Here are some tips on how to make a vertical layer cake.
Overall Results
- A vertical cake needs height, colour and plenty of flavour.
- For best results, line the pan and use a light, springy sponge recipe, such as a Swiss roll for the cake layers.
- Buttercream or cream cheese is a great filling as it holds its shape.
Tips on how to make and assemble the cake.
- The cakes are thin and bake very quickly in the oven, so keep an eye on them.
- Once baked, immediately take the sponge from the oven and turn it out onto an icing sugar/confectioners' sugar-dusted parchment sheet or tea towel. Carefully remove the backing paper and then roll it up in the tea towel/parchment paper to form a circular shape. Allow to cool. This helps create the cylindrical shape you require from the sponge.
- The cake/cakes will need to be cut into larger strips later when the cake(s) have cooled.
- Use an offset spatula to help spread the filling.
- The ratio of filling to cake needs to be equal.
- Too much filling will cause seeping or the structure of the cake to collapse.
- If the cake is too warm when filling, this will also cause the filling to melt and ooze out and the cake to fall apart.
- Once cooled and covered, roll the first layer and filling into a spiral circle, then continue to add and roll the layers around the cake until you have used them all.
- If all is good, and your cake is sturdy, you should be able to stand your cake up on end.
- This gives you the vertical stripes.
- Then cover it in buttercream as you would a normal cake.
