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.
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Hi, I wonder for the tall cake, at what diameter that it is okay to not use a dowel or use a dowel? I usually use a 6 inch diameter cake and always using a dowel for a tall cake, because I afraid for it to fall.
Thank you for your tips.
Mahessa. I have explained it all in the post. As long as you have a cake on the cake it needs to be doweled. Also, take into account the weight of the cake is what
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I really like the way u explained everything ? thank u so much for sharing this with us
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