So I made a beautiful 3 tiered cake for a acquaintance of mine. It was a fairy themed cake, pink, purple and hot pink layers, with flowers, white picket fence, mushrooms and a nice fairy (all made from fondant) on top.

I doweled each layer, and put a long dowel thru the cake. When I got to the destination, the cake had slid and leaned to the left and the middle tier cracked.

I am just mortified and of course charged less and fixed what I Could fix for her.

I am so bummed, and have been having issues lately with my cake. I used boxed cake, and the wilton recipe icing.

I just turned down a wedding cake because I am now terrified that something will happen.

I have been doing cakes for about 5 yrs now and never have I felt this unsure of my skills.

Anyone go thru this?

Not to mention, I just read on someones facebook "I did hear about the cake drama" which now is making me feel horrible.

You need to use SPS made by bakery crafts--Fabulous support system, your worries will be over and you will make many more beautiful cakes in the future. Check out Leahs sticky on SPS. I used SPS for the first time on my 7-tier wedding cake a year and a half ago and haven't looked back! http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1272309

I do not use regular dowels. I either use bubble tea straws or the SPS system. Regular dowels displace cake where the other 2 ways of doing it doesn't, the supports are hollow. I sorry that happened to you.

So sorry this happened to you. But don't quit decorating cakes. You will get through this - keep your chin up. I would do what those above suggested. I haven't used the SPS system yet, but I just bought it and can't wait to try it. Cake decorating has it's ups and downs and the downs are certainly no fun.

May I ask what you used for dowels?


Minette

I also used the SPS last May for a 7-tier wedding cake and am a hard core convert to SPS. I promise that once you try it, you will never do another stacked cake without SPS. I factor the price for it into my cake quotes.

Here's the link to my 7-tier:http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1382243


Chin up! Don't quit

Another vote for SPS also if you need extra stability ganache under fondant also makes it very stable I'm so sorry this happened.

It really sucks when the bad news races to Facebook, huh. I feel badly for you.... I'm sure it was so cute, too. It sounds adorable. I'd try the SPS!

Thanks ladies! I used wooden dowels, thick wooden ones I get from the local hardware store.

I am not totally understanding SPS, I looked on Global Sugar Art, but did not really get it.

Can anyone explain? I take it this is something you have to get back from each customer?

Also, someone mentioned bubble tea straws? What are these?

Thanks!!! I love this community and the support we all provide !!!!!

Oh and YES, Facebook can spread like wildfire!!!! I am kind of hurt by this, and a little disappointed in the person's page I saw it on. Also, I emailed the customer to again apologize hoping it did not ruin her party, but have yet to receive a answer.

Definitely use bubble tea straws or SPSS instead of wooden dowels. They're thicker, stronger straws.

Also, I would not use straight boxed cake. Use an extender like the recipe for White Almond Sour Cream. Straight boxed cake is very weak and crumbly and not strong enough to stand up to lots of carving/stacking.

Read the SPS tutorial. It should make sense, and if not I'm always happy to answer SPS questions.

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Just like a phoenix, we all can arise out of the flames and better and even more beautiful. PLEASE, don't quit. Cake is a finicky medium. Each cake is different and has a life of its own. You can do the same cake five times, and each one will be different than the last. Some better, some worse. I think we should all consider ourselves like doctors. They "practice" medicine, we "practice" cake decorating. In boht fields, there are tried and true methods and skills that are honed...but there is no guarantee that it will all turn out 100% of the time. Keep your head up! You'll get through this.

I second what Nacnacweazel so eloquently said!

I LOVE Bubble tea straws! Esp since I do alot of "whatever" cakes...not always wedding, and varied tiers, and sometimes last minute changes, 3D stuff, etc...my straws are always on hand...cheap....easy to cut....luv 'em.

I'm with the straw crowd

OMG! i go through this decorator identity crisis all the time. I'm just a beginner i guess, and my last cake disaster made me quit for almost a year! But i'm getting back interested. don't doubt your skills, and if you still feel unsure practice is the best way to build confidence.

this happened to me twice. It's horrible and bump you get over. Take everyone suggestions on here and try something new. If it works, your problems will never repeat themselves and you can continue. I't sucks I know. I just had a bride and groom tell me they hated how my cake tasted. I'm horrified at all the comments that must have been made as everyone refused to eat the cupcakes. Live and learn.

For those of you using bubble tea straws as dowels, what do you do for the central dowel? Do you just not use one, or go with wooden? Where I live it would be very difficult and expensive to go with SPS, but I'm not exactly sure how the bubble tea straw thing works.

P.S. LOVE bubble tea!

don't EVER give up.... hat was just a lesson for you to lkearn.... now put your big girl pants on and make even more cakes.... don't let one thing change your dreams.... we all have had cake disasters.... u should have seen my first topsy turvy..... WOWZY u would have said to me LADY.... u need a career change... but I didn't get discouraged.. I learned from it... ask Sharon (Sugarshack) she is as good as she is but she herself has mentioned how many "lessons" she learned along the way....

Good Luck

Things happen don't give up. I remember when I first started baking from scratch and the cakes kept falling the in the middle and I was about to give up and go back to the box, but I kept trying and now I am pretty good with baking cakes from scratch. It's all a learning experience.

I'm also a devout SPS user. I used to hate to make tiered cakes because they just felt unstable. Now, if the cake is stacked and no more than 4 tiers, they travel completely stacked to the destination. I take it out and put it on the table. Even my hubby is comfortable about travelling with cakes using sps.

I use PC pipe, for supports, it is clean and cuts easily with a hack saw and can be sanded and washed in the dishwasher. It is very inexpensive and I like to have it returned with my cake plates an plateau, but I am not upset if I don't get them back.