The Essential Tool You Need For Making Extra Tall Layer Cakes

When you're making an extra tall layer cake, stability might be a concern. The taller the cake, the more danger there is for the layers to slide and fall off. And, if you have to transport your cake from the kitchen to the location of the party, there's even more potential for disaster.

Fortunately, there are ways to add some extra support to your tall layered cakes while assembling them. One easy way is to slide some wooden dowels down into the cake layers. These will help to support the weight of the cake, frosting, and decorations, ensuring that the cake looks perfect by presentation time.

All you'll need to do is grab a few food-safe wooden dowels. Build each layer of the tiered cake on a separate cake board, then carefully slide the dowels down through each layer all the way to the bottom. Once the dowels hit the bottom of the cake, cut off the tops so they don't stick out through the frosting. Then, add the next layer on top.

The dowels and cake boards can prevent the cake from caving in when it's topped with heavier decorations or dense buttercream frosting. If you're using a lighter filling between layers — like chocolate mousse or whipped cream — those supports may actually be essential. Without them, the weight of the cake could squish the filling down, causing it to spill out on the sides and leaving less to eat in the center of the cake.

This method of assembly allows the weight of higher-up layers to rest on the cake boards and dowels, rather than on the lower cake layers. This alleviated pressure prevents sinking, which can keep your cakes looking picture-perfect until they're served. A maximum of two cake layers should be stacked on cake boards, with the dowel rods placed about an inch and a half away from the edge of the cake.

Because the dowels are so long, you won't need to worry about accidentally ingesting them. When you're ready to serve the cake, they can simply be pulled out before the cake is cut. Or, the cake can be sliced around the dowels, leaving some support until the last second.

Wooden dowels are the most commonly used to add some extra stability to cakes. They can often be found in stores along with other cake-decorating tools. If you plan on decorating and serving a lot of cakes, reusable plastic rods and bases are also available online. Of course, these can't be cut down, so you would need to make sure your cakes are consistently the same height, or you risk the supports being exposed.

In a pinch, using some bubble tea straws could also do the trick. These straws are a little thicker than normal drinking straws since they're designed to drink bubble tea. Though not as sturdy as wooden dowels, the straws can still provide a little bit of structure and will be more rigid than simply allowing the cake to stand on its own.

The next time you're stacking up a multi-layered cake, don't make the mistake of omitting some added support. Consider adding some dowels to add a little extra security to the dessert.