Sure, let’s start with the skeleton. A 12‑tier cake is like a five‑story building in sugar – you need a strong core. Use a lattice of chocolate‑filled dowels glued into a sturdy sponge base, then cover with a thin layer of buttercream so the icing can bond. If you go too light, the tower will lean like a drunk dragon. Next, the floating castle look. Keep the tiers narrow and stacked slightly off‑center, like a staggered skyline. Use a clear, edible resin to embed the “walls” of the castle; it gives structure and a glassy look that makes the tiers look like they’re hovering. For the garden inside each tier, carve out a shallow moat in the sponge, then fill with a thin gel of sugar water that’s hardened with a touch of glycerin. That way the basil leaves and roses can sit on top without sinking. The whipped‑cream waterfall? Pipe it on a small, reinforced base of meringue and freeze a few minutes so it holds shape during transport. Finally, keep the load balanced. Distribute the weight evenly by adding a central support column of tempered chocolate that runs through each tier. If you don’t, the whole thing will wobble like a broken crystal ball. Remember: ambition is good, but every layer must be tested in the freezer first. If it’s not structurally sound, you’re just baking a myth.

Sounds like a delicious siege. Just make sure those chocolate dowels are glued tight; otherwise the whole thing will collapse faster than a bad plot twist. Happy baking!