To Dowel Or Not To Dowel - That Is The Q
Decorating By ellers Updated 24 Oct 2006 , 12:24am by ellers
I have to make my first stacked cake this week. It will be a double layer of 10 inch rounds and on top of it a double layer of 6 inch rounds.
How important is it to dowel? Can the cake survive without doweling?
Also, do I stick the dowels in before i frost, or after. I never crumb coat, just put the icing on right away.
Thanks in advance!
You need a board under the 6 inch cake and dowels under that. You won't need heavy dowels, so thick straws will work.
Without dowels, the upper cake will probably not sit straight on the lower cake, and could sink into the lower cake.
Even 6inch cakes can be heavy. especially if they are torted and filled plus icing. Dowels will assure you have a stabel stack.
I agree with JoAnnB. You should put some dowels/straws in the 10" cake. If you will be transporting the cake, I recommend a long dowel through the entire cake. (Sharpen the dowel, and then push it through the top cake, through the cake board, and finally, throuh the bottom cake.) I have failed to do this, and had the top cake shift off of the bottom one and collapse.
When you dowel the bottom cake, you should ice the bottom cake and then put in the dowels. Then, you will be sure to have the dowels the correct length.
RP
There is no question about it...any time you have more than one layer, you need to support the next layer with dowels and then a covered piece of cardboard. You don't want to set yourself up for any problems.
So then what happens to the cake when you push the dowel through? Where does that cake go? And how come the dowel won't break the cake? I can understand if it is a straw, because it is hollow, but I am kind of confused the doweling way.
Thanks for your advice and i hope to post a pic as soon as i make the cake.
So then what happens to the cake when you push the dowel through? Where does that cake go? And how come the dowel won't break the cake? I can understand if it is a straw, because it is hollow, but I am kind of confused the doweling way.
The dowel compresses the cake around it as it goes through. The dowel doesn't break the cake because cake isn't a brittle substance. Just like you can put a frilly toothpick through a big, overstuffed sandwich to give it support without breaking the sandwich, you can put a dowel through a cake.
The dowel has a relatively small diameter, so it has very little effect on the cake.
Does that make sense?
What I did was stick the dowel in the middle of the cake...made a mark on the dowel where the cake ended and dowel began....cut 4 the same size....placed them where the other cake was going to sit....frosted....making sure I remembered where the dowel was because of course it will be covered so I marked the places....then cut my cake board to the size of the top cake covered it in press-n-seal....sat the top cake on it...then sat the whole top cake on where I made the marks for the dowel.....I love stacking 
But I am new so this might of been wrong but it worked for me perfectly!
Very GOOD advice ya'll!! Doweling isn't as hard as everyone thinks it is. After the first time you do it you will figure out what works for you. I used to use the wooden dowels then soon found out that I like the plastic hollow dowels better. There easier to cut! I always use a wooden dowel in the middle of my cakes, sharpened like a pencil like someone said. Always use covered cake boards in between your cakes. If you don't your cake will collapse anyway so why dowel. Have a great day~
tcturtleshell, you mentioned always use a covered cake board. Doing my first stacked cakes this weekend so the info is timely. What is the reason for covering?
Thanks for the information!
Mel.
The wife and I have always used dowels for support, but we have found that the cake can still shift, and have even had one collapse where the dowels started leaning. We have found that there are a couple of great supports out there for cakes. The problem is you have to get them back from each cake. Earlene has the stress free cake support on her site, but she does not sell it. It is probably the best you can buy. Fully adjustable can hold 100 plus pounds, it is excellent, but starts at about $200. We have been using worry free cake supports from lauras-cakes.com. They are relatively cheap, but they are not adjustable. Neither of these systems will allow a cake to shift due to leaning dowels. Both of these systems are outstanding with pros and cons, but definately better than dowels or straws. Always charge an equipment deposit.
The reason for covering cake boards is because the cake boards will get moisture from the cake (oil in the cake etc) & will become unlevel & wet. Making the cake unlevel/warped. That's why you cover it. There might be another reason but I can't think of any Sanitation reasons maybe?
Thanks for the reply. I will keep that info in mind as I move forward.
Thanks!
mel,
Ok here goes... I think I have a disaster in the making here. I put the dowel rods in the bottom cake 16" and the cake is not really level and the dowels are not all conceled just under the top of the cake. Some are however some are sticking up a bit maybe a 1/4" or so. Now I am not sure of my next steps. This a 12" stacked flat on a 16" on top of a fountain with another set of pillars and a 6" on top of that. Should I go ahead and cut the dowels shorter or just fill in the low side with some icing and continue on with the stacking? I am just so unsure! Do not want the cake to fall at the feet of the B&G when they go to cut it. Nasty thought OMG.
Any suggestions. Do I need to just rebake the 16? I baked some of the cakes and MOB baked this one and judt did not get it level before she iced.
ANy help please.
Am I understanding this right? Are you saying that some dowels are longer then others? That's how I'm reading this. IF so your cake will be unlevel. You need to cut all dowels the same exact size. So just take them out. Re-cut them & re-insert them in the same places as before & your cake will be fine. Hope I read that right.
I'm clueless~ I guess she figured out what to do.
making... let us know what you did~
Have you tried the dowels from Sugarcraft? I'm sure there are other vendors that sell them as well. They are plastic and are "screwlike". You can adjust them by using a small screwdriver. I LOVE THEM! Since I usually cut the wedding cakes I make (or someone I trust does) I have no problems getting them back. I have also used 1" PVC pipe cut to the height of the cake. The great thing about PVC pipe is you can use the footed cake plates as well and the "feet" fit perfectly into the pipe. It gives a REALLY stable base. When I first started stacking cakes this was the only method I used.
Ok guys sorry I had to go to help the MOB with last min decorating. The dowels were all the same length but the cake layer was unlevel. Well I added more icing and stacked the upper layer on the dowels and added the center dowel and it worked out fine.
Biggest issue at the site was wind!!! They seemed like gale force winds to me!!! 
Outside and the wind was so gusty that it was blowing over everything. Pictures, plates, heavy glass vases 1/2 filled with water. I pulled the MOB aside and we discussed and we agreed not to stack the cakes as her choice of stands ( wilton 3 tier cake and dessert stand) was not stable. It's made of plastic and styrofoam and it was so flimsy it would not hold the cakes steady. We adjusted to set the cakes to looked like they were stacked only much lower.
My husband and I forgot the camera we were so stressed this is our first wedding cake and we were stressed!!!!!!! 9 cakes for the brides cake and 2 for the grooms. It was for my friend daughter and we both baked and decorated along with her other daughter. Both ladies have taken cake decorating from me a few months ago and both were very capable hands for the decorating and baking.
Hopefully I can get some photos from my friends. Will post if I do.
As always thanks for the help.
Glad everything turned out ok~ Talk about winds, the winds have been pretty high here too & cooold!! I hope this cold weather stays around!
Okay everyone,
I just came home from the shower and the cake turned out incredible! I transported the tiers separately, came a little early and set up. Everyone was so impressed, "wow do you do that for a living" and couldn't believe it was just my hobby!
I hope I didn't upstage the mom-to-be, because everyone couldn't believe that I made the cake, they thought it came from a bakery and spent a good portion of the time talking to me!
Thanks all for your help! The doweling worked out great, and I can't wait until my next tiered cake.
I will post the picture as soon as I download them!
Thanks a million!
Glad everything worked out for you~ Look forward to seeing the pic~
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