How Tall Should You Make Each Layer Of Cake? 3 Or 4 Inches?
Decorating By Barbara001 Updated 19 Feb 2013 , 7:42pm by schoolbaker
Ok I need to make a cake for my daughters baby shower. I do not know what each layer of cake should be. 3 or 4 inches? It will be a 3 tier or 2 not sure. But what looks best or what does every one else do?
Thanks
You might consider the number of servings needed and what size pans you have on hand. I recently made a two-tiered cake using 2-layer 8-inch and 12-inch cakes. It looked great, tasted delicious but followed a brunch with not as many present as expected. Therefore, we had lots and lots of cake left but we just cut it up and sent large pieces home with everyone. I made and donated the cake so it was my decision and the mother-to-be wasn't interested in taking it all home. Hope that helps some.
If you have using the 3in tall pans then your cakes will be around 3ins. Sometimes a little taller if you torte once or twice. If you use the 2in pans and do two layers your cakes will be around 4in tall.
I use the 2 in pans, do two layers and torte both of those layers so my cakes are often a little taller than 4in.
Height is really about accommodating the design of your cake, not about what everybody else is doing...like if you decided to use a cake stencil that was 4 inches tall on the sides of your cake, then the cake would need to be at least that tall.
I've been using three inch pans with a generous layer of filling but I've contemplating switching over to the two inch one to get four inch layers, I just personally like that look better, but it's really preference. I mean no one's ever complained that my cakes were too short but I think they may be more impressive if they were taller, of course that's more pans and that = more $$ so everyone will have to get 3.5" ers for a while yet.
I've been using three inch pans with a generous layer of filling but I've contemplating switching over to the two inch one to get four inch layers, I just personally like that look better, but it's really preference. I mean no one's ever complained that my cakes were too short but I think they may be more impressive if they were taller, of course that's more pans and that = more $$ so everyone will have to get 3.5" ers for a while yet.
Hello, here in my shop we even stack our cakes up to 12 inches thick, depending on the design we need it for. we use dowel rods then cake board which is a little smaller than the cake to be placed on top of it. eg 18" round x 4"thick cake,dowel rods then the 17" cake board then 18"x4" cake again dowel and cake board again, then the cake again. Well we do this for our huge fondant cakes.Anyway, if you are using an 8" diameter pan or 9" pan for your cakes, 3.5" thick is just enough.
so what you are saying is. If I am using a 3 inch pan go ahead and torte it once. That will make it like 4 inches or so. If I use a 2 inch pan torte it twice?
And that a taller cake looks better. When I torte a cake I am so afaid it is going to fall apart. Should you put it in the frig or freezer first?
as you can tell I am new to all of this.. 
and another question. is there a secret when you take off the top layer that all the fondant and frosting does not come off with it. That does not look pretty..
Thank you..
I think that they are saying when they use a 3'' pan, they only bake one layer and cut in half and fill. If they use 2'' pans, they bake 2 layer, cut those in half and fill. So it would be 4 cake layers, 3 filling layers, for that ONE tier. I hope that makes sense. I agree with the rest, though. I'm all about the taller cakes, but it's preference...sometimes I only do 3 cake/2 filling layers if the count isn't as high. HTH and doesn't confuse you more!
I always make at least 2 - 2" cake layers then torte each layer. so it is - cake filling cake filling cake filling cake - 4 layers of cake and 3 layers of filling. They are usually between 5 and 6 inches tall.
I bake the layers let them cool then wrap in plastic wrap and freeze overnight. When I take them out of the freezer I torte them while still semi frozen , It is much easier to torte while they are still firm from being frozen then let them thaw and assemble.
I was told that if you torte your two inch layer cake into 1-in...it weakens it... I too am making a two layer 10-in cake on bottom and a 2-layer 6-in cake on top...and I have to travel with it...so sure don't want to weaken it.. Trying to decided if I should just do the two layer (2-in cake each) and not torte it, and same for the two 6-in cake on top, leave it as is?
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