A stacked wedding cake or birthday cake is a cake design where the cakes are positioned directly on top of each other, as opposed to using pillars or separators for supporting each tier. For any multi tiered cake, whether it is a wedding cake or celebration cake, this is a very popular method and design in creating a tiered cake.

For a sponge cake which is usually iced only, a board just slightly larger  would be used for the base of the cake.  This may however vary if your side or base decoration requires boards of a larger size, for example if you are adding sugarflower cake decorations around the base of the bottom tier.

If cakes are stacked a cake drum board is used at the base and usually each tier stacked on top of the base cake sits on either a thinner cake board or a thicker cake drum board which is the same size as the cake so that it is hidden when iced.

Choose a suitable size when making novelty bespoke wedding cakes, as there may be protruding ‘bits’ or inscriptions on the board which will require extra board space. There are many shapes of boards for this type of cake you can choose or you can maske your own and simple cover the cake board with silver cake foil paper.

Stacking your cake

Ice all the cakes and check they are level. (A small spirit level is useful for this purpose). Check that they have a neat finish around the base. Leave to set. The base cake is usually placed on the base board, with all  cakes on a cake board the same size as the cake.

Insert cake dowel rods, making sure they are positioned within the diameter of the cake above, but far enough apart to give support.  After placing the dowel into the iced cake, mark with a cake pen level with the surface of the cake, and remove. Cut the dowels ensuring they are all level and the same length, replace into cake.

Place a tiered cake (usually centrally, but may be offset) onto base cake, fixing with royal icing. Continue stacking in this way for multiple tiers.

What cake box should I use to transport the cake?

We stock a range of cake boxes at our Sugarbliss Cake Decorating Supplies Shop, Soliohull, West Midlands. We also stock cake box extensions for taller or tiered cakes.

A 4 tier cake can be partly stacked i.e. 2 tiers and 2 tiers for stability or individually for boxed for complete safety.

It is also easier to carry if each tier is separately placed in a suitable cake box especially if each cake has detailed design work such as, lace or piping work around the wedding cake.