Welcome to the Cake Decorators Q&A

Can you advise about how you make a deep fruit cake for a wedding cake? All the tins I seems to be finding are only 7 or 8 cm deep and modern wedding cakes seem much deeper. I am thinking of 12cm or maybe 15 cm deep (when iced) each and 3 tiers – 30 cm round, 23 cm round and 15 cm. (I may use sponge for the top one or two layers). I’m sure that anything goes but does this sound about right? I’d rather not do 2 layers per tier (for the fruit) but I’m also worried about getting a deep cake cooked through – my attempts so far haven’t been up to standard. This is for my daughters wedding which isn’t until next september so I have plenty of time but thought I’d start with a practice cake for this Christmas. All this and I haven’t got to the decoration yet!!!i

Hi!

I am currently in the process of making my brother’s wedding cake and it is the bottom tier, 12″ round. I used the recipe from The Great British Wedding Cake (http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/traditional_wedding_cake_68531)

It’s a brilliant recipe which gave me a nice, deep cake. About 3″ deep.

Does that help?

Liz

In terms of cake tins, if you’ve got a cake shop near you they sometimes rent out tins? That is where I got mine from. Failing that, search online for deep tins. You don’t want a sandwich tin.

Fruit must go on the bottom, then you can have whatever you like on the following tiers. The one I’m doing is 12″ fruit, 10″ Madeira, 8″ chocolate and 6″ coffee and walnut. DO NOT forget to dowel!!!

Many thanks for both replies above, I’m really grateful. I’d like the finished tiers to be about 5 inches deep at least. If you look at this link, there’s a cake called ‘Sophie’ (scroll down and then it’s the peach coloured cake on the right of the page)
https://www.prettyamazingcakes.co.uk/wedding-cakes-Bristol

The design isn’t what I’m planning but the basic proportions of the cakes look about right. Perhaps they aren’t fruit cakes? I’ve also had problems with the fruit sinking but I wonder if that’s cos my recipe has a whole bottle of sherry in it so it’s a very loose mixture! I’m going to try draining the fruit after soaking and coating lightly with flour on my next attempt.

I hadn’t thought of hiring tins so will look into that thank you. I’m prepared for dowelling though it’s not something I’ve done before I have to admit so it will be a new experience! I have a recipe which was from my husbands great aunt so I’d like to use that if possible as it has some family meaning but I will keep the one that you suggest in mind in case things don’t go to plan. I just need to bake my bottom, fruit cake, tier deep enough somehow?

Hi I agree call into your local cake decoration shop and see if they hire tins.I work in a cake decoration shop and we have a couple of large deep tins that we hire out.Not sure where you are I am I
n South West Scotland.

Hi Forbie

Take a peek at some member discussion on deeper fruit cakes here:
https://www.cakeflix.com/questions/deep-fruit-cake
….. more related posts here: https://www.cakeflix.com/questions?s=deep+fruit+cake
You may also find the following blog useful too: http://www.deliciouscakedesign.com/blog/?p=650

Hope some of the information helps.

Wow, fantastic.! I had seen one of the above posts but there are others which are really useful, being a total novice here! Thank you so much! I will see how my next attempt at a deep cake cooks but I may look at stacking 2 layers of fruit cake to achieve the height I want. There’s lots of useful stuff in these posts though also addressing questions that I simply haven’t got to yet so many thanks again! Thanks again!

You’re welcome Forbie! The site is full of so much useful information. When you search, use lots of different key words on any cakey topic and something relevant will always pop up. Good luck with your next attempt. 🙂