It has been a long road since I discovered CC. I do not have the artistic flair to be a cake decorator and I am FINALLY okay with it!!! Join me if you want

I can bake and people love my cakes and cookies and homemade bread--but I suck at fondant and buttercream-can't make a rose if a gun was held to my head. Decorating makes me cranky and baking makes me happy

So from now on-ALL my cakes are going to look like this AND I AM POSTING THEM : (total cop-out but I don't care) (BTW these are coconut almond and a chocolate rocky road cake)

So you didn't use fondant or pipe a rose...big deal! These cakes are just beautiful.

Go with what you love.

:] Your post made me smile! BTW- I would totally buy either of those cakes if they taste as good as they look, because they look YUMMY! I would much rather buy a yummy cake that isn't as fancy then a fancy cake that is NOT YUMMY!

Those look great and very yummy! Not every cake needs a theme and IMO those are decorated!

ditto pooh- That's what I was trying to say, they still look amazing! Now I am craving the coconut almond!

Those cakes are gorgeous and look and sound delicious! Now no decorating stress - you can just focus on super yummy!

Wow, those cakes sound sooooo yummy and look great no matter what!

BTW you don't know how many times I've been wanting to throw my 'caking' tools away and forget all about cake decorating ----but then I keep visiting CC and all of sudden I get the 'urge' again LOL.....so, keep visiting CC and who knows the same thing may happen to you

It's still decorating! It's fine! My friend owns a bakery and this is pretty much the style of cakes they sell all day and it keeps them afloat. "Dessert cakes" they call them - sell them for $50 for an 8in round and it takes about 5 minutes to throw one together once baking & making is done. Literally, I've seen her do it. A quick ice (I WISH I could ice that fast & smooth), a drizzle of ganache, a few swirls on top, maybe some strawberries dipped in ganache, and people think she's uber talented.

I've been wanting to lay off the decorating - its just not as fun anymore. Everyone expects you to make them one yet no one wants to pay. I undercut myself to have the practice & fun, but not pay for it all. I end up so frustrated. In the spring & summer, it just got to be cake after cake. Even if I was getting good money for them it just wasn't as fun. I couldn't say no, though. Recently, the house we were renting was foreclosed on and we had 4 days to move. All the cake stuff was shoved in storage and I haven't had an inkling to get it out. It gives me the "excuse" to tell people no. It makes me not make them for family. I like the break.

They are beautiful!

What in the world is wrong with those cakes??? LOL, they look well-decorated to me! Chin up, girl!

Nothing wrong with those cakes. They are making me drool and hungry though.

Ohhhh-ya'll don't even know...

In addition to the common "I am dreaming about and seeing cake everywhere" syndrome we all go through after finding CC...

I LIVE IN TULSA! AKA:Home of the OSSA competition every year and HOME OF KERRI!! I managed to get her on the phone one day (this is so embarressing) begging to be a part of her life

And OMW the $$$$$ I have spent... trying to figure out how to get onto the "Favorites" of everyone's list.

Life is so much sweeter (ha) now that I have learned to enjoy baking. Thanks for the kind words CC' ers.

Don't sell yourself short, I've looked at your pics and you do a great job!

Ditto Kellbella, after I responded I looked at your other cakes, I love the teacher appreciation one!

Those are perfectly fine, delicious looking dessert cakes. Those are the types of cakes that led me to be interested in cake decorating. I just wanted my Sunday dinner dessert cakes to be beautiful, but those are not what people request me to make. They wanted birthday cakes.

I'm ready to dive into any one of those cakes!! Life's too short to not do what makes you the happiest. Bake away!!

Your cakes look great , I'd buy one...Got Milk

I love the simple beauty of your cakes. They look and sound great!

Your cakes look luscious. Do what you enjoy!
Sometimes I bake fancy-pants cakes, and sometimes I don't feel like it. Both kinds taste delicious. Baking is my true passion. I am a hobby baker, so I don't have to stress over perfection. I am learning new things and I am having fun.
Is my fondant flawless? No way.
Is my buttercream smooth as glass? Never.
Do I have occasional flops? Definitely.
Does my family love my cakes? Yup. They think I deserve a TV show.
Do I strive to improve? Yes, but I don't obsess about it.

I DEFINITELY love to bake than decorate! It too, makes me crabby because I always compare myself to all cake artists whose decorating is impeccable. Of course, no matter how I try, I never measure up. People love my cakes & think I am this great decorator, but only I know better. Much rather be doing dessert type cakes anyway. I find most people would rather have a great tasting cake rather than a highly decorated one. Don't lose faith and BTW - your cakes are beautiful & I'd like to take a bite right now!

Do you deliver to El Paso, TX???
I want the rocky road cake!!!

They both look yummy. You did a great job. I bake everything, but still kind of new to decorating cakes. Practice, Practice, Practice.

Oh I saw your cakes they are all so nice. But do what makes you happy.Donot tell any one but my husband thinks I was a better baker before turing to decorating .

Sorry to be a downer, but one day you'll come on CC and they will all be deleted from your gallery.
CC doesn't consider those to be 'decorated.'

Posting them in threads however, is no problem.
Someone was talking the other week about starting a "Home-style (dessert) cakes, put your pictures here!" thread, but nothing has come of it.

Perhaps YOU could start it!

as long as you are enjoying yourself that is all that matters!!

I am so with you, girlfriend! I often wonder why I bother to try when I end up tears when something doesn't turn out like a "real cake" like others'. I have no artistic talent and wish I could buy it. But, I LOVE baking! I sure hope your cakes don't get deleted!! Maybe we should start a "Baking only" Website and share. Please keep us posted. And, I'd die for that coconut one! How did you get the sides of your cake to look so professional???

What? Seriously? You can't post pics of non-decorated cakes? What defines decorated? Hrm...

Would you share your recipes? They look super delicious

I hate fondant....we are enemies and I've been in the biz for a while. I can't cover and dummy to save my live......But I love to decorate...SOOOOOOOOOO you LOVE TO BAKE...and I looked at your pics...I think their great. I would pay for those cakes and they wouldn't make it home. I don't think I would even use a fork....if I stuck my face in it nobody else would eat it.....too bad you live so far away........I WANT THE CHOCOLATE ONE IN THE PIC!!!!!!