I made a cake and put it on a plate. A pretty blue glass plate that I ordered the other day. It came in this weekend so I decided it must be put to use right away… or else forever be united with my other cake plates that have yet to see the light of day.
So I made a cake. Several of them. I thought it would be a good time to finally venture into the scary world of cake stacking.
Yikes.
But first… mad respect to all the cake decorators out there. I’ve only made small cakes before. This was a task. And I didn’t even do anything fancy.
I made this recipe. TWICE.
The first time I baked three 8 inch cakes. And the second time, I baked three 6 inch cakes and 2 five inch cakes. Use two inch high cake pans and spread the batter evenly among the pans when you bake. You’ll have just enough batter for all 8 layers.
I wanted to try the recipe to see if how well it would work for stacking. It’s not very dense, so it wouldn’t be great for carving. But it bakes up nice and even so there is no need to level off the tops. Yay, one less step.
I baked the cakes at night and wrapped in plastic wrap so I could devote the next day to decorating.
Unwrap a layer and place it on a cardboard cake circle cut to size. Frost the top. Layer on the next one and repeat.
Then frost the sides. This is the called the crumb coat. You just want a thin layer of frosting. It’s okay if crumbs get in.
I placed the layers on top of the cake pan I baked them in as a stand and to make frosting the sides down to the bottom a little easier.
Once frosted as evenly as possible, you can place the cake in the freezer for a few minutes. The frosting will harden and when you remove the cakes from the freezer, you can use a knife dipped in a little warm water to help smooth out any uneven places.
Repeat with the 6-inch cakes. Kinda crumby.
And the 5-inch cakes.
Did I ever tell you that I’m a really, really messy baker? Like real.
When all the cakes are crumb-coated, you can apply a pretty layer of frosting without worrying about tearing the cake or getting cake crumbs on the outside.
Or you can cover them in fondant. Eeek. That’s what I did.
(I used the frosting recipe from this post and doubled it. Triple it if you want to frost it all in buttercream instead of covering in fondant.)
Unfortunately there is no photographic evidence of the covering.
Just imagine I rolled out fondant on a powdered sugar-dusted surface and then carefully placed the fondant over each tier. And then smoothed out the sides.
And imagine that it looked perfect. Because it did not.
Once each tier is covered in fondant you can get ready to stack away.
To stack the cake, you’ll need wooden dowels or even straws to support each tier, so the cake doesn’t smoosh in on itself.
Push the dowel in and mark the height of the cake on the dowel. Remove and use it as a guide to cut the other dowels. I used four for the bottom tier and the middle tier. Make sure the dowels are all placed within the diameter of the tier above it. So the dowels won’t show when you stack them all up.
Then just stack the cakes and decorate.
I cut white fondant hearts to keep a clean, simple look.
Okay, not really. I did it to help hide the slightly uneven surface.
And also because I ran out of time to do anything else.
I think it looks pretty cute. Even if I don’t really know what I’m doing.
What I do know is I need another lesson in covering fondant cakes. And then one in making sugar flowers and of course piping and then carving. And then I’ll need some therapy.
I like it with a single pink heart, too.
But what I like most is the cake stand.
That’s why I bought two of them.
One for me and another for one of you.
Want it?
Enter for a chance to win this happy blue 10-inch glass cake plate.
- Leave a comment on this post and tell me something that makes you happy.
- Deadline to enter is Monday, August 23 at 6:00 pm ET. SORRY, TIME’S UP! Winner announced below.
- One winner will be chosen at random and announced sometime Monday evening on this post.
Good luck!
P.S. Here’s where I bought them.
I’m really glad I choose winners randomly or I’d be in a tough spot. Thanks for sharing all that makes you happy.
Now for the win, it’s comment #3612!
Congrats Angela from Memphis – I’m glad baking makes you happy. Now you have something new to put your treats on.
I love this cake. It is so crean then with a pop og Pink and blue. I think also you could it with any same shape diamonds, cut out flowers. All I know is I love this.
Cake makes me happy!
Reading a book and snuggling up to my husband makes me happy:)
Glazed Croissants.. they make me happy.
My kids too, snuggling in bed with them..
Fresh warm gooey chocolate chip cookies.
Awesome, Just in time!
waking up and taking a breath of crisp, cool, clean mountain air makes me happy. oh – and eating cookies makes me happy too :)
I am happily applying for a job as a cake decorator!
Knitting makes me happy! That cake stand is really pretty and that Cale looks yummy!
It makes me happy when I make a dessert or dish that I’ve never made before and people tell me that it’s awesome! I made the cheesecake bars last week and people raved about them!
My baby penguin makes me happy.
(Stuff animal toy) (no real penguin unfortunately :P)
My children and giving to others makes me extremely happy.
Ohhhh….love it! I came across some tiered cake pans in my old garage and I have yet to make a layered cake. But your pretty pink heart inspired me. Inspiration makes me happy!!
Yep it’s my Granbabes I have six all under five and they are so much fun! We dance everywhere and do a lot of cookie making nothing is better than a six armed gingerbread man, a square peanut butter cookie or cupcakes with more frosting than cake :)
Running 5+ miles makes me happy
My nieces and nephews….. they are too cute…..
What makes me happy? The anticipation of baking and icing cookies, cupcakes, or anything sweet with my daughter when she gets old enough (she is 5 months now!).
Staying in and watching movies with my husband makes me happy!
Ice cream on a hot day makes me happy!
Making lovely cookies, cakes and desserts and sharing them with friends.
This cake stand is soooo cute….I WANT IT :) And I love the way the finished cake looks with the one pink heart. You are a baking genius
a clean house, gruby kids and cupcakes= happiness.
running makes me happy!!!
Cooking and baking for my family makes me really happy!
Spending my spare time with my husband and puppies makes me happy.
Cuddling!
is that not the most beautiful shade of blue?! LOVe it
Oh my, I LOVE that cake stand!!
My cup of coffee, and when my kids are playing nicely with each other. :)
the sound of children laughing makes me happy =)
reading and hoarding recipes makes me happy!
Nursing my baby while going through my favorite blogs… just in time to enter a giveaway? Now that’s happy.
When I hear requests for my cupcakes. I worked really hard on finding the best recipe and it’s nice knowing I finally have!
Lazy rainy days at home with my girls in our pjs makes me happy. Top it off with chocolate and it’s a dream day!
That color blue makes me happy! I’ve actually been looking for some kitchen accents in that color!
One of the things that makes me happy right now, my bed, I received new sheets on Mother’s Day and they are super comfy and I love laying in them.
Baking makes me happy. Period.
Clean laundry makes me REALLY happy!!!!
watching Tom and Jerry with my kids all snuggled up on omy bed
Fridays make me happy :)
Reading your blog makes me happy! But another thing that makes me smile is spending a day doing art. Yum!
Trying your recipes and having them work out beautifully makes me happy. That and an ice-cold diet coke.
very impressive! my baby makes me happy. and blue cake stands. :)
french fries, coffee, and friends all make me happy. Not necessarily together and not necessarily in that order! :0)
a fresh churro always seems to make me happy :) its the simple things in life that are the best!
Little surprises make me happy!
Summer makes me happy…espcially summer days right after the kids go back to school, then I can sit by the pool
all. by. myself.
HAPPY!!
when my children sleep in, that makes me happy!
Simple and sweet. It would make a lovely wedding cake!
That’s completely gorgeous! Citrus makes me happy… and gorgeous blue cake plates of course.
My children make me happy
My husband just passed his boards! It makes me happy to have my husband back from the library and that he gets to follow his dream.
spending time with my kids, laughing and making memories. I love that we have a catalogue of stories that always are shared and laughed over.
Being cozy inside while it is storming outside….I love that!! It’s even better if you have a good book.
Hot cocoa, clean house, sweet children’s faces, rainfall, the gospel, new projects… how many things were you looking for?
The end of a long but productive workday makes me happy! :)
Baking! I love to try new recipes, tools, and tricks.
desserts makes me happy! =)
Love the blue, such a pretty cakes stand! Also your cake is beautiful, the pink heart is perfect :)
Getting these emails makes me happy! So many new and wonderful things to try! Thank you so much for all of these great goodies! =)
What makes me happy? Spending quality time with my family.
My daughter makes me happy :)
My husband and kids make me the happiest. A good book and good food run a close second! :)
Night swimming and grilled cheese makes me happy (:
And cupcakes. Cupcakes make me reeeeally happy.
Very cool! Blustery days spent indoors with a chick flick make me pretty happy. (:
My family! <3
Reading fun blogs like yours make me oh so happy!!
reading this blog makes me happy! :) And snuggling with my hubby makes me really happy.
Hearing my 3-year-old granddaughter’s voice on the other end of the phone makes me happy!
Staying home with my family.
What makes me happy:
-my delicious husband
-the fall – so excited that it’s just around the corner
-crafty stuff
-all types of bakery
-and sweet Bakerella and her great giveaways!
Thanks so much for the chance to win!
Cooking and eating yummy food!
Pembroke Welsh Corgi’s make me happy!! They’re so CUTE….I want one :)
The first day of school makes me happy! :-)
OOH! I love it!!! my family makes me happy!
The two thing that makes me happy is:
1. hearing my 17 month old squeal with delight.
2. having my 11 year old snuggle up to me and tell me he loves me.
Beautiful cake btw, the single pink makes the cake spectacular!
Red wine and stinky cheese makes me happy!
Color makes me happy! Any color, anywhere!
that cake stand makes me happy! omg, i spend most of my time looking at cake stands because i want one so badly… but my husband keeps saying no. which makes sense because a cake for just the two of us is a bit ridiculous :)
The chocolate cake with chocolate frosting I just ate – that made me very happy :)
baking makes me really happy.
My friend’s chocolate chip peanut butter cupcakes that she just brought me!
Next time you bake, invite me over and I’ll help you tidy up that kitchen while I watch you work your magic. THAT would make me happy!
Watching my daughter feel good about her new life with her hubby makes me happy. This blue cake platter would be a wonderful addition to the kitchen in their Bronx apartment, and a great compliment to the luscious food they bake.
Seeing my nearly teenage daughter happy!!
Trying a new recipe and it turning out delish always makes me happy! Oh and it makes my belly happy too! lol
Wow! that cake looks so cute, even though its simple design. Something that makes me happy reading a good book or spending the day knitting.
Your easy peanut butter cookies dipped in chocoate and chopped nuts make me happy.. they also make just about everyone else in my life happy too. I’m going to go make some right now.. :)
:)
Bakerella makes me happy!
My kids smiles make me happy.
Little things make me happy!!!
Knowing that your talent is out there in the world makes me happy. And the fact that you are a messy baker makes me happy too – I am not alone in this world!!
I love that cake stand!! so cool.
I think my kitties make me happy. :)
My best friends make me happy! They got married on Saturday, and we made the wedding cake ourselves! It was not the most relaxing bit of the wedding process (not that many aspects were relaxing, haha), but it made me SO happy to see them up there cutting into it, so in love.
My cat Gandalf lying in the sunny floor every morning makes me happy
This is kinda sad, but, something that makes me weirdly happy is when my boss buys us new stuff to use at work; Spoons, timers, spatulas, dishwashing aprons, food storage tubs, the list goes on.
I think the new spoons are the best, though.
SUGAR! Sugar makes me happy :) for a little while anyways.
Seeing cake pops always makes me happy :-)
Sharing a laugh with a stranger makes me happy!
What makes me happy: moving in to a new apartment with my boyfriend…which that cakestand would look very nice in!
I found out earlier today that I’m going to be an aunt to a baby girl. I’m ridiculously excited!
watching my sons succeed at the things they love to do makes me so happy!
my daughter just moved out and made me sad, but thinking about all the time my husband and I can spend together makes me very happy! I would even bake a cake and put it on this pretty plate for him.
My kids!
a football cake!! :) Go Steelers!!!
Waterskiing with my hubby and 3 babies.
My hubby makes me happy. 3 years married and going strong!
-Sarah
crayon colored pictures from the kiddos hanging in my office make me happy :)
Chocolate makes me happy. So do my kids, summer weather, a garden in bloom and the ocean….
seeing my parents laugh makes me happy
I love your cake. the pink heart is perfect. :)
a big hug from my kids when they come home from camp! and them talking non stop about their time gone!! that’s what makes me happy!
Dear Bakerella,
Wow! I adore the photography on your blog! What a stunning experience – so different from the usual bakers blog (including my own! [www.emmadelights.wordpress.com]) You’ve truly inspired me!
Your upcoming book looks really exciting, I can’t wait for the release. Can’t wait to fully explore your w.site and see more of your stunning work. Thank you for sharing your love of baking with the world.
Emma
PS: warm chocolate ganache cake and vanilla ice-cream makes me happy. :)
Oh. My. Gosh. I LOVE that cake stand. And kudos on your first fondant covered cake!! It gets easier the more you do it. :)
You know what makes me happy? Baking related ANYTHING. Cake stands. Cake pans. Cupcake wrappers. Boxes. Twine. Stickers for my cake boxes. Lemon zesters. Et cetera.
Oh, and my husband. Usually. ;)
Listening to my kids giggle.
a warm chocolate chip cookie!
baking on cool, rainy days makes me happy.
Adorable cake and stand! What makes me happy? I adore the first day of school. I teach seniors, and today was our first day of school. Kids are eager, respectful, and full of forgiveness on the first day of school. They make me happy!
Bright colors make me happy. i lo e decorating cakes in bright colors! :)
Real blue water, not the polluted stuff we have around here but Caribbean blue water
So many things make me happy right now…my family and friends, baking, scrapbooking, decorating my house, and trying and learning new things!! :)
a buffet!! :)
My puppies. I make them dog-friendly birthday cakes every year for each of their birthdays. It makes me happy to see them happy! :)
Love the blue! It really makes the cake pop
CAKE makes me HAPPY!!
staying in bed all day on a cloudy rainy day makes me super happy!
smile from my daughter makes me happy
Being able to provide people with a beautiful cake at a fraction of the price a bakery would charge. I’m a hobby baker and I think of provides friends and family with affordable cake is a way I can bless people and use my gifting.
Seeing my Fiance when he comes home from overseas duty <3
Big “squeezer” hugs from my kids make me genuinely happy. :)
that one single pink heart makes me happy!
I would definitely try making stacked too if I had that pretty blue cake plate!
A good book!
I love baking with my two daughters…that makes me happy! They would LOVE that gorgeous cake plate!!
I Love this! So cute! Ok…this blog makes me happy! Yep! I know…a real suck up! But it does! All the cute little things you create, find, and post are little rays of sunshine to my week!
Congrats on your great success!
Something else that makes me happy, listening to my kids giggling way past bedtime while they think I can’t hear.
My students make me happy! The lightbulb look they get when they grasp a concept is the best!
Sunshine on my face makes me happy!
a good long run in the springtime makes me happy! blue also makes me VERY happy!
Sunshine, warm summer breezes, my children’s laughter and coffee make me happy.
Making yummy sweets for friends and family makes me happy.
Planning suprises make me happy
Days off from work are always happy
Awesome blogs about yummy food (like this one!) make me happy.
anything involving a cake stand makes me happy….i have a cake stand obsession!
I LOVE this cake stand… and this cake! You are too good at your craft! You don’t even know it. :)
Wow! That is an impressive cake.
What makes me happy is snuggling up on a rainy day and reading a book. :)
Nominating myself as the single-person “Birthday Committee” and making birthday treats for my co-workers makes me happy!
My sweet puppy (older than a puppy, but she’ll always be a puppy)
lime sherbet makes me happy =)
Cows make me happy!
Books and my dog Sadie
Weekends!
Listening to music and reading a book on a warm summer afternoon with a glass of ice tea makes me ridiculously happy :)
I love the cooler weather that fall brings!
thinking that one day I’ll win a contest! maybe today!
Cake decorating and baking makes me so happy…absolutely crazy…but totally happy. This blue cakestand would be a fabulous addition to my collection!
curled up on the couch next to my honey with something sweet in one hand and a glass of champagne in another :) = happiness!
My boys’ big eyes and sweet smiles make me happy!
Summer time, sitting on the beach in destin, under a shady umbrella,with my freshly pedicured toes dug in the cool white sand, sunglasses on, great summer read in one hand, and cold pink lemonade in the other makes me sooooo happy!
My family!!
Baking something that turned out really cute, taking it to work and hearing all the “ooohs” and “ahhhs” from my co-workers. Then listening to them tell me how original it is – all the while knowing that I got the idea from this site :) They don’t have to know my secret!
Love the blue!
I’m happy when I can complete every square in the crossword puzzle in the newspaper.
My soon-to-be-born baby boy or girl!
Ice cream makes me happy!
I love this cake plate–I wish I could put a stacked cake on it, but I don’t think my skills are that good yet!
Butterflies make me happy :D
Holding my newborn grandbaby makes me happy!!! :)
Individual peach cobblers I made Friday night! :)
I love how you lined up the hearts so perfectly!! And the one pink heart.
Sharing a sweet treat with my children makes me happy :)
my 8 month old saying “mama”
Chocolate and my children make me happy….and I’m married to my best friend!
What an adorable cake you made! I’d love to bake up some of my own cakes and place them on that stand :)
dogs, fresh cut flowers, knee high boots and acoustic guitar all make me happy
Oh, i forgot to mention playing with cakes make me happy!
looking at the sewing machine i want, my sweet baby, and reading cookbooks into the wee hours of the night.
Friday afternoons make me happy… can Monday just be over already?
That’s a beautiful blue. That makes me happy. And my kids. Love them.
Besides being with my hubby and boys, eating cake makes me HAPPY!
great plate
all things cake make me happy, and you did a wonderful job on the cake!
eating cookie dough while I am baking cookies :o)
When my teenager and I take long walks and talk and talk and talk……… that makes me a happy mom.
the cake and stand are both very lovely! You need to visit Cusotm Cakes in Savannah GA. Minette and her crew will teach you all you need to know about the fantastic world of cake decorating.
The colors are SO cute! Laying on the couch watching Lifetime while it’s raining outside makes me happy! And yes… I like cats too. I’m sure that was everyone’s next question. ;) Love your blog! Keep it up!
Listening to my 2-year old son sing ‘You are my sunshine’ as he plays his drum…instant smile.
hanging out with my flock (sunday school) girls friends makes me happy!
What a cute blue cake stand; baking makes me happy!
I love the look on my children’s faces when they get that first look at a the completed, one of a kind, personal choice birthday cakes I make for them….they choose the theme/style each year and I do my best..not always with great results, lol… to make it to order!
sunshine makes me happy!
My family makes me the happiest. I have my husband, dog and cat. My mom, and my sister and her family (who flew in this past weekend to surprise me for my birthday!)
Hot chocolate makes me happy… summer or winter :) I want to learn how to make my own sometime soon, and then flavor them differently. Yum!
My sweet black lab Rivers makes me happier than anything else in the world…eating comes in at a close second. The cake is adorable!!!
My dog Mugsy!
What a lovely cake and great for a first try at fondant!
Hmm…what makes me happy is when I run into my bedroom and throw myself full force onto my bed while my dogs chase me and bounce all over the bed with ears flopping all about. :) I always think it is a picture perfect moment…even if no one is taking pictures.
Thanks for the great giveaway.
My fiance and our dogs make me happy :)
Lots of things make me happy, but the thing that makes me most happy is cuddling. Anyone or anything, from my hyperactive 9 year old brother, to my tiny stuffed Yoshi (yes, the dinosaur from Mario) :)
Cupcakes :)
Rootbeer floats make me happy!
Being home with my boyfriend and dog. And trying new cake recipes – only when they come out delicious, though, obvi :)
Making any kind of goodie and seeing (and tasting) the results of my hard work.
My family getting together for some good memories.
Getting my comment in right before the deadline makes me happy becuz now I have a chance to win that awesomely fantastic blue cake plate!
eating cookie dough makes me happy.
Making others happy makes me happy!
Love this cake! Good cake and my dogs make me happy!
Trying to get pregnant makes me very very happy :)