Layer Cakes!

tfak85

Hello hello,

I am getting married in a few weeks and have not yet fully organised my cake, well, I have been attempting to but am not getting replies from any emails!

Anyway, the wedding cake I want is very simple and straight forward, 2 3layer cakes, stacked on to of each other, different sizes, and covered with butter cream/cream cheese frosting..

I think I might just make them the day before and have them dropped into the venue the morning of...they will be fine and fresh enough, yes?

When stacking layer cakes is there anything in particular I need to do ie, should the bottom cake be a bundt type cake to support the top?

The cakes themselves will be vanilla/vanilla and red velvet most likely...

Thanks!

SBWife

As long as you refrigerate them overnight they should be fine. In order to support each layer you need to use wooden dowels and foam boards in between each layer so that you can have a stable structure - these will also help when the cake needs to be disassembled in order to be served. The http://www.marthastewartweddings.com site has detailed instructions.

Acoshla

As said you'll have to use dowels to support them or the weight of each tier will make the one below it sink. Cream cheese frosting will have to be refrigerated overnight and buttercream one could do with it for firmness but doesn't need to be in fridge unless there is a fresh cream or fruit filling.

DreamC

tfak85 wrote: »

Hello hello,


Anyway, the wedding cake I want is very simple and straight forward, 2 3layer cakes, stacked on to of each other, different sizes, and covered with butter cream/cream cheese frosting..

I think I might just make them the day before and have them dropped into the venue the morning of...they will be fine and fresh enough, yes?


Thanks!

Everything is simple and easy if you really can do it or have at least some experience. But honestly I would not recommend anyone bake their wedding cakes "just the day before". Besides all other aspects of levelling and decoration (who needs a loopsided cake on the wedding photos?) the layers themselves need time to settle. You cannot decorate the cake straight from the oven.

Rather than putting yourself under HORRIBLE pressure on the eve of your big day just get M&S cakes some time in advance and stick a topper on (look on e-bay).

PS. Now at least I am now surprised with enquires like "I want to order a wedding cake. My wedding is tomorrow." Certainly, it is soooo easy. You just bake a 3-tiered cake. And then just decorate it.... As simple as that. Good luck with your cake anyway.

Acoshla

DreamC wrote: »

PS. Now at least I am now surprised with enquires like "I want to order a wedding cake. My wedding is tomorrow." Certainly, it is soooo easy. You just bake a 3-tiered cake. And then just decorate it.... As simple as that. Good luck with your cake anyway.

I totally agree with everything you said DreamC, but especially this bit. A lot of people think there is only a few hours work in an entire wedding cake, whereas really between baking, cooling, decorating, delivering and setting it up the work spreads across 2-3 days easily.

If it was me and I wanted to do this I would probably make them 2 days before the wedding, leave to firm and settle overnight wrapped in clingfilm in cool cry place, then cover in buttercream/frosting, which will keep them pretty sealed and moist, instead of trying to cram it all into one day. But again that would be if I really wanted/had to do it, otherwise with cakes of that type which need to be really fresh (as opposed to fruit or choc bisc cake) I would get someone else to do it so I didn't have to worry about it.

SBWife

I think people need to remember that not everyone wants an overwrought fondant covered perfect cake. A layered buttercream frosted cake is inherently more casual thus much more suited for home baking - although baking the layers holding them in clingfilm overnight then layering and frosting the day before is preferable.

M&S only do fruitcake in the ROI which really isn't a substitute for any of the cakes the OP is thinking off.

xxdilemmaxx

Spadina wrote: »

If it was me and I wanted to do this I would probably make them 2 days before the wedding, leave to firm and settle overnight wrapped in clingfilm in cool cry place QUOTE]

Probably a stupid question but do you wrap the warm cake in cling film or the cooled cake?

littleredspot

SBWife wrote: »

not everyone wants an overwrought fondant covered perfect cake. A layered buttercream frosted cake is inherently more casual thus much more suited for home baking

This is true, but then stacking them directly on top of each other, is not something that a casual homebaker should attempt for the first time the day of their wedding. Unless they REALLY don't care what the cake turns out like.

As said above there's a lot more to doing a wedding cake right than people think. I would think its worth paying to know that what some people think is an important part of the day, is being looked after by an experienced professional.

Some cakes that I do just have some ribbon "casually" draped around them or some petals "randomly" scattered. Its amazing how much better a cake done like this looks if it's done by someone with 20 years of experience as opposed to someone who thinks "sure anyone could do that"

Acoshla

SBWife wrote: »

I think people need to remember that not everyone wants an overwrought fondant covered perfect cake.

I'd be thinking of it more from the point of view of I wouldn't want to be doing any baking the day or two before my wedding, I'd prefer to have that time to freak out/chill out, whichever was needed Even the simplest of cakes would take a lot of time when it's 3 layered and stacked cakes if you know what I mean.

Probably a stupid question but do you wrap the warm cake in cling film or the cooled cake?

Let it cool on cooling tray and then wrap in cling film, gently, so the feckers don't break in half!

SBWife

Spadina wrote: »

I'd be thinking of it more from the point of view of I wouldn't want to be doing any baking the day or two before my wedding, I'd prefer to have that time to freak out/chill out, whichever was needed Even the simplest of cakes would take a lot of time when it's 3 layered and stacked cakes if you know what I mean.

Baking and flower arranging are what kept me sane in the few days before my wedding. I even got up that morning and made guacamole for our drinks reception. I guess it takes all kinds.

Not questioning that building a wedding cake takes time and if perfection is important there are only a few professionals in Ireland I'd trust; so many make elaborate looking cakes that are very disappointing once you try and eat them. But for an experienced baker with realistic expectations it can definitely be a DIY job.

DreamC

SBWife wrote: »

But for an experienced baker with realistic expectations it can definitely be a DIY job.

An experienced baker would not be asking questions like that. Because he/she is experienced and knows how to do these things and how much time it would take

SBWife

Most experienced bakers try something new from time to time asking for advice helps them be successful while doing this.

The first time a did a three tier cake I didn't know how they were stacked (and in fact was told by many Irish "professional" bakers that they couldn't be stacked - that only chocolate biscuit or fruitcake could form the base) but I went on line to a US based site and it was explained to me. A little DIY later I had what I envisioned.

Your obviously into sugar craft I like great tasting cakes - there's room for both in this world but rarely on the one cake.

Eviledna

SBWife wrote: »

Your obviously into sugar craft I like great tasting cakes - there's room for both in this world but rarely on the one cake.

Couldn't disagree more. It's an art to make a great tasting cake. It's an art to decorating it beautifully. The two combined make a masterpiece, which if enough effort and experience are put in, is definitely possible and well worth all the effort.

OP, I made my sister's wedding cake (for the first time) last year. I asked loads of questions from these lovely people here and they gave me great help. It worked out well but was stressfull, and I guess the best advice I could give is don't underestimate the amount of work that goes into a wedding cake! Give it lots of time and ask questions!

SBWife

Eviledna - look up rarely in the dictionary.

DreamC

SBWife wrote: »

Most experienced bakers try something new from time to time asking for advice helps them be successful while doing this.

.

How do you know? Are you one of them? Could we see your works? I do not think that they are asking for advice on the amateur boards. Sorry for O-T.

ge_ch

this just reminds me again of the famous sentence:
"well it's just a cake"

there is nothing wrong with making you own cake but I would suggest that you make a "rehearsal" cake(even if its just a small one).
you shouldnt try making your first cake like this for your wedding. trying it out before will save you time, stress,panic and will help you learn from mistakes.
think of the lovely wedding photos

SBWife

DreamC wrote: »

How do you know? Are you one of them? Could we see your works? I do not think that they are asking for advice on the amateur boards. Sorry for O-T.

Yes, I'm an experienced amateur baker don't normally bother photographing and posting my goods...the smiles on their faces are praise enough.

tfak85

thanks for all the replies guys..

I have made many a layer cake in my time but have never stacked them, hence the question about bundt type etc...

Anyway, I am still undecided as to what my plan of action is, I will most likely bake the cakes 2 days before and frost 1 day before... All this is, of course, if the people I have been emailing me don't reply in the next week or so (giving me a month to perfect the cake)..

Eviledna

SBWife wrote: »

Eviledna - look up rarely in the dictionary.

Well aren't you just a peach. Feel better now?

OP, a month is plenty of time to practice, I'm sure you'll perfect it by then. As I said, most of the folks here are v. Helpful and experienced. I found writing down a plan of action with times for the multitasking was great for scheduling. Ordering cake boxes and boards ahead of time from the net helps too!

Fart

This sound crazy, but if you're baking it yourself, bake 2 just incase a disaster happens.

You never know.

Congrats and good luck.

The Hill Billy

The next poster of a barbed comment or snide remark wins a holiday courtesy of the Mods.

HB