If you want to learn how to stack a wedding cake, simplify the process into three steps. This tutorial will use dowels for cake stacking because it’s the easiest method.
Furthermore, we’ll share tips on using cake boards and techniques to stabilize a wedding cake. So in case your cake layers are still bare, we recommend that you also check how to decorate a wedding cake.
How To Stack A Wedding Cake With Dowels
Step 1. Assemble the components of the wedding cake beginning with the bottom layer
- Prepare the cake layers, icing, dowels, and cake boards to begin stacking
- Put the bottom wedding cake tier on the right-size cake board that should be two inches bigger than it and slightly thicker than the other cake boards for the stability
- Secure the cake layer with icing to act as glue to the cake board
- Coat the wedding cake layer with frosting as needed
Step 2. Begin stacking the wedding cake layers over each other by inserting dowels
- The best way to stack a wedding cake together is with dowels, so after adhering the bottom cake layer to the thickest cake board with the icing, insert dowels onto it
- Use the cake board for the next layer as the guideline for inserting the dowels
- Insert one dowel into the cake and score it with a knife on the same level as the top of the cake
- Remove the dowel and cut it on the marking you made; do the same for the other dowels
- Begin inserting all the dowels into the cake, ensuring that they are an inch in from the cake board outline earlier
- Make sure the dowels are inserted far enough that they touch the cake board
- Continue repeating the dowel and cake board stacking process; make sure that the cake boards and number of dowels are appropriate to the size of each cake tier
- Use a palette knife to center each cake layer as needed
- Proceed to the next step for the final top wedding cake layer
Step 3. Stabilize the stacked wedding cake to finish
- Once you have the stacked wedding cake, you can finish it with the top layer
- Again, use icing to adhere the final layer on the appropriately-sized cake board
- Stabilize the top cake tier with a long dowel from the top through the bottom cake board; if you don’t have dowels long enough to go from the top to the bottom of the wedding cake, start with the first two bottom layers and repeat with the top two layers
Will you be bringing the wedding cake to the venue after stacking? Read tips on how to transport a wedding cake to keep it in good shape.
Do You Have To Use Cake Boards When Stacking Cakes?
Cake boards are essential when stacking layered cakes like wedding cakes. The cake board will support each layer, which means each board should be the right shape, size, and thickness relative to each cake tier’s shape, size, and thickness.
For example, the bottom cake layer will always be on the thickest cake board to support all the weight of the stacked wedding cake. This base cake board is also the only cake board visible for the rest of the layered cake.
How Do You Stabilize A Wedding Cake?
The wedding cake is traditionally a tiered cake, so you’ll need to stabilize each layer to begin stacking. You can use dowels, straws, or even chopsticks for stabilizing each cake.
- Beginning with the bottom wedding cake tier, scatter the dowels towards the center of the cake with only an inch away from the outside perimeter of the cake itself
- Push the dowels as far as needed to touch the bottom cake board before marking and cutting it at the same level as the top of the cake
- Put the next wedding cake tier on top and repeat the process with all the tiers on their cake board
- Finally, you’ll use one long wooden dowel for the top tier of the wedding cake
- Put the long dowel at the center of the top tier through the bottom cake board to prevent any slippage and movement of the stacked wedding cake
- Finish the stacked wedding cake with piping around the edges and check the parts that may need more frosting or modifications with decors
How To Stack Wedding Cakes On Top Of Each Other?
You can stack wedding cakes on top of each other with dowels and cake boards to ensure that the entire structure is stable. However, smaller wedding cakes such as 6 to 8-inch two-layered cakes can use a single board and even lose the need for dowels.
Nonetheless, you’ll need one dowel for every two inches of a cake layer for a stale foundation. However, plastic dowels are wider, so it’s possible to need fewer pieces than wooden dowels.
The finishing dowel should ideally be wooden because you can sharpen it to puncture all the cake boards. And as for the cake boards, you don’t want them to show underneath each cake.
Conclusion
And that’s it! We just learned how to stack a wedding cake using dowels and cake boards in three steps.
To ensure stability, remember to use the right size cake board and dowel number for each cake layer. Then, cut each dowel accordingly to level with the top of the cake.
We hope this was helpful; let us know below how your cake stacking goes!