Customer Reviews:
 Durable AND beautiful... November 18, 2008
I'm a dedicated home baker who bakes several times a week, and there are two final frontiers still unknown to me: yeast breads and fancy layer cakes. Unlike simple Bundt cakes or single-layer cakes, layer cakes are composed of two (usually three) or more layers of carefully arranged cakes glued together with some sort of icing (fudge, chocolate, buttercream, etc.). If you're trying to assemble and frost a layer cake on a stationary cake stand, it's much harder to achieve a smooth finish when frosting the outside as you have to keep manually turning the stand, which can cause the cake to wobble and become crooked as you're trying to ice it. Also, an offset icing spatula such as Professional Offset Spatula Set, Ateco makes frosting cakes a snap.
I decided to take the plunge and invest in an Ateco revolving cake stand. It has a very solid cast iron base with a lovely vintage white finish and a 1/8" aluminum top. It also comes with a nonstick pad that can either be used under the stand to keep it anchored to the countertop, or on top of the stand to stabilize your layer cake.
There are several different companies (Magic Line, Wilton, Ateco) that manufacture similar cast iron revolving cake stands, but I chose Ateco based on prior brand purchases (cake decorating equipment) and the fact that the stand is constructed in the USA (other than Nordicware, Libbey and Anchor, it's increasingly difficult to find items made in-country!). It came highly recommended by America's Test Kitchen as well. The packaging was very secure and I received my stand without any scratches or dents.
This is a hefty stand, both in weight and cost, that will stand up to a lifetime of use and is well worth the investment if you're a professional baker, pastry chef, or a home cook who makes a lot of layer cakes. If you're just a casual layer cake baker, consider Ateco's US-made plastic revolving stand for 2/3 less. But this is the rare piece of kitchen equipment that is not only useful, but aesthetically pleasing as well; I leave mine displayed on my baker's rack when not in use.
If you're looking for starter ideas for layer cakes, some of my favorites are The Pastry Queen: Royally Good Recipes from the Texas Hill Country's Rather Sweet Bakery & Cafe and The Pastry Queen Christmas: Big-hearted Holiday Entertaining, Texas Style, Baked: New Frontiers in Baking, and Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague.
Very Sturdy and Smooth September 19, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This cake stand is well made and sturdy, and it rotates smoothly and evenly. The base is also attractive.
Best Cake Stand January 23, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I really recommend this cake stand, if you are tempted to get the Wilton brand consider how often and how serious you are about cake decorating. This will stand the test of time.
Top quality, you'll wonder how you decorated without it. September 6, 2007
Every serious cake decorator needs one of these. The cheap little plastic Wilton ones you can get form WalMart are ok, but if you want efficiency, this one is top notch.
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