So this cake is for my niece's birthday and she's turning 7. I found a picture here online (dont remember who from) and decided it was easy enough for me, a newbie, to do. I still havent gotten a lot of cake pans yet and I'm making due with what I have until I decide I can really do this cake decorating thing, then I'll make a larger investment. So I used two pyrex 9x9 pans to make the bottom of this cake chocolate and two 8x8 round pans to make the top white, except I added pink coloring think it would look cool, but it just looked like strawberry cake and I made 5 pink/white cupcakes. They all baked just fine Saturday morning and I let them take time to cool, so all is going well. Then I made the bc icing like always and scoop out just a little in a few bowls and make the other colors so as not to waste a whole batch when I only need a bit. Then I make a whole batch of white bc to make a crumb layer, I used a little thinner icing, then made another batch purple for the top. This was my first mistake, purple on white. I guess I wont do that again. Then I cannot seem to get it to ice smooth, not even close because of all the different angles. By this time I've insterted my dowels and put in fillings and whatever. So I let my cake sit 15 minutes then try the "paper towel method". It helped but not enough and it still wasnt hard enough it was getting icing on my paper towel. So I decided (it's late by this point) if 15 minutes helped a little, all night would help a lot, so I went to bed, leaving my ugly iced cake and all of the icing colors for the next morning. I woke up, tried the paper towel on my cake and no help at all. It was cracked and showing the white through the purple. I even tried heating it with my embossing gun, no help. I then realized there was no hope and I needed to make fondant to cover this ugly mess. So I hit up cc for a recipe, and I had everything t make the marshmallow fondant, except the recipe says to let it sit over night and I had to have this cake 30 miles away by 2pm. So I try to make it anyway, made a mess of marshmallow in my microwave, then decided I should use latex gloves since the marshmallows are messy and I wanted to put some purple die (mixed blue and pink) in during the mixing process instead of extra kneeding at the end. My gloves got stuck (I later found another recipe saying to use crisco on your hands) and I couldnt get them out. I gave up, threw it all in the trash and rushed out to Walmart. I bought fondant off the shelf and came home. I spent an hour trying to roll this stuff out, seperating the layers I already put together, and the bottom layer broke when I took the top off. Then I run out of counter space and set the cake on the kitchen table and the dog licks the icing. So I scrape off the icing that he touched and put some more back (I didnt have enough time left to re-make the cake and they say dogs mouths are so clean - gross). I finally get them covered in the fondant and I take a small bite to taste it, and it's disgusting. Great, I'm feeding people nasty fondant. But I cant change it now, I just decorate the best I can. I gave up with the cupcakes and put the ice cream cones directly on the cake. It made it there in one piece and I took my emergency fix kit and just re-set the cones when I got there, but it looked - umm ok. I'll load the picture (take on my cell phone) to my photos.[/img]

First of all, the cake looks fine. You have to remember that we always see things that others don't see.
We all have done those cakes that don't work. It seems like they just weren't meant to be from the very beginning.
You have learned a lot with that cake. There are a lot of things that you won't do again. That makes the cake totally worth it! If you learned, then you are better off then when you started!

Remember that your niece liked it. That is what matters more then anything else!

Yes, my nieced loved it, she hugged me and said I was the best aunt in the whole world. It was definately worth it, but oh my goodness, before that point, it surely wasnt. I need to practice making fondant but it seems as if the bc and I do not get along.

Don't loose any sleep over it. I have had my share of cake disasters too. Here is what works for me...I hope it helps
Fill and crumb layer your cake then put it in the refrigerator overnight. That will give you a nice hard crumb free surface to work with. Then put your second coat of icing on. Don't be affraid to put too much icing. I always put too much to begin with so I can run my spatula down the sides a few times to smooth the icing without having to worry about exposing the cake. Try to smooth each side in one motion. Every time you stop you will leave a mark. If you are icing a round cake, reach as far as you can around your turn table so you can turn and smooth all the way around the cake in one motion. Then refrigerate again (overnight if you have time). That way your base icing is solid and your cake is chilled all the way through before you try to decorate. It makes all the difference.
Melanie

I have never done a crumb coat. I rarely have crumbs in my icing. Every once and a while I will get a couple, but I just pick them out with a toothpick.
Are you thinning your icing down to thin? It will not smooth if it is too thin. The icing will just come up on the paper towel. As long as you have the meringue powder and it isn't too thin you should be able to smooth. I apply the icing really thick and never let my spatula touch the cake. There is always an inch of icing between the spatula and my cake. Do the top first and then the sides.

Just keep practicing! You will get it.

Wow, what an experience. I'd probably cry if all that happened to me.
At least it doesn't sound like your discouraged. I bet your niece loved her cake too, I know mine loves the fact that she gets good cakes instead of 1/2 sheet store bought ones.
Try Melvira's paint roller technique for smoothing bc. I haven't tried it yet ( have the roller though for next cake ) and have heard great things about it. It's a yello foam roller...here this will explain it all

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-42675-paint.html+roller

Wow, I just looked at the cake and it looks awesome......I was expecting some horrible, ugly, disaster like.....well like the castle cake in my photos LOL I used store bought icing and loaf pans and cake baked in soup cans....didn't even know about homemade bc or fondant or anything...not even to use the ice cream cones.........your cake looks awesome!!! You should be very very proud......and I agree with your neice.......you're the best aunt in the world having gone through all of that for her and still coming out with a beautiful castle cake!!! Great job!!

I always remember the process when judging my cakes and if it was horrible, that is how I see the cake. Remember, everyone else just sees the finished cake, they don't know the horror story behind it. Your cake looks great... which is why you are the "best aunt in the world".

We can all relate to that story. The worst is when you in a rush and starting to panic. But my daughter once told me to repeat to myself...patience...patience....patience...and just slow it down a notch.

By the way the cake looks great.

Your cake turned out great - and even more important your niece like it and appreciated it! She will remember her wonderful castle cake (oh and in her memory it will be flawless!!!)

(ps had to laugh when the dog got to it!!)

Wow after that story I was expecting a big mess of a castle cake but it looks great! MMF is really great once you get the hang of it so keep trying

The important thing is that you stuck with it and came out with a great cake for your neice. That cake looks lovely.

First of all, your cake looks great. I can only imagine the look on a 7 year old's face when she first saw HER cake!

Secondly, I must say how much I enjoyed reading your story....partly because it was a case of misery loving company, I think. I could relate so well! We all have those near disasters. Hopefully they will be only 'near' disasters and not complete ones.

I hope you'll forgive me when I tell you how I burst out laughing at the dog's lapping the frosting! My husband and I went out for dinner on our 1st anniversary. Our wedding cake top was happily thawing on my kitchen counter. When we came home we found a very happy dog and no frosting on the cake! It wasn't so funny at the time as I recall.

Thanks everyone, I'm glad I can laugh about it now. I know I wouldnt have if my niece took one bite of that nasty fondant and said yuck, but I forewarned everyone they didnt have to eat the "white stuff". I will certainly keep practicing. Thanks again.