LazyCakes by Lauren

I see this idea being put out there a lot...the answer is generally no.

Unless... you have a small number of guests say 30-50 but you want a dramatic 3+ tier cake. The false tier gives you the drama and height you want without having another 90 serves of cake too.

If you have 100+ guests you are going to need a cake that is all cake, generally speaking.

Plus dont forget that fake tier also needs fondant or buttercream on it and flowers or other decoration, the same as if it were real cake. 

Yes! Absolutely!

If you are having 80+ guests and you'd like smaller sized main cake, a few slab cakes are a great way to get the additional serves.

It wont be dramatically cheaper - you are still ordering cake enough for the remaining serves, that needs baked and iced - but it should be less than if you add those serves into the main cake which could add 2 or more tiers.

Fondant is a soft sugarpaste icing that can be coloured to suit your theme/style. Its generally vanilla flavoured and dried to form a firm shell around the cake. 

Buttercream is made from butter (I only use butter, never shortening) and icing sugar, beated together with vanilla or another flavouring. It comes in various forms and styles - American, Swiss Meringue and Italian Meringue. They all have various degrees of stability in heat

I tend to use American and Swiss depending on the time of year. 

Remember - butter is yellow. Pure white buttercream cakes you may see in magasines generally have a brightening filter on the photos or the buttercream is made with shortening which is white.