If you want to know how to cut tiered wedding cake, you should try these three steps to avoid ruining the other layers. It can be tricky to work with the dowels, and you also want to have equally-sized slices to serve the guests.
We will also share different valuable tips to help you cut your wedding cake if the cake has many dowels and if you should also slice the top tier. And for additional reference, please refer to when to cut the cake at a wedding.
How To Cut Tiered Wedding Cake And Serve Slices
Step 1. Deconstruct the wedding cake
- Prepare a plate big enough to accommodate the top wedding tier
- Continue preparing the plates you’ll need for each cake layer
- Slide the cake knife under the cake board
- Slowly lift the top tier of the wedding cake and put it down on your plate
- Clean the knife off with a paper towel to keep each tier clean and free from frosting and icing that is residual from the tier you removed
- Continue deconstructing the tier wedding cake until you’re at the base layer
Step 2. Cut the layers
- Now that you’re on the bottom wedding cake layer, cut a smaller circle in the middle of the cake
- Make sure that there is still enough cake on the resulting outside perimeter
- Cut slices on the outside of the circle around an inch per piece
- Familiarize yourself with the expected slices per cake size, so that you can plan your wedding cake according to your guest list size
Step 3. Serve cake slices
- Once you’re left with the circle you cut earlier, cut it into wedges
- Make sure each wedge is around an inch to serve each guest
- Continue the method of starting with the perimeter of the circle you cut in the middle of each cake tier
- Serve the guests with the wedges and ensure that you’ll clean the knife in between slicing, especially if the wedding cake is white
What if you prefer rectangular wedding cake slices?
It will be easier to serve a big wedding with rectangular cake slices because you’ll get more pieces than wedges. Here is how to cut a tiered wedding cake if you want rectangular slices:
- Slide your cake knife under the top cake tier
- Gently lift and place the cake over a plate
- Continue deconstructing the wedding cake
- For each tier, you will start with slicing down the center but stop half an inch from the edge, or else the cake might lose its structure when you slice in the opposite direction
- Opposite the center slice, you will cut the cake across
- You can then cut the cake based on a grid to have the appropriate equally-sized rectangular slices around an inch each
When deconstructing your tier wedding cake, make sure to remember to keep the top tier for the couple. Read why you save the top tier of the wedding cake to know the story behind this custom.
Do You Cut The Top Layer Of A Wedding Cake?
More than knowing the best way to cut a tiered wedding cake, it’s essential to know the customs associated with this iconic sweet wedding dessert. For example, do you know that most couples don’t intend to cut their wedding cake’s top layer?
It is tradition to save the top tier of the wedding cake from being eaten on the anniversary. So if you’re assigned to cutting the cake at the wedding, make sure to ask the couple.
Lift off the top cake layer gently and save it for the couple to take home. Here is how to preserve a wedding cake to keep the tier fresh for consumption.
How To Cut A Tiered Cake With Dowels
A tiered wedding cake with more than two layers usually has dowels to support the entire structure. After lifting the top tier, you will work per board where each remaining tier is resting.
Use the cake board under each tier to guide where to stop your cake knife. Next, cut the tier into equal slices and remove the cake board and wooden dowels. Be careful when deconstructing the tiered cake as you go so the cake won’t fall apart.
How Do You Serve A Layered Wedding Cake?
Traditionally, you’ll keep the top tier of the layered wedding cake, and it won’t be served. But then, the middle cake tier is the one being cut for the wedding guests.
This middle cake will be served for all the guests, and if needed, the bottom tier will also be cut for serving. The leftover cakes can then be packed for guests to take home.
You can have a server for the cake slices if the wedding cake is your primary wedding dessert. Otherwise, you can choose to have a simple wedding cake and then serve your guests another type of dessert.
Conclusion
And that’s it! To recap how to cut tiered wedding cake, start deconstructing the cake.
Then, decide if you want wedges or rectangular slices, depending on how many you need to provide the guests. Don’t forget to confirm with the couple whether they’ll save the top tier or not.
We hope this helps, and feel free to browse our blog for everything related to wedding cakes.