How to Make a Buttercream Wedding Cake Part 1 | Step-by-Step

In this tutorial: What You'll Need · Tier Heights · Level the Cakes · Fill the Layers · Ice the Cake · Stack with Dowels · Tools Recap

A buttercream wedding cake is a classic — and with the right technique, it's something you can absolutely make at home. In this tutorial, Chef Alan Tetreault of Global Sugar Art walks you through the complete process: slicing and leveling your cakes, filling them, getting a smooth buttercream finish, and building a structurally sound tiered cake using dowel rods.

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What You'll Need

• Baked cakes in your chosen tier sizes (Chef Alan uses a 4-tier cake: 14", 10", 8", and 6")
• Buttercream icing — must be a crusting buttercream for the smoothing technique
• Cake filling — Chef Alan uses lemon cake filling
• Fondant — a small amount for the filling dam (or use stiffened buttercream as a substitute)
• Cake boards — foam core or corrugated cardboard, same size as each tier
• Poly dowel rods — half-inch for lower tiers, quarter-inch for upper tiers
• Quick-ice piping tip (#789) and an 18-inch piping bag
• Cake lifter or pizza peel — for moving cakes without dropping them
• Side scraper/dough cutter — Chef Alan uses an Ateco scraper
• Bowl of hot water — for smoothing
• Viva paper towels (no quilted pattern) or plain computer paper — for the final smoothing pass
• Fondant smoother — for the paper towel technique

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How Tall Should Each Tier Be?

▶ Watch this section (0:10)

• Bottom two tiers: 4 inches high (two 2-inch layers each)
• Top two tiers: 5 inches high (two-and-a-half 2-inch layers each)

For a professional 4-inch tier, bake in 8-inch pans instead of 9-inch — the batter rises just above the rim, and after leveling you get two perfectly even 2-inch layers.

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Step 1: Level the Cakes

▶ Watch this section (1:50)

1. Put the cooled cake back in the pan — this gives you a built-in guide for a perfectly level cut.
2. Run a serrated knife along the top of the pan. Turn the pan as you cut rather than sawing straight across — this gives a more even result.
3. Place each cake on a board the exact same size as the tier (so the board doesn't stick out past the icing).

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Step 2: Fill the Layers

▶ Watch this section (5:18)

1. Apply a thin layer of buttercream on the first layer. This seals the cake so fruit fillings don't get absorbed — otherwise, your filling layer gradually disappears into the cake over a day or two.
2. Create a dam around the edge. Chef Alan rolls a thin rope of fondant and presses it around the outer edge. This prevents the filling from bulging out the sides.

1. Add your filling inside the dam and place the second layer on top.

↪ Why the fondant dam matters for buttercream cakes

Buttercream wedding cakes have a specific problem: 8–10 hours after icing, you often see a bulge around the middle of the tier. This happens because air trapped in the cake layers slowly pushes outward as the cake settles overnight. The fondant dam helps prevent this.

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Step 3: Ice the Cake

▶ Watch this section (9:28)

↪ Piping the icing on

Chef Alan uses the quick-ice tip (#789) in a large piping bag. Start at the bottom of the tier and pipe all the way around — this covers the sides in one clean pass with no crumbs.

↪ Smoothing with a scraper

1. Dip a side scraper in hot water (no need to dry it).
2. Smooth the sides in a couple of passes — don't try to do it all at once.
3. Smooth the top by coming in from the outside edge toward the center — never push from the center out.

↪ The paper towel trick for a glass-smooth finish

▶ Watch this section (14:37)

After the buttercream has crusted over (about 10 minutes — test by lightly touching the side; if it doesn't stick to your finger, it's ready):

1. Lay a Viva paper towel (or plain computer paper) flat against the surface.
2. Gently press and smooth using a fondant smoother or the palm of your hand.
3. Peel the paper away — the tiny imperfections vanish.

This works because crusting buttercream is dry enough that the paper doesn't stick. It hides mistakes beautifully and is a game-changer if you're new to icing cakes.

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Step 4: Stack with Dowel Rods

▶ Watch this section (17:42)

↪ Marking the placement

1. Place a cake circle (the same size as the next tier) on top of the iced cake.
2. Use a scribing tool or toothpick to trace around the edge — this marks exactly where the next tier will sit.

↪ Installing the dowels

1. Hold a dowel against the side of the cake and mark the height with a pen.
2. Cut 5 dowels to the same height (4 in a square pattern + 1 in the center).
3. Push them straight down through the icing until they rest on the board below.
4. The dowels should sit just below the buttercream surface — not sticking up.

↪ Stacking the tiers

Use a large spatula to lift each tier and place it on the one below, aligning it with your scribe marks. The weight transfers: cake → board → dowels → board → dowels → all the way down to the base.

↪ Bottom board

For any cake you're transporting, use a half-inch masonite (wooden) board as the base. Cover it with decorative foil. Foam boards are fine for cakes that won't travel far, but you need something sturdy enough to grab by the edges without flexing.

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Essential Tools Recap

• Cake lifter or pizza peel — for moving iced cakes without disasters
• Quick-ice tip (#789) — pipes icing onto the sides cleanly
• Side scraper — Ateco for 4-inch tiers, Fat Daddio's for 5–7 inch tiers
• Viva paper towels or computer paper — for the final smoothing pass
• Bowl of hot water — keeps your scraper and spatula working smoothly
• Poly dowel rods — half-inch for bottom tiers, quarter-inch for upper tiers

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This tutorial is part of Global Sugar Art's library of free cake decorating videos by Chef Alan Tetreault. Browse all tutorials →