You know how they say people can either knit or sew, but not both? I'm wondering if it's the same with cookies & cakes. My caking isn't going so great and even though I keep practising, it doesn't seem to be coming. Cannot smooth BC to save my life, despite practising loads.

Does anyone feel the same way?

Absolutley, Tubbs! I took a cake-decorating class, and I ended up giving my cake to the homeless shelter, I'm sure they were on a sugar rush for days, I had to use so much icing to level things out! And I'm sure you saw my disaster cake I posted in this forum. Cakers are AMAZING at their art. Do you have the passion? I guess I don't, but wish I did! To me it seems impossible, so I don't attempt it. Having said all that, I am really wanting to make a bunco cake in April....may be an april fools cake

Tubbs, I didn't know there was anything other than crisco BC, I'll have to look at the recipes! But, to stay on the subject, your cakes AND cookies are amazing. If you have pics of your first cookies, look at them, I bet you will see your progress, and it will be the same with cakes. Although your cakes are beautiful now!!

Aww, you're kind. My cakes are just ok, nothing more right now, and I need to get them better.

I'm hoping that with practice I can improve. My cookies are much more consistent.

I love doing both!! Although I personally like doing cookies better I have a lot of fun with various techniques in cakes too.

Oh, I tried taking a Wilton cake decorating class about 15 years ago. Let's just say I was not a natural. Probably didn't help that it was mid-summer in NC and my little clowns slid off of my little cakes. Poor little sad clowns. I quickly found that I was not well versed at cake decorating! Plus I take so ridiculously long with cookies, I can't imagine how long it would take me to do a cake!

Ditto for me.
I took both cake and cookie decorating courses.
For some reason, i cannot adapt to the cake decorating. Forget about the decorating.......I CAN'T EVEN GET THE LAYERS STRAIGHT!!
I find it less frustrating with cookies cuz if you screw up, there are more to start from scratch with.

Can't knit,Can't Sew...but I can decorate a decent cake and cookies too!! Come to think of it I can't floral arrange either..Oh well ...that's what Mom is for!! HEE!HEE!

Too funny! I've felt the exact same way when it comes to cookies. I try and try and try but they never come out the way I want. I see these amazing cookie photos here and have no idea how some of you do it. I'll keep trying though.

I am the same, at first i was obsessed with cakes, then started doing cookies now everyone asks me to make cookies all the time. I know how you feel. When ever someone asks me to make a cake now, I am like oh gawd, can't i just make cookies?

Tubbscookies, you're too hard on yourself. And have you bought Sugarshack's DVD on working with buttercream? Even though you're doing great, her tricks of the trade might give you more confidence. Your business will do great...you're plenty talented!!!!

Yes, you can be good at both cakes and cookies. I think some people just have a personal preference for one or the other. I do both and they come out pretty well. Keep practicing and take pictures of the finished product and you'll see yourself progress. I donate a cake every year for a local church's anniversary and have seen (and been told) that I get better every year. Keep going and don't give up, that's the secret!

Can't knit...love to sew. I would love to do cakes, but I don't seem to have a lot of talent for that. Then again, I don't practice cakes nearly as often as cookies. LOL Cupcakes are different. I do better at those.

I think you can do both - it just takes loads of practice and weight gain (unless I'm the only one that eats my mistakes)