make a four tier wedding cake
It's interesting:"Wasn’t the wedding ceremony beautiful? The highlight, of course, was Linda floating magically down the aisle. I’m sure we were all thinking exactly the same thing: “How did HE get HER?”"
It's often said that a wedding is centered around the bride. Her dress, make-up, hair, jewelry, shoes and accessories are what catch everyone's attention. When it comes to the reception, though, the cake is often the centerpiece of the room. Making a four-tier wedding cake isn't the easiest task in the world, but it is something that you can do with patience, careful planning and attention to detail. Whether you're the bride or want to do something to help out a friend, you can make a four-tier wedding cake that's a huge hit.
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Things You'll Need
- Four cakes
Icing and decorations
Cake boards
Tracing paper or wax paper
Pencil
Scissors
Hollow pillars
Cake dowels
Cake stand, platter or plateau
Instructions
Make a Four-Tier Wedding Cake
1
Bake four cakes in graduated sizes. For example, if you are making a round four-tier cake, the cakes can be 6, 9, 12 and 15 inches in diameter or 6, 8, 10 and 12 inches in diameter. Once they cool, use a long serrated knife to cut the top of each cake so it is perfectly even.
2
If using pillars, create a template of each of the three top layers of cake by using tracing paper or wax paper and tracing around the cakes. Cut out the templates, which will be the same size as the cakes, and make marks where the pillars should go. For example, for round cakes, make three marks on each template, evenly spaced, 1 and 1/4 inches in from the edge in the form of a triangle.
3
Place each of the top three layers on a decorated cake board (keep in mind that the bottom of each cake board may be visible when using pillars). The cake board may be slightly smaller than the cake or slightly larger if you plan on using the board to add additional decorations, such as flowers.
4
Place the bottom layer, which will support the other tiers, on your base. You can use a cake stand, platter or plateau to add a decorative touch as long as it is strong enough to support all of the tiers.
5
Ice each layer.
6
If using pillars, place the template for the top tier on the second tier. Center the template and use a knife to make points in the cake according to your marks on the paper- this will help ensure that you get the positioning of the dowels right to support the tiers correctly. Follow this step one layer at a time until each tier has the appropriate marks. (Note: there will not be any marks on the top tier.)
7
Place the pillars one at a time on each layer over the marks you made. Insert a dowel into each pillar, point first. Once the dowel goes all the way to the bottom of the tier, take it out and reinsert it with the flat part on the bottom. Mark each dowel at the point that it is even with the top of the pillar. Remove the dowels and cut them to size, then reinsert them with the flat surface on the bottom (for stability) and confirm that they are even with the pillars.
8
Center the layers on top of each other (with or without pillars), beginning with the bottom and working your way up. Once all four layers are securely in place, add any finishing touches such as more decorative icing, fresh flowers, pearls, flower petals, or whatever decorations fit the theme of the wedding.
Tips &- Warnings
Use at least three evenly spaced pillar/dowels for round cakes, four for square cakes, and at least three for oddly shaped cakes.
Be extremely careful during transport. It is best to disassemble the cake and then set it up again at its destination.
You can use short (or no) pillars and add decorations between tiers to give the cake a simple cascading line.
Do not cluster pillars in the center, or the cake will likely collapse.
Do not use royal icing with pillars, as you cannot insert dowels into it.
Tags: cake board, using pillars, wedding cake, cakes make, each cakeSource: www.ehow.com
