Sainsbury’s Occasions two tier cake

[gfv12]

Long shot! I’ve ordered the Sainsbury’s two tier naked cake for a party. Online it says ‘assembly required’ so I’m assuming that the tiers come separate and you just have to stack them. Has anyone done this before? I have a few decorations to put on top and wondered if the icing on the actual cake is sufficient to fix a couple of figurines or what’s best to secure them with? Should I also get a cake board or does it come with one? Thanks!

Now I haven't bought them but both should be on cake boards at least, you might want a bigger one for the base to go under both but probably not necessary. I would imagine somewhere selling a two tier cake needing assembly would provide dowels either already inserted in bottom tier or for putting in before stacking them. If there isn't either buy some or use big thick straws like you get in fast food drinks and cut all the same size to match height of lower tier when inserted. Insert 4 in square pattern that will definitely be inch or so in from edge of top cake board and one in the middle. Other than that can't see any issue if assembling on site, ideally don't travel with it assembled.

As for putting on figurines it kind of depends what the icing is, if buttercream you can probably just sink them a little into it and they should stick. If fondant then while they may just stand there fine without sticking if they need to be secured I'd use a small bit of white chocolate melted if you have some, the ideal would be a bit of royal icing but the average non cake making house is not going to have some of that hanging around so small bar of white choc is probably handier, best of the lot is the fake chocolate cake covering stuff you wouldn't eat in general!

It doesn't say on the listing that it comes with stacking kit and display board so I would assume it doesn't.

I also read the reviews which said cake stacking kit not supplied.

OP - on the website, it says, “This cake requires assembly at home, please see instructions inside box for details.”. So you should be able to follow the instructions. As to putting in decorations, make a little glacé icing (icing sugar and water) and use that to stick on your decorations.

I can tell you from experience that the hardest bit about putting tiered cakes together is doing it without getting a thumbprint in the icing. It’s easier if the icing is cold, so you might want to put them in the fridge for an hour. Then use something like a fish slice or two long knives (I have a bespoke cake thing) to hold the cake above where you want it, then put one side down and slide it out gently.

I will add - if the top cake is small, you can just drop it carefully by holding the board each side - but be careful of getting your fingers in the icing!

Thanks all!! That’s really helpful!

do you think that I can get away with not doing the dowels / straws? I aim to assemble and decorate quickly at the venue - 2h kids party before it gets cut up. So it literally just needs to look nice for the song!

I would never chance anything other than a very firm cake like chocolate biscuit or mud cake even briefly without dowels. Have you even a few wooden skewers you could chop off at right height for support?

I can get some no probs, I was more thinking of saving buying a pack of something I won’t use again but I’ll get some!