A cake board is an important decoration element that should be durable and practical, yet still enhance (or at least not detract from) the appearance of the festive dessert. Today, you can find a wide variety of ideas online for replacing store-bought cake boards and making a sturdy base yourself. Let's take a closer look at the pros, cons, and features of using different materials.

What should the substrate be like?

To understand how you can make a good cake base for transporting and storing your cake at home, let's take a look at what such a base should actually be.
How to make a cake board at home

Whether your cake board is store-bought or homemade, it should meet the following criteria:

  • safety – is a basic requirement, therefore, if the base is made of non-food material, an additional protective layer is required between the cake and the base;
  • size – ideally, the base should extend beyond the edges of a round or rectangular cake by at least 2.5-3 cm;
  • reliability – the base should not sag during transportation of the dessert (take into account the weight and size of the finished product);
  • moisture resistance – when in contact with a soaked wet cake, the base should not become soggy;
  • strength – when cutting the cake, the stand should protect the table from accidental damage.

You can find original cake stands made of plastic, wood, or a cellulose base with an aluminum coating. These serving utensils also come in a wide variety of designs, from simple circles, squares, or rectangles the same diameter as the dessert to rotating and multi-tiered models. Naturally, we'll be making our own substitute for the most inexpensive flat base (you can buy such a stand at a specialty store in any city, be it Moscow or Voronezh).

What can I use instead of a cake board?

So let's look at each of the materials that can be found at home in terms of the criteria described above.

Cardboard

The simplest option that often comes to mind when housewives need to make a base for a dessert is to simply make a cardboard base.
ProsCons
1. safety (the material is non-toxic);
2. It is easy to cut the base to the required size or a backing of complex shape.		1. not suitable for large diameter cakes;
2. becomes soggy when in contact with wet cake layers;
3. Not strong enough to protect the table.

Typically, a cardboard cake stand is insulated from the main cake layer by an additional layer, which can be made using materials such as:

  • foil;
  • baking paper;
  • parchment;
  • cling film;
  • self-adhesive film (moisture-resistant).
Don't use regular paper, craft paper, or gift wrapping paper under the cake! These materials quickly become soggy and may stick to the bottom layer.

If you don't want the protective layer to be visible, cut it exactly to the size of the cake.

Cakes on a cardboard base are best placed on a tray or packed in a box for transport.

fiberboard

The fiberboard base is an excellent alternative to the cardboard backing.
ProsCons
1. You can cut the backing into any shape;
2. the base is stronger than that made of cardboard;
3. Fiberboard will provide protection for the table.		1. The glue that holds the fibers together is toxic;
2. The slab quickly becomes soggy when in contact with moisture.
Fiberboard cake board
As with cardboard, fiberboard needs to be coated additionally to prevent product contact with the material.

Plywood

If you're looking for an idea for how to make a DIY tiered cake base, a plywood base is the best option (assuming you have a craftsman at home who can make a beautiful, perfect circle with a finished edge out of plywood).
ProsCons
1. environmental friendliness;
2. strength;
3. reliability;
4. Can be reused.		1. complexity of manufacturing.
Plywood tiered cake stand
Although wood is an environmentally friendly material, it's not acceptable to deliver a cake to a customer with such a base. Sanitary regulations require that wooden bases be lined with any material approved for food contact.

Styrofoam

Another recommendation that can often be found on the internet is to make a base from foam plastic, 5 cm or more thick.
ProsCons
1. You can do the basics of complex geometry;
2. Foam plastic is lightweight and does not become soggy;
3. You can additionally secure the cake with a skewer;
4. will protect the table (if covered with additional foil);
5. Suitable for the bottom tiers of wedding cakes, as well as for creating false tiers.		1. the material must be isolated from the dessert;
2. The larger the diameter of the cake, the thicker the foam sheet should be, otherwise the base will simply burst when you try to lift the dessert.
Styrofoam cake board

Alternatively, you can make the base from more durable polystyrene foam, but keep in mind that this material is also not food-grade, meaning it must be well insulated from the food product using foil to prevent harmful chemicals from leaching into the food.

Thin cling film or paper is not suitable, as you can easily damage such material when cutting the cake.

Watch this video to learn how to make a reinforced cake board from regular foam:

Penoplex

One of the most popular options today is a cake base made of 3-5 cm thick foam plastic. Custom cake bakers often make their own bases from this inexpensive yet easy-to-use material.
ProsCons
1. ease of use and the ability to create a base of any size and shape;
2. light weight;
3. possibility of additional fixation of the cake;
4. Suitable for creating multi-tiered structures;
5. will protect the table when cutting the cake.		1. Non-food grade material (coating required).

We recommend taking a closer look at this useful material for every pastry chef. This video offers step-by-step instructions for making a reinforced foam base for a tiered cake:

What kind of base do you use to assemble your cakes (classic, complex, or tiered)? We invite you to share your experiences and leave useful information for budding pastry chefs in the comments.

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