A Guide to Dowelling

 

For any tiered cakes that are not coated with royal icing, it is essential to

add dowel rods to each layer of cake (except the top tier) to support the weight of the tiers and avoid a cracked, crushed or toppled wedding cake!

 

STACKED CAKES

This is a style of cake that is very popular with the modern bride. Cakes are simply ‘stacked’ on top of each other, with no pillars, seperaters or stand. To achieve this style of cake, dowels and cake boards must still be used but are hidden to give the desired effect.  The base cake usually has a cake board 2 - 3” bigger than the cake.  For all tiers above, the cake board should be the same size as the cake and thin enough to be hidden with ribbon or piping.  All tiers except the top need to have dowels inserted and trimmed level with the top of the cake.  When trimming the cake before icing place a spirit level on top of the cake to ensure that it is level, trim if necessary, check the level again and then ice.

 

1)    Ice all your cakes and leave them to set/dry for 24 hours.

2)    Cut a paper template using grease proof paper the same size as the cake to be placed above (the easiest way is to draw around a cake board or cake tin of the same size as the cake), mark on the template approximately 1-1.5” in from the edge all around and trim this edge off.  Fold this paper in half, point to point if square, and in half (point to point) again. This will give you the points for positioning your dowels.

3)    Place this template on top of the lower tier and mark, using a pin or scriber,  5 equally spaced dowel holes. 1 at each fold point and 1 in the centre.  5 dowels is adequate for cakes up to 10”.  For 12” and 14” cakes fold your template straight in half and half again and then unfold and fold point to point and again point to point.  Unfold this and you will have 8 folds and your centre point for the positioning of your dowels. Push your dowels slowly into each marking with a mini spirit level against the side of the dowel to ensure that they are straight as they slide down right to the bottom board. 

4)    Using an edible pen mark the dowels at the height of the top of the iced cake.

5)    Carefully remove the dowels from the cake, taking great care not to move the dowels sideways as this will enlarge the holes and reduce the support! 

6)    Line the dowels up together flat on your work surface and if there is any difference in the height of the marks, mark them ALL to the height of the highest. 

7)    Score the dowels with a mini hacksaw and snap.  Take off any rough edges with sand paper, wash and dry thoroughly.

8)    Carefully replace the cut dowels (cut side down) back into position in the cake.

9)    Mix up a sticky glue paste using a small amount of flower paste, edible glue and gum arabic.  Place a blob of the sticky glue paste over each dowel.

10) Position your cake above ensuring that it is central.

11) Ribbon or pipe to hide any edges/spaces.

12) Repeat 2-11 for additional tiers.

 

PILLAR CAKES

There are two types of pillars available: standard or spiked.  Standard pillars have a hollow middle in which a dowel can be inserted (follow instructions below). The dowel is inserted into the cake and then cut off level with the top of the pillar.  Spiked pillars do not need any dowels and are simply pushed into the cake until the base of the pillar touches the board.  Tiered cakes with pillars should be iced on a board 2” larger than the cake

 

1.    Ice all your cakes and leave them to set/dry for 24 hours.

2.    Cut a paper template using grease proof paper to represent the top of the lower tier(the easiest way is to draw around a cake board or cake tin of the same size as the cake), cut out and fold into quarters (either straight or diagonal, depending on how you would like to place your pillars).  Now open this up and mark the central point with a pen.  Place a ruler along one fold line and mark equal distances from the centre to the point where you want your pillar to sit.  Be sure to allow sufficient space for the base of the pillar – remembering that the mark will represent the centre of the pillar base.  Place the pillar on the template if you are unsure of where your mark should be, mark all 4 fold lines in this way.

3.    Place this template in the centre on top of the lower tier and mark, using a pin or scriber the 4 dowel holes, 1 at each fold marking.  Push your dowels slowly into each marking with a mini spirit level against the side of the dowel to ensure that they are straight as they slide down right to the bottom board. 

4.    Place the pillars over the dowels and using a ruler to help, mark the dowels with an edible pen to the height of the pillars.

5.    Carefully remove the pillars and the dowels from the cake, taking great care not to move the dowels sideways as this will enlarge the holes and reduce the support! 

6.    Line the dowels up together flat on your work surface and if there is any difference in the height of the marks, mark them ALL to the height of the highest. 

7.    Score the dowels with a mini hacksaw and snap.  Take off any rough edges with sand paper, wash and dry thoroughly.

8.    Carefully replace the cut dowels (cut side down) back into position in the cake.  Place the pillars over the dowels.

9.    Repeat 2-8 for additional tiers.

 

Tall pillars with holes large enough to hold 3 dowels together can be reinforced.  Hold 3 dowels at the same height tightly together.  Tape them together ensuring that the tape is 4-6” along the dowels.  By putting three dowels together in a triangular form dowels will not be able to sphere, twist or bend.  Then follow points 2-8 above.

 

For further information please contact Maxine or Sarah at the shop on 01932 831991 or email: contact@sugarsculpture.co.uk