To tier a cake means to
arrange tiers above a table surface, usually one above the other using a system
of support. Tiered cakes are stacked vertically with a space between each tier,
all or part of the supporting structure visible to the eye. This supporting
structure can be anything, from plastic pillars to champagne flutes.
Stacked cakes are set one
on top of the other, each tier supported by an internal, unseen structure,
usually wooden dowels, plastic straws, or plastic columns, cut to the exact
height of the tier.
Combination cakes will
combine stacked and tiered methods of tiering.
Stepped cakes use
alternative methods of tiering arranged in a non-vertical fashion. Styles of
stepping cakes are limitless, from formal Plexiglas systems, to mirrored columns
to theme based non-matching items such as combinations of glass objects (wine
glasses, cake pedestals and champagne flutes) or silver objects (silver goblets,
silver bowls and silver platters).
To Prepare Cake for Assembly
Place base tier on a sturdy base plate of 3 or more thicknesses of corrugated
cardboard. For heavy cakes, use masonite or plywood. Base can be covered with
Fanci-Foil Wrap and trimmed with Tuk-N-Ruffle or use Wilton Ruffle Boards®. (All
from www.wilton.com).
Each tier of your cake must be on a cake circle or board cut to fit. Smear a
few strokes of icing on boards to secure cake. Fill and ice layers before
assembly.
To Dowel Rod Cakes for Pillar & Stacked Construction
Center a cake circle or plate one size smaller than the next tier on base
tier and press it gently into icing to imprint an outline. Remove circle.
Measure one dowel rod at the cake’s lowest point within this circle. Using this
dowel rod for measure, cut dowel rods (to fit this tier) the same size using
pruning shears. If the next tier is 10-inch or less, push seven 1/4-inch dowel
rods into cake down to base within circle guide. Generally the larger and more
numerous the upper tiers, the more dowels needed. Very large cakes need 1/2-inch
dowels in base tier.
Stacked Construction
This method is often combined with pillar construction. Dowel rod bottom
tier. Center a corrugated cake circle, same size as the tier to be added, on top
of the base tier. Position the following tier. Repeat procedure for each
additional tier. To keep stacked tiers stable, sharpen one end of a dowel rod
and push through all tiers and cardboard circles to base of bottom tier. To
decorate, start at top and work down.
Pillar Construction
Dowel rod tiers. Optional: Snap pegs into separator plates to prevent
slipping (never substitute pegs for dowel rods). Position separator plates on
supporting tiers, making sure that pillar projections on each tier will line up
with pillars below. Mark center backs of cakes. Decorate cakes. At reception,
align pillar projections and assemble cakes on pillars.
Fast and Easy Push-in Leg Construction
Dowel rods are not needed, because legs attached to separator plates push
right through the tiers down to the plate below.
Ice cakes on cake circles. To mark where legs will go, simply center separator
plate for tier above (projections down) and gently press onto the tier. Lift
plate off. Repeat this procedure for each tier (except top). Position upper
tiers on separator plates. Decorate cakes.
To assemble: Insert legs into cake at marks. Push straight down until
legs touch cake board. Add plate with cake to legs. Be sure plates are securely
fastened to legs. Continue adding tiers in this way until cake is assembled.
Center Column Construction with Tall Tier Stand
• Each cake involved in this type of construction should be placed on a cake
circle or board (cut to fit) with a pre-cut center hole. To do this, trace pan
shape on waxed paper. Note: To make positioning easier, place top tier on a
board slightly larger than cake. Fold pattern into quarters to determine the
exact center of each tier. Snip away the point to make a center hole (use cake
corer as a guide to size). Trace hole pattern onto boards and cut out.
• Place all tiers on prepared cake boards, attaching with a few strokes of
icing. Ice tiers smooth. Core out cake centers by pushing the cake corer down to
the cake base. Pull out and press cake out of corer.
• Screw a column to prepared base plate, attaching with the bottom column bolt
from underneath the plate. Slip bottom tier over the column to rest on plate.
• The bottom of the plates will not sit level, so to decorate, set plates on the
Flower Holder Ring, a pan or bowl.
• Since the column cap nut attaches under the top cake, this cake must be
positioned after assembling the Tall Tier Stand. Add base borders after
assembling the top tier. Or you may place the top tier on a foil-covered cake
circle so decorating can be done ahead.
• To assemble at reception, position plate onto base column section and screw
column tight. Continue adding tiers with columns. At top plate, secure columns
with cap nut bolt. Position top tier and decorate.
Hints for Tiered Cakes
• Before placing separator plate or cake circle atop another tier, sprinkle a
little confectioners’ sugar or coconut flakes to prevent plate or circle from
sticking. Letting icing crust a bit before positioning plate on cake will also
prevent sticking.
• You will have less crumbs when icing if cakes are baked a day in advance.
• When filling or torting large layers, use less than you usually would. Your
dam of icing should also be far enough from edge so filling doesn’t form a
bubble.
• The cake icer tip (p. 789 - from
www.wilton.com) is an
invaluable timesaver in icing wedding tiers.
• When transporting tiers, place cakes
on non-skid mat, damp towels or carpet foam and drive carefully.
• To keep balance, cut cakes on the Tall Tier Stand from top tier down.
• To divide tiers, use the Cake Dividing Set (p. 122 - from
www.wilton.com). The Wheel
Chart makes it easy to mark 2 in. intervals on 6 to 18 in. diameter cakes. The
garland marker gives precise spacing for stringwork and garlands. The raised
lines on separator plates can also be followed for each dividing.
• When using Spiked Pillars and stacked construction, double cake boards or use
separator plates between layers to prevent the weight of tiers from causing the
pillars to pierce through cake.
