Stacking tiered cakes

A tiered cake is built from separate cakes of different sizes that sit on top of each other. Because the upper layers press down on the lower ones, bakers use supports so the tiers keep their shape instead of sinking into one another.

Cake decorating glossaries describe two kinds of hardware for this job. Pillars, made of plastic or wood in several lengths, are used to separate the tiers. Tier separators are constructed supports that separate stacked cakes. Either one holds the upper cake clear of the cake beneath it.

The icing under a tier matters as well. Fondant is usually draped over a layer of buttercream or ganache, which keeps it pliable, and the cake is finished with icing that is free of crumbs before decoration. Wedding cakes are the classic example of the tiered cake.