Cake stacking can be one of the most challenging parts of cake baking, but with the right techniques, it’s entirely achievable. At Crumbs & Doilies, we’ve stacked hundreds of cakes - from towering wedding creations to colorful birthday tiers - and learned plenty along the way.
In this guide, we’ll share everything you need to know about how to stack a tiered cake perfectly. From tools to step-by-step instructions, we’ll ensure your multi-tiered cakes are sturdy, beautiful, and party-ready.
Curious about our stacked cakes? Explore our tiered cake delivery in London and see how we do it!
Cake Stacking Equipment
Before stacking your cake, make sure you have the right tools on hand. Proper equipment is essential for creating a stable and professional-looking stacked cake.
- Prepared Cakes: 2 or 3 cakes that have been leveled, filled, crumb-coated, and final-coated, then chilled for at least an hour to ensure they hold their shape during stacking. We use 6”, 8” and 10” cakes.
- Cake Drums: Thick, sturdy boards for the base of each tier, making the cake stable and easy to handle.
- Thin Cake Boards: For smaller cakes, these provide a solid base for stacking while keeping the tiers secure.
- Buttercream: Use the same color as the outer layer of your cake to fill gaps and blend layers seamlessly.
- Royal Icing: A stiff consistency makes it the perfect adhesive for sticking tiers together firmly.
- Pillars or Dowels: Wooden dowels, thick straws, or acrylic supports are crucial for holding the weight of the upper tiers and keeping the structure stable.
- Cutting Tools: Secateurs, sharp scissors, or a small saw to cut dowels to the correct size.
- Greaseproof Paper and Scissors: For creating templates to locate the centre of each tier for doweling.
- Palette Knives: A straight palette knife for larger areas and a cranked (offset) knife for smoothing details.
- Soft Paint Brush: Ideal for tidying up edges and blending icing seamlessly.
- Cake Scraper: Use this to achieve straight, clean sides on each tier.
- Piping Bags: Equipped with a round nozzle for filling gaps and adding decorative details.
How to Stack a Cake: Step by Step
By breaking it down into clear, manageable steps, stacking a cake becomes much easier than you might think. In this section, we’ll take you through the entire process, from preparing your tiers to assembling and decorating them.
For a visual demonstration, check out our YouTube tutorial below!
1. Ice the Biggest Tier Directly to a Cake Drum
The largest tier is the foundation of your cake, so securing it properly to a sturdy cake drum is essential for stability.
Prepare the Cake Drum: Place the drum on a flat surface and add a small dollop of buttercream or royal icing to the centre. This acts as a glue to keep the cake in place.
Attach the Cake: Carefully lift the largest tier and centre it onto the drum. Ensure it’s perfectly aligned, as this base tier will support the entire structure.
Top Tip: Chilling your tier for at least 30 minutes beforehand makes it easier to handle and prevents smudging or sliding during stacking.
2. Ice Smaller Tiers to Thin Cake Boards
Next, prepare your smaller cake tiers by icing them onto thin cake boards with a hole in the centre. This method makes handling the tiers easier and provides a solid base to sit on top of the supporting pillars.
1. Create a Template:- Place the thin cake board onto a piece of greaseproof paper.
- Use a pencil to outline the edge of the cake board, then carefully cut out the circle with sharp scissors for a precise fit.
- Fold the greaseproof paper circle in half, then into quarters, and keep folding until you have a small triangle.
- Snip off the pointed tip of the triangle with scissors, creating a small hole in the middle. When you unfold the circle, you’ll have a perfectly centred hole.
- Place the greaseproof paper template on top of the cake board and mark the hole’s position on the board. This is where the central pillar will go.
- Use a sharp knife, the point of scissors, or a hole punch to cut a small hole in the centre of the cake board.
- Top Tip: For mass production, clamp 10 or more boards together and drill the holes in one go to save time.
- Spread a small amount of buttercream onto the holed cake board.
- Centre the cake onto the board, ensuring it is aligned and well-secured.
- Place the smaller tier onto a larger cake drum with a thin layer of icing underneath for stability. This makes it easier to move and prepare the cake.
Repeat this process for all smaller tiers to ensure they are perfectly aligned and ready for stacking.
3 Pillaring
Now it’s time to add the structural supports that will hold the weight of the stacked tiers. This step ensures that your cake remains stable and prevents sinking or sliding. Here’s how to set up the pillars:
1. Start with the Base Tier:- Begin with your largest cake, which should already be iced and attached to the cake drum.
- Use a piece of greaseproof paper the same size as the cake to locate the centre. Fold the paper into quarters, snip off the pointed tip, and unfold it to reveal a small central hole.
- Place the template on top of the cake and gently push a central pillar (e.g., a wooden dowel or thick straw) into the midpoint, twisting as you go. Push it all the way down until it touches the drum. Remove the paper template.
- Take another pillar (boba straws, wooden dowels, or thick acrylic straws work well) and place it between the central pillar and the edge of the cake. Position it slightly closer to the central pillar, as the next tier will be smaller.
- Push the pillar in while twisting gently until it reaches the bottom. Mark the top of the pillar with an edible marker just above the cake’s surface.
- Remove the pillar carefully, twisting in the opposite direction.
- Use secateurs, a clean Stanley blade, or a small saw to cut it at the marked line. This first pillar will act as your template for the others.
- Place the cut pillar next to two other pillars and cut them to the same size.
- Top Tip: Stand all three pillars together before reinserting them to ensure they are identical in height. This step is crucial for even stacking.
- Push the first pillar back into its original position, then evenly space the other two to form a triangle around the central dowel.
- Move to the second tier and repeat the process. Use a smaller greaseproof paper template to find the midpoint, and indent this slightly with a toothpick or similar tool.
- Push in one supporting pillar, mark it, remove it, and cut it to size. Use this to measure and cut the remaining two. Insert all three pillars into the cake in a triangular formation above the midpoint.
4. Stacking the Cake
Now that the tiers are supported with pillars, it’s time to carefully stack the cakes. This process ensures that the tiers align perfectly and remain stable.
1. Apply Royal Icing:- Royal icing is ideal for securing tiers because it dries firm and acts as a strong glue.
- Spread a small amount of stiff royal icing over the top of each supporting pillar using a palette knife. Ensure the icing doesn’t extend beyond where the next cake tier will sit to avoid a messy finish.
- If the smaller cake is iced onto a thin drum, gently slide a thin palette knife between the cake and the board to loosen it.
- Slide your fingers underneath the cake and lift it with both hands, keeping it level to avoid cracking or smudging the icing.
- Before placing the smaller tier, feel for the hole in the bottom of the thin cake board. Align this hole with the central pillar of the base tier.
- Gently lower the smaller cake onto the central pillar. Keep the cake steady and aligned with the base tier as you do so.
- The central pillar will push through the top of the thin cake board — this is normal!
- Once the cake is halfway down, slowly release your fingers and let the tier settle into place.
- Check for any icing or crumbs that may have been disturbed during stacking. Gently tidy these areas using a palette knife.
- Before stacking the final tier, ensure the central pillar is shorter than the height of the third tier. If it’s too long, snip it down using secateurs or a sharp knife.
- Next, repeat the alignment and lowering steps to stack the final tier.
- Once the top tier is in place, cover the top of the cake with a piece of greaseproof paper and gently press down to ensure it’s securely attached.
Top Tip: For added stability, check that all tiers are aligned from different angles before moving on to decorating.
With all tiers successfully stacked, your cake is ready for the finishing touches! Let’s move on to filling the gaps.
5. Fixing Up!
After stacking your cake, you may notice small gaps or uneven edges between the tiers. This is completely normal and easy to fix with a couple of simple techniques. We’ll show you two effective methods - filling gaps with buttercream for a seamless look and using piped beading for a polished finish.
Begin by setting your cake on a turntable for easier and more precise decorating. This makes it much easier to work evenly and smoothly without needing to move awkwardly around the cake.
Filling Gaps
This method is perfect for creating a smooth connection between the tiers, and it’s surprisingly satisfying!
1. Prepare the Buttercream:- Use buttercream that matches the colour of your cake for seamless blending.
- Fill a piping bag with a round nozzle (we recommend a size 4 nozzle, but 2.5 or 3 can also work).
- Begin with the top tier. Pipe a line of buttercream around the base of the tier, aiming to fill in the gaps between it and the tier below.
- Gently rotate the turntable while piping to evenly spread the buttercream around the cake.
- Use a clean finger or a soft paintbrush to smooth the buttercream into the gaps. This helps create a seamless connection between tiers.
- Remove any excess buttercream as you go. Repeat this process for the middle tier.
Piped Beading
This decorative technique helps conceal any gaps while adding an elegant and polished touch to your cake.
1. Pipe the Beading:
- Start at the base of a tier. Squeeze a small blob of buttercream against the cake, then gently pull it sideways to form a bead-like shape.
- Begin the next blob where the tail of the previous one ends, overlapping slightly to create a smooth, continuous effect.
2. Continue Around the Cake:
- Work your way around the base of each tier, connecting the cakes together visually and tidily.
- For an elegant finish, you can use a star nozzle instead to create a more decorative look.
Final Thoughts: Cake Stacking
Now you should have a beautifully stacked cake, ready to impress at any event! Whether it’s a birthday, wedding, or special gathering, a well-stacked cake is always a centrepiece to be proud of.
We hope this guide has answered all your questions about how to stack a 3 tier cake. While it might seem overwhelming at first, with a little practice and these tips, the process will soon feel much more manageable - and most importantly, enjoyable!
If you’d rather leave the baking and stacking to us, check out our range of stunning tiered cakes available for London delivery. Let us handle the hard part!
Recommended Guides: