• CAKE SIZES are (top to bottom): 8 - 12 - 16 and (7)8-inch cakes
• SERVINGS: By my calculations this cake serves 420 guests (If you plan to keep the top tier for the first anniversary, reduce the amount of servings by 30). Serving size calculations were taken from WILTON'S CELEBRATE WEDDING CAKES book.
• CAKE MIXES NEEDED: You would need about 16 cake mixes. Two 8 inch pans hold 1 cake mix, one 16-inch pan holds 2 1/2 mixes for EACH pan and a 12-inch pan holds 1 1/2 mixes for EACH pan.
• FLOWERS: hand-made gumpaste orchids are on tops of the bottom 8-inch cakes and in the top piece. Buttercream roses (previously crusted for easy handling) are used in cluster on the 16-inch cake sides and also in the cake top. Flat royal icing tip 35 apple blossoms are added to bouquets and to vines decorating all the pillars.
• MIMOSA-TOP PIECE: (can be assembled ahead of usage) I used Wilton's long covered florist wire. Each wire is 18-inches long and I cut each in half. Loop a hook over in the wire at the top. Pipe royal icing tip 101s tiny rose buds around the wire. I use less pressure at the top to make them smaller there.
• I used about 24 sprays in the top piece. To assemble: Cut a Styrofoam ball in half, place it on a plastic-wrap-covered 6-inch cardboard circle, secure ball with icing. Insert the flower sprays into the Styrofoam ball. Add about 3 orchids with a rose between each. Fill in with apple blossoms. Add pale green leaves.
• OTHER BOUQUETS: I used shorter-length Mimosa with gumpaste orchids on the 8-inch bottom cakes and 12-inch intermingled with bows and tulle puffs (fine netting). I did not assemble these bouquets. I just added what was needed as I decorated the cake.
• BELLS AND BOWS: For the bells and bows on the tall pillars around the cake fountain For each of the 6, I used 1-18-inch wire cut in half. Wire the bells and ribbon together and fasten to the pillars. (I lay the pillars in a sturdy box to deliver- already assembled).

DIAGRAM 1 shows assembly of upper cakes. You should set each 2-layer cake on a cardboard cake circle the SAME size as the cake.
DIAGRAM 2 shows assembly of the 8-inch multi-tier base. If you don't need the 8-inch center cake in Diagram 2, replace it with several cake cardboards in a stack, wrapped with plastic wrap so you can re-use them). This would decrease the servings by 30.
TIP: So cake won't be so tall, while decorating the cake, use 3-inch pillars between the 18-inch plates. The tall pillars can be added when cake is delivered.
NOTE!: You MUST wrap the 12-inch cardboard for the 12-inch cake in foil. Be sure to cover it on both sides. This is to prevent grease from the icing soaking into the cardboard. If grease weakens the cardboard, it will warp and the cake will become lop-sided. It could even fall over!

1. Ice cakes: Assemble entire wedding cake on a sturdy ball-bearing turntable.
2. Mark where 18-inch separator plate will go with an 18-inch cardboard circle.
3. Insert straws into the seven 8-inch multi-tier base cakes as shown. Be sure straws are placed approximetely 1 to 1 1/2 inch from the edge of the marked 18" circle marks.
4. Place an 18-inch circle of plastic wrap on top of muti-cakes.
5. Place an 18-inch fountain separator plate on top.
6. Place 3-inch pillars (for decorating) on the feet of the 18-inch plate and set the assembled 16 and 12-inch tiers on top of the pillars.
7. Follow DIAGRAM 1 for the rest of the assembly.Make certain that all the cakes and pillars line up evenly. You are ready to decorate.

1. BOTTOM MULTI-TIER: Divide each 8-inch cake into 2 sections and pipe a tip 104 ruffle on each section. Pipe tip 16 garlands at top of each ruffle. Add two tip 3 strings on each garland/ruffle.
2. TOP BORDER: Pipe tip 199 scrolls, overpipe tip 14 scroll, then tip 5 scroll, creating a Lambeth look.
3. BOTTOM BORDER: Pipe tip 199 shells and add tip 4 -loops- above each one.

1. At base of the 12-inch cake, pipe a thick line of icing with open coupler all around.
2. Smooth piped icing upward and downward using a smooth-bladed table knife.
3. Smooth out the knife marks with a facial tissue.
4. Mark 12-inch cake off into 8 sections. Pipe tip 3 lattice on the bevel.
5. Add tip 4 zigzag at top edge of bevel.
6. Pipe three tip 3 strings above the bevel on the 12-inch cake.
7. Add tip 18 reverse shell border on top of the 16-inch tier.
8. Top border of 12-inch tier: First, pipe tip 199 pull-out stars, then add tip 3 loops over the points.

1. ARCHES: I used plastic 2-inch wide arches (not Wilton, but available from Sugarcraft), cut each arch in half lengthwise , cut to height of side 4", and place against the cake spaced at 6 intervals.
2. Pipe tip 16 reverse shell on the edge of each arch.
3. Add a pair of tiny doves under each arch with a tip 2 bow between each pair of doves.
4. Bottom border, tip 199 shells.
5. Place the rose/apple blossom clusters on and add tip 352 pale green leaves.

TOP TIER: Mark cake off into 8 sections. Pipe tip 16 garlands and three tip 3 strings on each garland. Pipe tip 18 reverse shell top border. Bottom border as above.
BOWS: Pipe tip 102 bows on bottom tier. Pipe tip 101 bows on top tier.
Add flower bouquets.

NOTES - NOTES - NOTES - NOTES - NOTES - NOTES

• If you don't want to use the fountain, wrap the cardboards for the 16-inch cake with foil back and front. (I would use 2 together for sturdiness). Add your straws and place a 16-inch circle of plastic wrap on the multi-tier cake. Set the 16-inch cake directly on the mutli-tier.
• You can use just the top 3-tiers. Or, you could use the top 3 tiers with the fountain below and eliminate the multi-tier cake.
• Important! If you try to reduce the servings/sizes of the cakes, check to be sure that the fountain WILL fit between the pillars!
• Multi-tiers can be used wherever a very large tier is needed that will not fit into your oven.
• For planning WHAT size cakes will fit together, have on hand some cardboard circles. Place them atop each other, as if they were cakes. Find out what sizes go together and CAN be used.
• NOTE: The cake fountain always requires 14-inch separator plates, or larger.
• Butter mints are shown at the base of the cake. We make those 2-3 days ahead of the wedding day so they will have time to crust some. These are done in the yellow rubber mint molds. They come in various flower, heart and leaf shapes. I usually flavor them with peppermint oil.
• Gumpaste orchids are also available pre-made. They are available in large and small. The flower sprays are also available pre-made.
• I used 7-inch pillars between the 12 and 8-inch cakes so that the Precious Moments cake top would fit between them.
• I cover my Masonite cake boards with white Contac Paper(c), front and back-completely. They are easy to wash and re-use. I write with water-proof marker: my name, phone number and the amount of deposit I will withhold if the board is not returned. (I very seldom lose a board). Then cover it with pretty foil in bride's colors.

I dislike use of real flowers on icing because of the insecticides used on them. My sister-in-law develops a nose bleed every time she attempts to wear a corsage. As soon as she removes the corsage she is fine. She is allergic to Formaldehyde. Real flowers should NEVER touch what you are going to eat unless you know that they have been organically grown.

*Products available for this cake here
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