples and stick them into the cake? The apples don't have to hang off the sides of the cake, just off the top of the tiers, right?

yes I thought about that, and am going to try it, I just hope the skewers dont slash right through the cake and drop...i was even thinking of putting a dowel under each apple.. not sure

ACan you cut the apple in half and seal it with liquid sugar then you have more surface area to stick it to the cake and you can prob get away with sticking a cocktail stick thru to secure? Obvs you would have to see if the apple held up after the cutting and caramelling before doing it on your cake!

Not dowels, skewers. They're thinner and have a sharp point. Drive those by themselves, into the cake, and thru the board that the tier sits on. Then put your apple on.

not exactly sure what you mean by rustic look, but I acheived sort of a stucco look, by using a damp sponge, I soaked the sponge in bleach, and then put it in the microwave for  a couple of minutes, didn't know where that sponge came from before I bought it..  I then just patted the buttercream as soon as I got the entire cake frosted. It came out very well.