From Bad To Obliterated (Remy's Revenge)
Decorating By ceshell Updated 15 Aug 2007 , 7:21pm by alimonkey
I think this happened because I was SO pleased with myself about how well (for me) my gumpaste Remy came out. Or perhaps because Remy himself was peeved at me posting pics of him in compromising positions as he dried in my oven (Cake Decorating thread). Or maybe just because no matter how many bazillion posts I've read here on CC I still, for the most part, have no freakin idea what I am doing. At least not when it comes to trying to wrap a 9" tall cake in fondant.
So first I wanted to try to sort of do a false "collar" style wrap so I could get a lip for the stockpot. Uh, no, that's not humanly possible. I was wrestling with the fondant like it was an alien creature on the attack (which it rather was). OK, plan B: I'll cover the cake in fondant, then add a 1" extension at the top to create the pot's lip, yeah. However covering a 6"x10" tall cake was beyond my skill level and the end result involved a pair of kitchen shears and a back of the cake that looked like Frankenstein's monster (I forgot to photograph that part. Really.). But ok, we look nearly acceptable from the front. Then it started to sag. Immediately. I willed it to stay in place with limited success, painted the whole thing copper, put the handles and Remy on and stood back and said to myself "well, it's actually kind of cute (from the front)." This was about 1am. I went to bed. (Thank goodness I photographed it. From the right angle the bulging is not glaringly offensive so I put it in my gallery LOL).
Hubby wakes up a mere 6 hours later and says "Bad news about the cake". This part really needs no description - see pics. Not content to taunt me with the destruction of its fondant wrap, the cake took Remy out too. B !!
For one desperate moment, can you believe I actually attempted to see if the fondant could get back on the cake?? What was I thinking?! Then I wisely gave up and off we went to Disneyland for DD's bd. Upon our return hubby kept her out of the kitchen while I hastily whipped up a batch of simple bc to re-ice the cake, and ended up with something that was probably along the lines of what I should have done in the first place (albeit 100 times sloppier because I didn't have time to chill, smooth, create a proper lip for the pot, paint, etc.)
The utter irony here is that I was originally thinking, what a bummer, I'm about to create a spectacular cake that only myself, my hubby and my DD will even see in person. As it turns out, I was able to laugh the whole thing off ONLY because nobody else was going to see it! Of course my 3-y.o. DD didn't notice the difference, she just wanted to play with Remy (and duly amputated all of his appendages within about 10 seconds of blowing out her candles).
I'm exhausted, can I go home now?
Ohhhhhhhh ... I'm so sorry about your nightmare!!! All that hard work, and the fondant-wrapped cake looked AMAZING!!! You did such a great job on the pot! I would have been heartbroken if I had spent all of that time and effort!! I'm sure you were. And poor Remy looked so sad laying there with his ears and tail by his head. BUT ... you did a fantastic job fixing up the cake!!! It still looked awesome after you fixed it! And all that matters is that DD LOVED her birthday cake!!!
Wow! Sorry that happened to you and poor Remy! I hate when you go to bed feeling so good about your cake and wake up to a disaster. Sometimes I feel like there are CAKE GREMLINS in my kitchen just waiting for me to go to bed. HAHA! Great cake!
Let me start by saying that I'm so sorry about the problems you had with your cake. It really did look marvelous. I'm sure it was frustrating. That said, your post was a hoot. It gave me my early morning laugh as I drank my coffee. What a great attitude. I'm glad it worked out in the end and your daughter liked her cake and her Remy. Still have to see that movie.
Ahh but see the sign of true professional is someone who can execute the save and boy did you ever and at least Remy's whiskers stayed on! So well done initially and nice save at the end!
Thanks so much for your support and I'm glad you could get a laugh out of it too!
I am so flattered to read you think I pulled off a save - I think the redo kind of looks like a giant brownie! My daughter definitely loved it though, although of course she would have been happy with a twinkie lol.
Here's how Remy fared after she got hold of him. Can somebody PLEASE stop me from trying to repair him for no reason?!!
great cake
great save
re: repair -- uhm....w/ a 3-yr-old in the house?????? don't bother.
You did such a fantastic job on this-yes, before and after the save! It's wonderful and was loved so much! Why is it that we obsess over cakes when our children are too young to really appreciate them?! ARGH! It is FANTASTIC!!
I'm so sorry this happened to your cake!!! Your work is amazing and good thing is that in the eyes of a 3 year old Remy is just PERFECT!! Great save though! Your Remy is amazing, looks like a plastic toy!
edit to add: Please share how you made him....
Ok I am really really sorry this happend to your cake but I have to be honest, I was literally laughing out loud while reading your story. Your descriptions were just hilarious. The before cake was awesome and to be honest the save job you did was WONDERFUL! Soin the end alls well that ends well...well for everyone except Remi
Oh,,, I am so sorry to read about what happened to you and Remy. Your cake looked amazing. At least you got a picture of it. When I did a castle cake for my twins (in my pics) i wasn't smart enough to get a picture of it before the turrets toppled over and ruined the cake. The repaired castle is the one in my pics.
You did a great job repairing the cake for your DD. My twins loved the cake picture. When they saw the damaged Remy they said "Oh Remy's hand is broken.. uhhhh poor Remy!
Great cake! Great story! And Remy is still smiling - he doesn't realize he's disfigured now (just don't put him in front of a mirror!)
Wish we didn't live on opposite sides of the country 'cause I'd love to come and pat you on the back for a job well done! We cake decorators must all be crazy to spend such time and effort to make something which will be eaten in a few minutes! But, I must admit, I'm guilty, and I still love to do it!
HA! He went from Remy the Mouse to Remy the Mole! Thank goodness for your sense of humor. It did look great though...
I'm sorry, but I had to laugh when I saw Remy lying on the cake plate.
But then I got to the pic of him after your daughter got to him and I just lost it!!!
You did an amazing job!
Your cake came out really great. I was laughing as I read you story, it reminded me of what my son did. I finish his cakes, the two tier ocean cake had this chocolate fish and shells. Every time I came back to the kitchen I could not pin point what was wrong with the cake. Well, my little one did not see me in the kitchen, he looked around and was taking all the chocolate fish and shells I have made. The look on his face when "I gotcha you" was priceless at least I made extra chololate.
I loved the cake and I loved Remy!!!! but what I love most of all, your attitude and great sense of humor!!!!!
I wish I could handle cake disasters as well as you do!!!!!
Why is it that we obsess over cakes when our children are too young to really appreciate them?! ARGH!
Haha, I used to wonder about this myself, and then tried cake decorating. Now I understand that the challenge and joy of creating a fun cake is often as important for the decorator as receiving it is for the...uh...receiver. I mean, I know DD would have been just as happy with a toy on top of a cupcake from Vons, but gol' darn it I wanted to make that cake! We did see the movie and she loves the book and screams "Remy!" every times she sees an ad or poster, so I wasn't doing it JUST for me lol. But I think the reality is, my daughter was just my excuse to be able to make it . I am really impressed by the talented CC'ers who, even if they don't have a cake order or special event, will go ahead and make a cake just for the sheer pleasure of it (and thank goodness they share the pics with us).
As for Remy, I too thought it was funny that even with all of that abuse, he still can't seem to wipe that grin off his face .
Oh man!
I think it looked great before the fondant fell off! I am out of the country so have no idea what this movie is about only that it is Disney.... therefore I've also seen no commercials... but I think before and AFTER it looks wonderful!! I am so impressed with the mouse/rat? You'll have to post instrustions on how you made him!
I'm sure one we return to the US I'll be making something from this show
Oh ceshell, your story told the way you did, I had to keep scrolling, you could truly write a novel, I was on the edge of my chair the whole time! I think it's absolutely an adorable cake, and it looked yummy-----the main thing is that that little one of yours liked it.........and Remy is adorable.....even without all his appendages! Yep, we want to kill ourselves over cakes for family to try that new challenge.........that's why with 4 of 7 kids having bdays in December, I get to the 17th, my oldest DD's birthday, and she wants ice cream cake from Dairy Queen.........Bless her dear heart!
Seriously you are all the best.
I don't have directions on how to do Remy because I really just molded him by hand, but anyone who is interested in some of the specific steps/techniques I used, feel free to PM me and I'll be happy to share.
Luvscakes, you should definitely go to the Ratatouille website and view some of the little clips from this film - our whole family viewed the site and it's what made us want to see the movie. I made my hubby swear not to take our DD without me! http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/ratatouille/ . The clips are so fun to watch.
Awe! Im glad you kept your spirits up. I think I would probably have cried then attempted to do something to it. But it all worked out in the end and your cake and Remy turned out great! Im sure we have all had similiar type problems. Mine most of the time is a two year old that has a gumpaste/fondant fedish and will steal my figures while drying! Try salvaging a Scooby with no head, no tail and gummy, slobbery body!!! Not!
Great save! You handled that really well. Congratulations on it, I think it was adorable. In both of it's lives.
Deanna
I think that was the most sad but amusing story I've read - you're very brave to share it with us and I congratulate you on making such a difficult cake - they always make it look easy but I don't think I've ever really seen instructions for covering tall cakes. I've come to the conclusion they are probably covered in a large kitchen with many 'slaves' to pull together to make it work cause its sure hard when you're on your own! I'd have one suggestion - I have found that putting less crumb coating directly onto the cake makes the fondant adhere better. Also put two layers of fondant on - it doesnt matter what the first layer looks like as this will just make it easier for the second and top layer of fondant to adhere to itself and more likely to stay on! This is how I make them. Good luck, Leonie, Brisbane, Australia
Oh, such a cute cake indeed and you told the story quite well!
Love the pictures!
jscakes
Oh the cake looks just amazing. Your awsome! Sorry for the disaster but we all have our days. you really did do an amazing job.
I agree with everybody else. It really did look great in the end. Without the before and after, we never would have know it was supposed to look otherwise.
What REALLY made me laugh, though, is the picture with Remy lying on the plate. You said Remy's revenge, right? Looks to me like he's ROFLHAO!
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