How to Put One Cake on Top of Another One

Wedding cake designers use wooden dowels to stack the layers.

Stacked cakes consist of at least two cakes and are commonly used for weddings. The cakes have an elegant and impressive look. Professionals spend years learning how to best decorate and stack cakes, but you can create the same look yourself even without training. When you put one cake on top of another cake, you need proper support in place. Wooden dowels are the right tool for stacking cakes.

Things You'll Need

• Cake boards
• Frosting
• Spatula
• Baked cakes
• Three wooden dowels
• Saw

Instructions

1. Place a thin cardboard piece, known as a cake board, on a flat surface. Spread a thin layer of frosting across the top of the board and lightly place the cake on top. Repeat the process with the second cake, making sure that no part of the cake board is visible under the cake.

2. Frost both cakes with a thin layer of frosting, coating the sides and top. Place both cakes in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, giving the frosting time to harden slightly. Remove the bottom cake from the refrigerator and set on a flat surface.

3. Insert the three wooden dowels into the cake, pushing down until the dowel hits the cake board underneath. The wooden dowels, which cake stores and cake decorating stores sell, have pointed ends that easily slide through the cake.

4. Remove the dowels from the cake and look for the frosting on the dowel, which indicates the top of the cake. Cut each dowel to the appropriate size, based on the top of the cake. Use the saw to evenly cut the dowels.

5. Push the dowels back into the cake, using the holes you made earlier. Remove the second cake from the refrigerator and carefully carry it to the bottom layer. Lift the cake above the top of the bottom layer and gently place it down on the cake. The wooden dowels support the cake's weight, keeping it from collapsing.

Tips & Warnings

• Decorate the cake only after stacking the layers. Go back through and fix any missing or damaged frosting.

• Use the same method to add additional layers or other cakes on top of the first layer. Use at least three dowels, placed near the center of the cake in a triangular shape.

References

• Learn Cake Decorating: Stacking Cake Layers
• Cake Links: How to stack a wedding cake
• Piece of Cake Decorating: How to Stack Cakes