3 Tier Cake Question
Posted by kattie2001 on Sep 14, 2007 · Member since Oct 2006 · 6 posts
I want to make a 3 tier cake. I have never done this so I am concerned with how to do it.
Do you just cook the cakes, let them cool and then plop on top of each other and ice?
Do you suggest using the colums for each level or on top of each other is fine?
Thanks everyone.
I'm no cake expert, but in the past when I've made 3 layer German Chocolate cake, I would make 3 separate pan cakes (I'd only fill the pans about half full and they rose to be about 2/3 or a bit more of the pan height after cooking), then set them on a baker's rack to cool. The bottom of each cake would be flat from the pan, of course, but the tops would have a rounded peak on them so wouldn't be flat for stacking. So I'd cut the top (round) side off to make each cake flat on both sides. Then I'd place one on the cake plate, ice all the top, add the next cake directly to the first, ice the top, add the last cake on top and ice the top then the sides of all of them to make the 3 layer cake.
I wouldn't use the pillars unless each of the layers of cake were pretty thick, otherwise it may look a bit funny. You'd also want cardboard or plastic plates underneath each layer if using the pillars, too, of course! ;)
Good luck! 3 tier cakes are always extra special since they take more work! :)
3 layers or 3 tiers?
for a 3 tiered cake you'd definitely want to use dowel rods inserted into the cake to support the cardboard cake round that you would sit the 2nd tier on top of. You'd need 4 dowel rods each as tall as the 1st cake inserted into it in the shape of a square. Just to be safe I'd add dowels to the 2nd tier too, then you could do a stand with pillars on top of that and then add the 3rd tier. Thats what i did for my bros wedding cake a few years ago anyway.. too much wieght on the cakes w/o the dowels will just make the cakes squish into eachother. If this is not making sense you should check out a cake decorating book from the library, they'll have diagrams etc. good luck!
I've made three layer cakes and the result has been fine and I didn't do anything special. The cake is just taller. Take care your icing/frosting isn't gloopy.