Royal Icing 2 tier birthday cake

[PandaEyes2]

Hi everyone,

I'm fairly new to the baking scene (around 2 years) making small cakes and have concurred my sons giant cupcake for his first birthday.

It's my mums 60th birthday on Saturday and we are planning to go down and see her (she lives about 200 miles away). And I thought I'd bake a birthday cake for her and wanted to be ambitious and bake a 2 tier cake. I have the pans I want to use for both of them.

My question is how soon can I make a start on it? We are planning to go down first thing Saturday morning so would need to be ready by then. Also wanting to just do a simple sponge cake for both tiers.

I have never worked with royal icing before but was planning to buy the ready to roll stuff and work with that. Would I need to level the cake off before adding the buttercream before the royal icing or can I leave it as it is? I know this sounds really silly but I thought if I take my time and think about it, fingers crossed it will go to plan.

Any tips and ideas welcome!

[PandaEyes2]

I am also going to pop to my nearest hobby craft in search of dowels for support and a smoother to help get the perfect cake!

If anyone has any perfect sponge recipes too I'd be most appreciative. If not I'll use my go to 'Mary Berry'

[Foggymist]

I think you mean sugarpaste icing, not royal icing.

[PandaEyes2]

Upon research you are correct @Foggymist ... such a novice lol