[post_ads]For the cake topper, we selected a dish made of a barley candy. If you want to use a china dish, which is much heavier, insert three or four dowels into the top tier of the cake to support it. For our cake board, we cut 3/4-inch-thick wood to a diameter of 17 inches. To raise it slightly from the surface of the table, we cut a 12-inch-diameter block from 1-inch-thick wood, and glued it to the center of the cake board on the underside.
Ingredients
Cake Tiers
1 each 5-, 8-, 11-, and 14-inch round cake tiers, filled to 3-inch height
Filling of your choice for tiers
Frosting of your choice for crumb coat
Other Ingredients and Equipment
12 pounds rolled fondant, 1 pound for the 5-inch tier, 2 for the 8-inch, 3 for the 11-inch, and 4 for the 14-inch, plus 2 for the cake board
Corn syrup
3 cups coarse-grain sanding sugar
Twenty two 3 1/8-inch-long, 1/4-inch wooden dowels
4 cups assorted white candies
Barley candy dish with pedestal
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Directions
- Prepare tiers: Place each tier on a piece of foam board cut to fit it. Split the cake layer horizontally, and fill it to the specified height using whatever filling you desire. Spread the assembled tier with a thin layer of frosting to seal in crumbs, and chill until the crumb coat is set, about 30 minutes. Roll out the fondant for the tier 1/8 inch thick, following the package directions.
- Remove the tier from the refrigerator, and working quickly, lift fondant, center it over the tier, gently lay it on, and smooth it in place; trim excess fondant from bottom edge using a pizza wheel. Let coated tiers sit at room temperature in a cool place; do not refrigerate.
- Prepare cake board: In a small bowl, combine 4 tablespoons corn syrup and 2 tablespoons water. Roll out the fondant for the cake board. Brush the corn-syrup mixture over the cake board, and cover the board with fondant. Set board aside at room temperature in a cool place.
- Flock tiers and cake board: Working with one tier at a time, brush the corn-syrup mixture up the side of the tier and onto the top, 2 inches in from the edge. Working quickly, spoon sugar crystals onto moistened areas until the entire side of cake and top edge are covered in sugar. Repeat to cover all tiers as well as the cake board
- Support and stack the tiers: First insert dowels in all but the top tier, placing them about 2 1/2 inches from the edge and spacing them about 2 1/2 inches apart. To stack the tiers, first place the bottom tier on the platter or cake board, using a rubber nonslip mat under the foam board to keep the tier from slipping. Then stack on the other tiers, brushing tops of tiers lightly with water so the fondant becomes stick
- Decorate the cake: Once the cake has been placed on the table where it will be displayed, arrange candies around the bottom of each tier, beginning with the top and working your way down.
- Moisten the top of the candy dish's pedestal slightly with water, and attach it to the base of the bowl section. Then place the candy dish on the top tier, moistening its base slightly with water so it will adhere to the fondant. Fill bowl with candies.
