- 1). Lay the largest frosted cake tier on a cake drum, which is a sturdy piece of card board (1/2 inch thick) wrapped in foil. The other four cakes, which are also already frosted, should be placed on individual cake boards. Cardboard can be used for cakes that will be layered directly on top of each other, while the more sturdy plastic boards are often used for cakes that will be mounted on pillars.These plastic boards sometimes have decorative or scalloped edges.
- 2). Place the upside down cake pan from the second largest tier on top of the base layer. Make sure it is centered by measuring the distance between the base cake's edges to the pan with a ruler. It should be even on all sides. Then, press the pan down lightly to make a slight impression onto the base cake.
- 3). Measure the height of the base cake by placing one dowel into the cake, on the inside of the cake impression and mark it with pencil. Remove it and cut five dowels to that measurement. If the smaller cake is going to stand above the base cake, then add the desired height to the measurement. For example if the cake is 5 inches tall, and the second cake should stand an additional inch above the cake, then each dowel should be 6 inches long. Another option would be to use spiked pillars, a plastic column that can be trimmed to give cake a specific height.
- 4). Insert the five dowels or columns, equidistant from each other, about 1 inch inside of the circle impression. If the smaller cake is lying directly on top, then slather 2 tbsp. of icing with an offset spatula in the center of the circle, which will act as the glue. Then gently lay the smaller tier on top, using a clean offset spatula to reduce the risks of finger impressions. For cakes that are standing above the base layer on pillars, do not add additional icing. Instead, center the smaller layer on top of the exposed pegs or columns.
- 5). Repeat steps 2 to 4 with the other layers, using the smaller cakes pan and ruler as a measuring tool before inserting the support columns. Insert four dowels into the second largest tier and three into the second and third layers. Finish stacking by placing the smallest cake on top and in the center. This is the last step for a cake that is on pillars, but layers that are laid directly on top of each other require an additional step.
- 6). Sharpen a long dowel with a pencil sharpener and insert the stick through the center of the entire cake. Twist the dowel so that it penetrates the layers and the cardboard, and mark the stick where it meets the surface of the top cake. Remove the dowel and trim it a little shorter than the measurement so that it doesn't protrude from the top of the cake after being reinserted. Then, reinsert it all the way into the cake, and hide it with a little bit of frosting. This step is only for cakes that are layered directly on top of each other and not for cakes that are mounted onto pillars.
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