Welcome to the Cake Decorators Q&A

If you are stacking an 9″ sponge cake on a 12″ VERY heavy fruit cake, how many dowels, if any, would you use please. I always think the fruit cake is capable of supporting but do not want a disaster.
On top of the sponge cake will be a small flower paste train engine.

Thanks

Hi nannynoo

I don’t usually dowel a large matured fruit cake if it’s supporting a sponge. I would however dowel a fresh bake because they can still be a bit crumbly and sometimes liable to crack. For your own piece of mind why not use five dowels, one for each compass point and a centre. I would definitely support the topper just in case it does decide to go south! It happened to me, now I’m always wary!

Thank you for your response. The cake will be a month old when I put the sponge on top. Still topping it up with brandy. It is a 180 year old recipe (the paper is aged and brown with wonderful spidery handwriting and I always get great results). I am thinking I will dowel it though to be better safe than sorry! I will be supporting the gumpaste train topper too.

Thanks again

Wow that must be a very special recipe, sounds just yummy! I always mature fruit cakes for at least three months, longer if I bake early enough. I start soaking my fruit weeks in advance as you can see here
http://www.cakeflix.com/blog/preparing-for-a-moist-christmas-cake
A really alcohol laden fruit cake isn’t enjoyed by everyone but I love it.
I think you’re doing the right thing by being cautious. Hope all goes well.

Ive found people who say they do not like fruit cake, always seem to enjoy this one. Perhaps it is because it is such an old fashioned recipe, it is very very dark. I soak the fruit for a week first and then add brandy each week. I do prefer to mature for at least 2 months but was not given enough time for this one. I shall read your blog with interest.

Thanks for the good wishes.

Lynn