Tall Cakes or Extended Height Cakes
Tall cakes or extended-height cakes are a recent trend. They have the ability to make the overall design of the cake tall, lean, and elegant. These cakes are not difficult to make. And yet, a few precautions are worth paying attention to, such as cake boards, doweling, and stacking. Also, in this post, I explain the differences between tall, extended-height cakes and double-barrel cakes.
What is the difference between tall and double-barrel cakes?
A tall cake is usually just a cake whose height has been extended. Usually, by adding one more layer. So, instead of a two-layer cake, you now have a three-layer cake. While a double barrel cake is two or three cakes stacked one on top of the other. It can be about 8 to 10 inches tall. So, simply speaking, a tall cake is a cake with an extended height, while a double barrel is a cake with an extended tier.
Let’s use the example below as an example:
- The top tier is a standard cake – 4 inches tall.
- The middle is a double-barrel cake – about 10 inches tall.
- The bottom is a tall cake – about 6 inches tall.
Standard cakes
- Most cakes are usually two layers of cake with a cake board on the bottom.
- The layers can each be 2 or 3 inches tall.
- So there can be two layers making one 4 to 6 inches tall cake. These do not need any additional support as long as they are on a good cake circle/board.
This Burgundy Stenciled cake is four tiers of a standard height cake. All of them are 2 x 2 layer cakes with three layers of filling.
This is what a standard cake looks like on the inside: 2 x 2 layers – each layer is split into two so we have three fillings with four layers of cake.
Tall cakes
As a general rule, I love it when my cakes are tall. And while my cake orders are often regular 4-inch cakes, I tend to deliver five or 6-inch layer cakes. And yet, tall cakes are so much prettier!! Don’t you think?
Look at my recent blossom white wedding cake (the photo below). These are all 4-inch layer cakes. Close your eyes for just a minute and imagine this exact cake with 6-inch tiers. Can you imagine how much more of a wow factor those 6 inches would add to this cake? Right?
- It is a 6-inch cake with three layers of cake, each 2 inches in height.
- Usually, you can stack the three layers on a single cake board/circle, as shown below.
- Such a six or 7-inch cake does not necessarily need any support dowel inside the cake. They can still hold their weight as long as they have a good cake board below. One that does not flex!!
This African safari wedding cake is a good example of a standard vs. tall or extended-height cake.
- The top two layers are standard 2 x 2 layers with three fillings = totaling 5 inches in height.
- The bottom tier, however, is 3 x 2-inch cakes with two layers of fillings = 6 inches tall (almost 7 inches tall cake).
Double-barrel cakes
- This is, again, a 6-inch-tall cake with three layers.
- But, if you split each layer into more layers, you will need to dowel and add another cake circle in between. Why?
- So the bottom cake layers do not buckle under the weight of the top layers.
- The more layers you add, the weaker your structure becomes. Hence, the more support you need.
- Also, more layers mean more movement. Hence, even a center dowel is sometimes necessary so the layers stay stacked evenly.
This would be one cake inside your double-barrel cake – can you imagine adding four more layers to this without any support? Nah, it would buckle under the weight and move around with the frosting.
Servings sizes
- Tall Cake – Well, it’s just one extra layer, so it really only makes your cake taller. So, each serving is a taller slice of cake, not necessarily more servings.
Of course, you could serve half a slice if it was a family event. And yet, in general, you would want to give your guests a good slice that starts from the top to bottom. It’s more aesthetically pleasing. Therefore, it does not add extra servings.
However, financially, it does add extra cake. Hence, I personally have different prices for my tall vs. standard cakes. - In case of a double barrel – Yes! It’s two whole cakes with a cake board in between so they can be separated and served as two cakes. So, you do have extra servings, and you price it as two cakes into one double-barrel cake.
Tip Thursday – tall or extended-height cake
I tried to create a little diagram to help you understand. In the next post, I will be talking about double-barrel cakes. I hope you find that useful as well. You can Pin this Tip Thursday on Pinterest as well as my other Tip Thursday posts.
Good morning Veena,
I am making a bridesmaid charm cake for the bridesmaids luncheon which I am also hosting. I wanted to make a 10-inch, 3 layer cake. Or should I make a 9-inch, 2 layer cake and have an extra cake to be served by the country club staff? Expecting 30 ladies. Thank you and love your website.
Hey Peppy. Sorry not sure why this comment when to spam. Both cakes sound good, 10 x 3 layers or 9 x 2 layers. It depends on how comfortable you are with working on big cakes. Alternatively, you can split this batter and make a few tiered cakes with the same number of servings. Like 6 + 8 inch or 5 + 7 inch. Dowel and stack for a more fancy cake.
Hello Veena;
Thank you so much for your advice. My sister has asked me to make her wedding cake. she is doing a cup cake cake stand but requires a cake for the top layer to carry the cake topper. The size of the topper is 4.5 inches tall and 6.5 inches. Should I make a 6inch diameter cake? what would be the cake size you recommend? we are considering a 7inch diameter cake with 4 layers 2 inches thick. Would we need any dowels for a cake this size?
thank you for your advice!
Eva
Sounds like a tall topper. You can make a 7 in cake with 4 layers – it would come to about 10 inch – if you calculate 2 inch tiers plus 1/2 inch frosting between each layer. I would recommend using the panel method to cover with fodnant. And yes you definitely need to dowel after 2 layers with a cake circle/board in between.
Thank you so much for your lovely blog – I have learned so much from you. I love your tutorials and recipes. Thank you for your generousity.
Thank you so much Arvin. Happy to hear my blog is being helpful. Thanks
I am making a two tier cake. The bottom layer has 5 one inch layers plus friosying making it about six inches high. The second tier is 6 inch wide h five layers again. I know I need supports for the top tier but so I need to further dowel the bottom tier ? Tot is it better to have four 1-1/2 inch layers for each tier?
Thanks so much.
Not sure I understand your question.You always need dowels for the bottom tier so it can take the weight of the top tier. If the top tier is 6 inches then you dont’ really need to dowel inside the top tier. Just the bottom tier so you can stack the top tier. Makes sense?
Sorry meant (brain fog) I meant if you were jut making a 9 inch five layer cake with 1:4 inch frosting – making it a roughly 6 inch tall cake with one layer having a black cherry filling (with buttercream dam around it).
Thank you so much.
Mary not sure I still understand you but – A cake with 6 inch tall is ok. Anything more than that would need internal dowels and cake board in between.
Yes that’s what I meant. Whether I needed dowelling for a 6 inch tall cake.
Thank you so much for all your help. I was totally unclear but you figured it out for me.
glad to hear that. Thanks
Day 6 done
Hello Veena. Thank you for this post I’m a self-taught baker and I’m learning for my mistakes . I didn’t realise more layers makes the structure weaker . Do you have a blog on how to insert dowels ? Last week my cake slanted and when I removed the later I noticed the plastic dowels had slanted . Is it better to use hollow dowels ? And how do you insert a centre dowel through the cake circles ? I once use cake frame with a centre dowel but when I transported the cake the cake moved in the car and having the dowel in the centre made the hole even bigger . Do you add frosting between the dowel and cake so it sticks ?
I do have a blog post that explains cake doweling. I do prefer to use bubble tea straws. I they are broader so they weork better for my hot weather. I do make my cake board with a center hole for the dowel. I do add frosting between tiers.
Day 6 done it
Beautiful cakes . How many inches round is the African cake for bottom tier and middle? I’m making a wedding cake and the bottom is 6 inches tall and 12 inches wide. Trying to focus out what height to make the middle.
The African Safari three tier cake? That’s a 10″ round on the bottom
Hi Veena, thank you for this post! I was wondering (as im still lost with charging for my cakes). What advise wld you have to offer for the difference in price/charges for cake designs with a mix of standard height and tall/barrel cake for the various tiers? Thank you 🙂
Nazreen you have to charge this cake just as it is -based on the layers. My standard cakes are 4 in tall with 2 layers so if I make such cakes I charge more because I have to obviously make more cake! In this case I woudl charge for that extra layer. I hope that makes sense. Just be honest and explain to customers – that more cake means more price.
Hi veena.. need urgent help .. m making 3 tier cake .. the bottom most layer is dummy and top n second tier are cake tiers, together 4 kg cake and dummy. I tv problem that I didn’t realize first .. I baked cake and now I realized that my center dowel is not tall enough to run through all 3 tiers .. any suggestions ? Urgent
Can you use a different dowel? longer one? Is it glued to the board. Alternatively you could use a second dowel that goes only to the dummy. Also the dowel does not have to come to the top. I usually only put my dowel to the half way of the top most cake.
Hi Veena! Can you make a post on how to cover one of those tall cakes? I can’t manage to cover it with fondant, it always breaks on the edges by it’s weight 🙁
Hi Veena,
When you make the extended height cakes, that changes the servings amount, correct? Could you talk about that? Thanks.
No tall cakes do not add to extra servings really! I updated the post. Do check it out. I hope it helps.
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