How To Make Two Layer Cake

How practise you lot stack a two tier cake? This elementary footstep by step tutorial answers all your questions about how to bake, fill up, stack, and decorate a two tier cake from offset to stop! It'south non as difficult as you think!

Stacking a two tier cake starts with baking a cake that has the stability to be stacked. That means yous need a cake that can concord the weight of a cake on top of it.

A lite and airy cake similar an angel food cake is not your best option for a stacked cake because it is probable to collapse or droop under the pressure level.

Equally a trained pastry chef and possessor of a home based custom cake business for 5 years I have made lots and lots of cakes! If you dearest decorating cakes make sure y'all read my 10 ways to make your cakes look more professional, and how to decorate a cake with flowers!

For ease of reading, this post has been separated into dissimilar sections:

1. What kind of block, buttercream, and pans to utilise
2. Cake size
3. The difference between tiers and layers
4. Tools you need to stack a cake
5. Assembling the block layers
6. Frosting the block
7. How to accept smooth cake edges
8. Stacking a two tier block
9. What to do if you mess upward
10. How to decorate
11. How to evangelize a cake

What kind of cake is best?

A more dumbo cake is a peachy choice, but information technology doesn't have to exist your only selection. You can make a more fluffy block recipe and nevertheless be able to stack it as long as y'all bake your layers thick enough.

One of my favorite recipes to use to stack a cake is this like shooting fish in a barrel 1 bowl vanilla cake recipe. It is a picayune more on the dense side just the season is so good and it stacks beautifully! This is the recipe y'all will observe in the recipe card beneath.

I also take this chocolate cake recipe but it is a little more on the fluffy side. If you lot're a beginner at stacking two tier cakes, I would say start with the vanilla recipe!

The recipe that I used for this tutorial is my cookie butter cake recipe. Information technology'southward sturdy enough to be stacked, so insanely delicious!

What buttercream recipe should I apply?

Go with this classic American buttercream recipe. Information technology pipes really nicely and will too chaff upwardly perfectly for stacking. You will have to double the recipe to have enough to stack a cake. Or triple information technology if you similar a lost of frosting.

Baking pans to apply

These wilton baking pans are my accented favorite baking pans to use wether or not I am stacking a cake. They are durable, retain rut really well, and since the sides are straight, you always get good directly sides when blistering.

I accept them in all four sizes- but when you stack a cake you need multiples of the same size pan. Then that ways iii eight″ round cake pans and 3 6″ round cake pans. Sometimes Michaels has a sale and yous tin can get the pans for really cheap, so exist on the scout!

I ever like to bake and stack my cakes in 3 layers because it gives the cake pinnacle which makes is more professional looking. You can read almost some other ways to make your cakes look more than professional hither.

Disposable Aluminum pans

I don't dear using disposable aluminum pans for stacking. I know they are the cheaper option just they really aren't very sturdy and won't yield the best results. Invest in good baking pans and you'll apply them for years!

Block Size You need

A two tier cake means you need two cakes (composed of layers) in ii different sizes. The standard size is usually a 6″ cake stacked on top of a 8″ cake and information technology feeds about 40-50 people depending on how big y'all cut the slices.

Think it may not look like information technology can feed that many people but stacked cakes are taller than regular cakes which means yous tin can cut the slices thinner and still have a nice piece of block. Sometimes I'll cut a slice and because it is so tall, then cut information technology in half to serve.

The difference between tiers and layers

This confuses people sometimes.

Tiers and layers are two different things. In that location are multiple layers of cake inside one tier. A tier of cake is composed of multiple layers of cakes. Does that make sense?

Each tier of the cakes I make usually have three layers of cake in it. Sometimes my 6″ cakes will only have ii layers if they are actually thick and the elevation is there without needing an extra layer of block.

• Baking Pans (see above)
• a cake leveler or long serrated knife
• block turntable
• get-go spatula
• block boards in multiple sizes (meet below)
• bubble tea straws
• scissor
• bench scrapers
• make clean spray canteen
• buttercream– have this at the fix!
• piping tips and bags for decorating (optional)

Notes on the tools you demand:

Cake boards- Using ii different size boards when frosting and filling is helpful because it volition permit you to lift the block upward and motility around. Also information technology volition catch whatsoever frosting that falls so the turntable doesn't get messy.

You desire to have one that is 2 inches larger than your cake, so in this example a 10″ and one that is the aforementioned size as your block, an 8″- for the bottom block.

Too as an 8″ cake board and a 6″ cake board for the smaller cake.

So let's recap, you lot demand:

• 1, 10″ cake board
• 2, 8″ cake boards
• 1, 6″ cake board

If you are planning this for a fancy party or want the cake to be presented on something nicer than a block board then you can buy ane of these cake drums and utilize it to act every bit your 10″ cake board.

A cake drum is dissimilar than a block board.

A cake drum is thicker, nicer, and more sturdy, and is usually what cakes are presented on for parties and things if not on a cake stand.

A block board is only a round piece of paper-thin that is not as sturdy as a drum. And so if you are making this to evangelize or for somebody, I suggest making it on a cake drum.

Assembling the block layers

Beginning with a flat top

When the cakes are absurd you volition demand to cut off the tops to make them flat because you lot can't stack a block that doesn't take a flat top.

You lot can apply these baking strips to bake your cakes flat, or some other hacks swirling effectually the internet but I adopt to simply cut off the domed tiptop. Keep the scraps as well! They brand for a tasty breakfast treat.

I apply either a cake leveler or a long serrated knife. If you lot are a beginner I say become with the cake leveler, it is SUPER easy to utilize. It'south basically like a saw for your cakes. The merely affair with it is that if the outside of your cake is a little crisp, the initial cut into the cake is a little hard. But it is totally doable and the all-time fashion to offset!

Now you should take between 5-half dozen cake layers with flat tops.

You lot volition need a turntable, offset spatula, some block boards, and buttercream.

Showtime filling

Place a ten″ cake board on the turntable. Dab a little but of buttercream in the middle of the cake board- but a tiny chip.

Then place the viii″ block lath on pinnacle and press down to seal.

Smooth about one tablespoon of buttercream over the 8″ cake board and place your first layer of your viii″ cake on top.

Fill the block with buttercream:

Y'all can either apply a pipe bag, or you can merely use your offset spatula to spread an even layer of buttercream over the block layer. If you are using piping bag- pipe a border of buttercream around the cake 1/4 inch in and so fill from there.

If yous are using the spatula, start past placing down nearly 1/four -i/three loving cup of buttercream in the eye, and work your way out. Stop 1/four inch from the border.

Once yous accept an fifty-fifty layer of frosting, take another block layer and flip it over so that the lesser is now the tiptop. Place it downwards over the layer of buttercream. Yep, the cut side should be the side on top of the buttercream.

Doing that ensures you take more than of a flat top!

Repeat the process of filling with buttercream and laying the last layer just similar you did before with the lesser of the cake flipped over.

Frosting the cake

Outset nosotros are going to commencement with a crumb coat.

A crumb coat is exactly what information technology sounds like- a coat for crumbs haha. No really, its just a low-cal coating of frosting over your cake to seal in the crumbs so that when you add another layer of frosting, the crumbs won't be seen or make your cake look messy.

Crumb coat your cake

Using an get-go spatula, scoop upward some frosting and smear it on the sides of your cake, turning your turntable equally yous go. Piece of work your way from bottom to top, covering the cake with just a light coat of frosting.

Tip!

Brand certain to scrape off the back of your spatula onto the sides of the bowl earlier going in for another scoop fresh buttercream- this will leave those pesky crumbs from getting into your buttercream!

Here's a link to a video for you, if you need more of a visual!

Pick up the cake, and this is where the larger cake board comes in handy- and place it in the freezer for 15 minutes to seal the crumbs.

Repeat this process with an 8″ cake board, a 6″ cake board and your half-dozen″ cake layers.

When your vi″ cake is fix to go into the freezer, take the 8″ one out. Now its time for the top coat of frosting.

Frosting Top Coat

Substantially its the same thing you did before with the nibble glaze, just with more frosting.

I like to first on the sides from the bottom and work my way upwardly with my spatula, going effectually and around, spinning and spreading as I frost. Don't worry if you're making a mess or if it is non perfect- this takes a lot of practice!

When the cake is covered (you lot don't want to see any spots of block) and you become up to the elevation, stop and switch from the spatula to the bench scraper.

How to hold the demote scraper:

Making sure your wrist is straight and the bench scraper is direct against the cake- hold information technology in ane place and spin your plough table.

If you lot notice some places need more frosting, add in a little chip and continue spinning with the bench scraper up against the block. It volition even it out.

The cake sides should be more or less shine now. Don't worry if its not perfect or if it takes you a few tries. It really does take patience and do.

Now though there should exist a lip of frosting at the meridian of the cake that is taller than the cake. Leave that lone and fill in the top of your cake with more than frosting.

Now using your bench scraper or spatula on an angle- polish that lip from the outside of the cake to the inside.

Heres another video on how to do it because actually information technology's best to sentry to sympathise! You lot can fast forward to exactly v minutes in and y'all'll see exactly what I'm talking about!

How to have smooth cake edges

To create REALLY polish edges, I am gonna tell yous a play tricks I learned while working in a cake decorating shop.

Fill a food safe, clean water bottle with clean h2o and lightly spray your only frosted cakes. Yes YOU HEARD ME Correct.

Spray your cake with water and then take the bench scraper and lightly go over all the bumps and edges. Then watch them disappear. Practice this on the turntable 1 cake at a time, spinning equally you go.

Go ahead I'll expect.

Repeat with both cakes!

OK so now nosotros have two beautiful cakes. 1 8 inch cake with iii layers and 1 six inch block with either 2 or 3 layers.

LETS GET THIS STACKING STARTED!!

Stacking a ii tier block

You will demand:

• Bubble tea straws or wooden dowels
• Pair of scissors
• Belief in yourself that you can practice this

Let me first commencement off by saying that regular straws volition non piece of work. You need the thick chimera tea ones like these. I prefer these over the wooden dowels. They are thicker, easier to cutting, and don't run the risk of getting wooden shards in your cake.

I also propose that if you want to present this cake on a block stand, yous should move the viii″ cake to it now.

This is another reason why we use the 10″ cake board. Because now you have the viii″ one underneath, you can skid the cake off the 10″ board and onto a cake stand.

How to move a cake from cake board to block stand up

Using a big offset spatula (or the pocket-sized i if that'southward all you lot take) stick it between the 10″ and 8″ cake boards and carefully elevator. Have your other hand at the ready to lift information technology up and shift the weight into your hand. Then place it on the block stand.

This picture shows how to lift it using the spatula just with a smaller cake.

At present were set to stack a two tier block!

The bubble tea straws are going to be what is supporting the weight of the top tier on top of the bottom tier. Because of this, they need to be strategically placed.

You want to make certain that they are evenly placed nether the weight of the elevation tier. Place the straws too close to each other and the weight won't be evenly distributed. Too far, and you will see the straws coming out from the summit of the bottom tier.

You accept to make sure that the straws are placed under the top tier and so that it can support the top tier and no-1 knows it!

I similar to place iv evenly distributed straws in a square shape and then sometimes one in the middle of that if my cake is x″ or larger. Since this is an 8″ block we are going with four straws. This makes sure that the elevation tier's weight is balanced.

How to identify the straws on the bottom tier

Poke each harbinger into the cake until information technology hits the bottom, then mark where the top of the cake is either with frosting or eyeball it. Pull the harbinger back up and cut off the top with a scissor. Push the straw back in. Brand sure that information technology is either level with the top of the cake or a little bit under.

You do not desire the straw to be taller than the cake otherwise your height tier will not exist able to sit affluent with the lesser tier.

Echo for all four straws. Brand sure they are all flush with the cake.

Now spread a layer of buttercream over the straws to hide them. This will also allow the top tier of the cake to stick to the lesser tier.

Stacking the top tier

Now for the fun part. Oh did I say fun? I meant terrifying haha. Aye this part is scary but you tin practise it!

Time to get that top tier on meridian of the bottom tier. Here are some tips earlier you go started:

• If the buttercream is hardened, it volition show less fingerprints if you mess upwardly.
• If its fresh buttercream and hasn't hardened yet, put it in the freezer for x minutes before you stack.
• Know that if you mess upwardly at that place are always ways to ready something!

Ok lets practice this!

Using your offset spatula, separate the viii″ block board from the half-dozen″ board that the cake is sitting on.

You lot are going to keep the 6″ cake board attached to the block. With two hands, agree the block underneath with simply your finger tips. Bring it to the bottom tier and await overhead to where yous want to place the cake.

Bring information technology equally close equally you can to the bottom tier without touching information technology and then drop it into place. If your straws are lined up correctly (which they should) then it will concur the weight of the cake!

Alternatively you tin lean 1 side of the top tier on the bottom tier where the straws are, and then drib the other side on top, merely I find that it tin can mess up the bottom tier of buttercream if information technology isn't hardened that much.

If y'all choose to go the second route, then do it from the back so that if yous mess up, it messes upward the dorsum of the block.

THERE You lot GO You DID IT.

You stacked a two tier cake! Breathe a sigh of relief!!

What to practice if you mess up

Start of all information technology's ok!! The nigh common identify people mess upward is the gap between the height and bottom tiers.

This is a super simple ready. You lot can pipe a edge or pattern around the meeting point, or add another ornament similar flowers, sprinkles, or cookie crumbs.

Also know that nosotros are our worst critics, so something that may seem horrible to us (like a thumbprint) may not even register to someone who sees the cake for the kickoff time.

How to decorate a two tier cake

There are so many ways y'all can decorate a cake! I dear to decorate my cakes with fresh flowers. Learn how to exercise it safely in this postal service!

Other ways you can decorate a cake:

• Sprinkles
• Piping designs
• cookies
• dessert sauces- drip them along the edges
• macarons- buy them in dissimilar sizes and place them on top.
• fresh fruit- make sure to keep information technology in the

Delivering a cake

If you lot are delivering a cake, and so you lot need to make sure this cake is actress sturdy. One way to exercise this is by inserting a big dowel from the top of the 2d tier Afterward it is stacked.

This dowel should become through the top of the summit tier, cut through the 6″ cake board and into the 8″ cake.

This will requite the block actress stability and make sure it wont topple over. Make sure you lot practise this outset earlier calculation whatsoever decorations because you will have to hide the hole in the tiptop tier.

I recommend using a wooden dowel for this this time and non a straw considering the straws are non long enough. You tin can sharpen the dowel on the bottom to make sure it cuts through the cake board. Or you tin buy cake boards that take a center hole for this very purpose.

WHEW this postal service was long!

Even though I don't sell cakes for a living anymore, it'southward nice to share my feel and info I learned along the way.

I hope it tin can help explain the things you need, and need to do, to stack a two tier block!

If you liked this post or e'er endeavour to stack your ain cake, I would live to hear nigh information technology in the comments beneath!

Thank you for post-obit along and if y'all accept whatever questions, ask away!

If you liked this mail service, you might like these:

• How to decorate a cake with flowers
• 10 ways to make your cakes looks more than professional
• One bowl Vanilla Cake
• Classic American Buttercream

Heads up! This post contains chapter links which ways if you purchase something off of these links, I make a commission at no extra cost to you. I love all these products and wouldn't recommend them if I didn't! Cheers for supporting my weblog!

How to Bake and Stack a Two Tier Cake

This uncomplicated stride by step tutorial answers all your questions about how to bake, fill, stack, and decorate a ii tier cake from start to stop! It's non every bit difficult as you think!

Print Pin Rate

Course: Cake

Cuisine: American

Diet: Kosher

Keyword: two layer cake, 2 tier cake, bake and stack a block, how to make a wedding cake, how to stack a block

Prep Fourth dimension: ane hour

Cook Time: 1 hour

Stacking time: 2 hours

Total Time: 4 hours

Servings: 40 Block slices

Calories: 158 kcal

• three 6" cake layers

• 3 viii" block layers

• one cake leveler

• 1 turn table

• i Offset spatula

• 1 6" cake board

• 2 viii" cake board

• one x" block board

• v bubble tea straws

• 1 bench scraper

• 1 food rubber spray bottle

• 1 piping bag

• 1 round tip

For Vanilla Cake

• viii eggs large
• two egg yolks
• 2 cups vegetable oil
• iii cups granulated sugar
• i cup brown sugar
• v cups all purpose flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 i/2 cups milk
• 4 tsp vanilla extract

Bake the cake

• Preheat your oven to 350° F and spray iii viii inch round block pans and 3 vi" round cake pans with baking spray or line with parchment paper.

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl- combine eggs, yolk, oil, and sugars and mix well until combined.

• Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl and slowly add to the mixture on depression speed.

• Slowly add in milk, and vanilla and continue mixing until a shine concoction forms, about 1-2 minutes.

• Evenly pour the batter into the pans and bake for 28-thirty mins for the 6" and 35- 40 mins for the 8" The cake is washed when a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean and when the edges are pulling abroad from the sides and are gilded brownish.

Fill and frost the 8" layer

• Using the block leveler or a long serrated pocketknife, level off the cakes so they accept a flat top.

• Place a 10" cake board on the turntable, and a dab i tsp of buttercream in the middle and smooth it out. Place the viii" block lath on meridian and press it to stick to the 10" board. Smooth ane tbsp buttercream on top of the 8" cake lath, then place your first eight" block layer on peak.

• Using either a piping bag with a circular tip or an outset spatula, identify down 1/4 cup of buttercream on peak of the cake, starting in the eye and smoothing to the outside. Exit i/two" from the sides then it doesn't overflow over the cake. If using a pipe bag, pipe a edge around the cake and then fill the eye.

• Accept the next 8" cake layer and turn it upside down so that the lesser is now the top. Place it on top of the filling. The cut side down should exist on acme of the buttercream. Repeat the procedure of filling the cake layer with buttercream and topping it with the terminal 8" cake layer.

• Using the offset spatula, and the turntable frost the entire block (spinning equally yous go) from bottom to top for a light nibble coat. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes to seal in the crumbs.

Fill and frost the 6" layer

• Echo the same steps as in a higher place for filling and frosting the 6" layer. Starting time by spreading one/two tbsp frosting over the 6" cake board and end by putting the cake in the freezer for fifteen minutes. Yous should now accept 1, 8" cake layer, and 1, half dozen" cake layer

Top coat frosting

• Using the offset spatula again, frost both of the unabridged cakes using more than buttercream this time. When the cake is by and large covered with buttercream, switch to the bench scraper and smooth out the sides and tops of the cakes. Don't worry if it isn't perfect.

• Fill your water canteen with clean water and lightly spray one cake at a fourth dimension on the turn table. Using the bench scraper again, polish out any cracks. Repeat for the second cake.

Stacking

• Using bubble tea straws or wooden dowels identify 4 straws in a square shape in the centre of the viii" block making sure that they are being placed nether where the six" cake volition be. Push each straw into the cake, then mark the harbinger where it hits flush with the cake and cut off the rest of the straw. The straws should exist the same height every bit the 8" cake or a little under, just non college.

• Spread a thin layer of buttercream over the straws.

• Using the offset spatula, lift the bottom of the 6" cake and hold it with 2 hands from the lesser. Center it in a higher place the 8"block, get as close equally y'all can and driblet it into place on top of the eight" cake and straws.

• Continue decorating as you please! YOU DID IT!

A more dense cake will be easier to stack than a fluffy cake. The less crumbs the easier it is.

This takes practice! Don't worry if information technology doesn't await perfect or if it messes upwardly, yous will get better at information technology every time you practice it.

Y'all can double my American buttercream recipe to fill and frost this cake!

Nutrition Facts

How to Broil and Stack a Ii Tier Cake

Amount Per Serving (ane slice)

Calories 158 Calories from Fat eighteen

% Daily Value*

Fat 2g 3%

Saturated Fat 1g 6%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 1g

Cholesterol 44mg 15%

Sodium 177mg 8%

Potassium 52mg 1%

Carbohydrates 33g 11%

Fiber 1g 4%

Saccharide 21g 23%

Protein 3g six%

Vitamin A 75IU two%

Calcium 48mg v%

Iron 1mg 6%

* Per centum Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Source: https://frostingandfettuccine.com/two-tier-cake/

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