Lately, I've found myself having the same conversation with many of our clients about whether they need a cake stand and which would be most suitable for their cake.
Let's take a look at some important factors when it comes to deciding whether you need one and if so, how to choose the right one!
Do you need a cake stand?
If it is a wedding cake, I would say almost definitely. If you're having a wedding cake, it's likely to be a centrepiece of the celebration, and you'll probably have the ceremonial cake cutting as part of the day. Even on a tight budget, finding a way to elevate your cake can transform the entire look and feel of your display.
For a celebration cake, a stand is a great choice if you're aiming for a styled display or taking lots of photos. However, if it’s just a quick, casual serve, you might be able to skip it.
Where can I get one?
For a small cake, someone you know might be able to lend you one, unless you have a particular style in mind. If you would like to be able to choose, there are many available on the internet that are very affordable and most are suitable to hold small cakes.
For wedding cakes, ask your wedding cake designer if they provide or hire stands out. They are likely to have more modern looking stands and will be able to recommend the best one for your cake. It is likely that you will pay a security deposit and need to return the stand within a certain timescale.
Your venue may also have stands available for your use, though these are usually more traditional in style (silver or gold metal platform). This is a good option if you don't want to incur any extra expense and are happy with what they can offer you. Always be sure to get a picture of it and send it to your cake maker so they can check the size.
You can also look to hire a stand from another company, though some do not deliver so you may need to look locally.
Purchasing one yourself should be the final option, unless cost isn't an issue. Good quality stands can be upwards of £70 and you may not need to use it ever again.
How to choose a cake stand
Size
The first thing to consider is the size of your cake.
For single or small two tier cakes, you have a lot of choice and can pretty much choose anything that is the correct diameter.
Ask your cake designer for the diameter of your cake board (this is the base board that the cake sits on). In my experience, a cake stand shouldn't be more than 2" smaller than the cake board. So if your cake board is 12", I would choose a stand that is at least 10". Obviously if you can get it the same size, that is best!
For large tiered cakes, this is where it can be tricky, because you really need a strong sturdy stand that can withstand the weight of all that cake. This limits you to platform style stands where the weight is distributed over a larger surface area, stands with a wide heavy base or high quality heavy duty pedestal style stands, which can be quite costly.
Style
If you have some choice, consider the style and colour of your cake and how the stand might look with it. Are you having a very modern cake? Perhaps a traditional silver stand is not the best option. Is your cake very heavily decorated? A simple stand may enhance the masterpiece without drawing the eye away from it.
Material
My favourite types of stands for our tiered cakes are heavy ones. I know they are strong and they're not going to tip.
Heavy duty glass (I would only use Mosser), marble, heavy metals and heavy wooden stands are good options, with the key word being 'heavy' here.
Acrylic boxes and plinths can be great and if you can open them, you can fill them with decorative elements such as flowers or fairy lights.
For smaller cakes, you can use lightweight stands made from melamine, thinner metals, glass, ceramics etc.
Potential problems to look out for
I have seen many stands in my career and several have not been fit for purpose.
These are some problems that you should look out for if you've bought a cake stand.
Not level. Use a spirit level or a ball to check it's completely level. You don't want your cake to be leaning!
Not properly attached. Some stands come in parts and I've received stands where the top plate is either not completely secured to the base or doesn't quite fit properly.
Not centred. Check that the base is in the dead centre of the top plate.
Edge lip. This isn't really a problem, but if your stand has a lip, your cake board will need to either sit completely inside it or on top of it. It cannot be exactly the same.
Too lightweight. There are some melamine stands available on the market that look like heavy milk glass, and they are very lightweight. These are fine for small cakes but suppliers have confirmed that these are not suitable for tiered cakes.
Can't get a cake stand? Consider these alternatives!
Use other items to elevate the cake that may work with the styling. For example, rustic crates, stacks of books or log slices or maybe polystyrene dummy covered with fabric in your colour scheme. Even a short plant stand could work!
At the very least, styling the cake table with flowers, the bridesmaids' bouquets or other elements from your wedding decor will make a dramatic difference.
Recommendations
I am not an ambassador or affiliate for these brands! I have used their stands for years and they are my go-to whenever I find space in my cupboard for another cake stand.
Mosser Milk Glass Stands - Made in the US and widely distributed across the UK
Prop Options - Modern and stylish stands of all shapes and sizes
Are you a cake maker?
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