How To Transform Old Plates Into An Elegant Cake Stand

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A graceful cake stand makes a striking centerpiece at the dinner table but also serves a practical purpose by maximizing unused vertical space. Making your own elegant cake stand is a fun craft activity, but it's a great way of repurposing old crockery that you don't want to part with. To get started, all you need are some plates, a couple of squat candlesticks, and a very strong adhesive.

Prepare your plates by giving them a good cleaning first to ensure the surfaces are completely free from grease, oil, or dust (rubbing an alcohol wipe over them is ideal). Once they're dry, you can start assembling. To make a basic pedestal-style cake stand with one tier, apply glue to the top edge of the candlestick and gently place a large plate over it, taking care to centralize it. The key is to use an industrial-strength glue — a product like E6000, which is commonly used for jewelry and craft projects, is a great option because it becomes waterproof once fully set, dries clear, and can stick different materials, like ceramic, glass, and wood, together. 

Press down firmly on the middle of the plate to encourage the two surfaces to bond and allow it to dry fully before use. This variety of pedestal cake stand is ideal for showcasing a large single bake, like this ultimate chocolate cake that's made in a decorative fluted Bundt pan, or elevating a simple but classic buttermilk vanilla cake.

Once you've mastered this technique, you can make a unique cake stand with several tiers, depending on the size of your plates. However, the initial step is slightly different; you'll need to stick the base of that first candlestick onto your largest plate to create a foundation. Add more glue to the top of that pillar candlestick and place a slightly smaller plate on top to make a two-tiered stand. You can repeat this process to make a three-tiered cake stand by using a small saucer to form the uppermost level (or by using a vintage tea cup, which is the ideal size for holding macarons or chocolate truffles). As you'll only need a maximum of three plates, you can make use of incomplete dining sets or mismatched dinnerware items to create a charming and distinctive cake stand.

Of course, you don't have to use your cake stand for serving cakes. They're perfect for enhancing the presentation of finger sandwiches, fruit, crudités, or even charcuterie items at dinner parties because their vertical design allows you to display more food without overcrowding the table. Pedestal cake stands can also be used as an attractive and accessible mise en place when they aren't being employed as a centerpiece for storing those infused oils, vinegars, and seasonings that you use each day. In fact, you can even turn a cake stand into a punch bowl by turning it over and placing a large bowl on top.