How do I Alternate Square & Round Wedding Cakes?

A dream wedding cake does not necessarily have tiers that are all the same shape. Alternating square and round tiers may be required by the design, and luckily requires no more effort than stacking tiers that are all the same shape. In both cases, proper support of all tiers is key. Cake cardboards can be purchased with decorative foil or lace coverings. They can also be decorated after the fact so that they coordinate with the cake, as long as you decorate before placing the tiers of cake on top of them.

Things You'll Need

• Square and round cake cardboards
• Fully frosted square and round wedding cake tiers
• Dowel, 1/2 inch diameter
• Ruler
• Utility knife
• Sandpaper
• Extra frosting

Instructions

1. Choose cake cardboards that are corresponding sizes and shapes for each tier of cake. Place the cardboards on top of each other and center them, then mark the center of the stack. Cut a 3/4” square hole in the center of each cardboard.

2. Measure the height of each fully frosted tier of cake. Cut the length of the dowel to the combined total height of the cake tiers minus half an inch, then whittle the ends so that they taper to points. Use sandpaper to smooth them completely, and rinse the dowel under running water to remove any sawdust.

3. Slide the cake tiers onto their corresponding cake cardboards. Place the bottom tier on the counter, then stab the dowel directly into the center.

4. Pick up the next tier of cake and its cardboard. Line the hole in the cake cardboard up with the top of the dowel. Slide the tier of cake smoothly and firmly down the dowel, so that it nests neatly on top of the first tier.

5. Repeat alignment and dowel mounting process with remaining tiers. Fix any smudges or smears that may occur in assembly with the extra frosting.

Tips & Warnings

• The dowel will stabilize the cake tiers, particularly during transport. However, the finished and assembled cake is still very fragile. Be careful when transporting it, and make sure it is adequately supported. Have the driver choose a smooth route that is free of road construction or heavy stop-and-go traffic, if possible.

• The cake cardboards help to stabilize the cake and more evenly distribute its weight. However, cake is still heavy. Avoid stacking more than four tiers on any one cake. Three is usually the norm, but four should be your limit. Otherwise, you run the risk of the tiers of cake caving into each other, resulting in a mess.

• Save decorative elements for application after the cake has been fully assembled. Make sure the tiers of cake are frosted, but all decorative elements (frosting roses, pearls, and other garnishes) should be applied after assembly. That way, you can more accurately assess what the finished product will look like and decorate accordingly.

References

• "The Professional Chef" (Eighth Edition); Culinary Institute of America; 2006
• "Wedding Cakes You Can Make"; Dede Wilson; 2005