Totally Shocked - No Separators And No Supports ............
Decorating By cakesbybert Updated 8 Aug 2011 , 9:03pm by Rudd
She probably learned how to make cakes by watching Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee. I've seen her stack 3 tiers with no support and she goes on and on about how easy and what a money-saver it is. I wanted to punch her in the nose.
You are too funny.
Be a good person and just tell her how to use the cake boards. Why purposely watch somebody fail.
I may be wrong, but I don;t think she was purposely watching someone fail. I think(as her title states) she was TOTALLY SHOCKED. Sometimes it is hard to compose your thought, let alone a sentence when you are in this state. And a tactful sentence is almost impossible! Have you ever seen a woman with her skirt hem tucked in her pantyhose? Or a guy with a used toilet paper trailer hanging out of his pants? Or a huge spinach leaf stuck to someone's tooth? What do you do? All of this is shocking and most don't know what to say or do, but you are embarrassed FOR them, and you don't want to look but they need to know, and you don't want to be the one to do it. I imagine the OP felt the same way about a stacked cake with no support frozen to "keep it's shape". It is GHASTLY! (BTW, I will go tell tell them, after I compose myself and look to see if anyone else will do it, and think of what to say, it takes a few seconds!)
Anyway, IMHO, I don't think that anyone on here deserves to have SEVERAL people come here and tell them what meanies they are. It has been said. And I really think people were joking or just being flippant.
edited because of some extra letters!
I think you must have missed this post and the posts from all the people agreeing with it (NOT from the OP):
maybe i'm a b@#$h but i wouldn't tell her a thing. Let her learn the hard way or let her take/pay for a class like most of us have had to do.
I think this is what people are commenting on when they say the OP should tell her about supports. I think the post I quoted above was a bit harsh and I was a little surprised to see how many (and who) agreed with it.
Did anyone notice that the OP did not say that this person did this for a business? To quote the OP: Now I know she does wedding cakes now and again for family and friends. So why not give her a little advice, especially if shes your friend?
Sorry, I wanted to let this thread die and I usually don't get involved when these discussions move in this direction. I just wanted to defend those people that you thought were calling people meanies.
I don't give out freebie cake info to anybody unless it's on CC. I did a lot of work and spent a lot of time, effort, and money to learn what I know and I don't give that info out freely to anybody, friend or foe, especially someone who might eventually be a competitor.
I googled and found this site and all my recipes. They can to. You might think people with this viewpoint are being mean, we just ask that others spend the same time we have to learn.
I don't give out freebie cake info to anybody unless it's on CC. I did a lot of work and spent a lot of time, effort, and money to learn what I know and I don't give that info out freely to anybody, friend or foe, especially someone who might eventually be a competitor.
I googled and found this site and all my recipes. They can to. You might think people with this viewpoint are being mean, we just ask that others spend the same time we have to learn.
I understand what you are saying and I totally respect that. I also googled and found this site (LOVE it btw) and searched all over the internet and youtube. And I've learned everything I know so far from doing these things. I don't personally know any other cake bakers/decorators to get advise from. I too have spent endless hours and a lot of money (no classes, just bought a LOT of stuff) to learn.
But wouldn't you at least want to give someone a heads up when you know they are doing something wrong? Maybe even just say "hey you should get on the internet and google how to make a tiered cake. There's a lot of information out there" 
Then she can spend the time (or not) to learn for herself, but at least now she knows there's another way to do it.
I don't give out freebie cake info to anybody unless it's on CC. I did a lot of work and spent a lot of time, effort, and money to learn what I know and I don't give that info out freely to anybody, friend or foe, especially someone who might eventually be a competitor.
I googled and found this site and all my recipes. They can to. You might think people with this viewpoint are being mean, we just ask that others spend the same time we have to learn.
I understand what you are saying and I totally respect that. I also googled and found this site (LOVE it btw) and searched all over the internet and youtube. And I've learned everything I know so far from doing these things. I don't personally know any other cake bakers/decorators to get advise from. I too have spent endless hours and a lot of money (no classes, just bought a LOT of stuff) to learn.
But wouldn't you at least want to give someone a heads up when you know they are doing something wrong? Maybe even just say "hey you should get on the internet and google how to make a tiered cake. There's a lot of information out there"
Then she can spend the time (or not) to learn for herself, but at least now she knows there's another way to do it.
It would depend on the person. There are some people I wouldn't say a single thing.
She probably learned how to make cakes by watching Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee. I've seen her stack 3 tiers with no support and she goes on and on about how easy and what a money-saver it is. I wanted to punch her in the nose.
Finally...Someone who realizes this lady is a quack. I mean really buy this buy that open it up & put it on a plate. How did she ever get a show
She probably learned how to make cakes by watching Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee. I've seen her stack 3 tiers with no support and she goes on and on about how easy and what a money-saver it is. I wanted to punch her in the nose.
Finally...Someone who realizes this lady is a quack. I mean really buy this buy that open it up & put it on a plate. How did she ever get a show
Haha! Have you seen her Kwanzaa "hate crime"! HIL-arious! I am in tears when I watch this thing!
She can't make toast!
I just watched the link you posted. That was bad 
Thank you to those that came forward and said some were mean in there response. I started doing this three short years ago. I have taken several classes but still have so much to learn. I have read several post from time to time, and have decided that it was better for me to just read and not respond because some of the replies were just down right mean. I thought this was a place for me to come and ask questions but have decided to just edmire the cakes and read the post.
I do cakes as a hobby, and know my skills will never be at a professional level. Hope some of you will change your outlook on helping and being kinder on your responses. We can't all be professsionals but would love to better our skills.
Thank you to those that came forward and said some were mean in there response. I started doing this three short years ago. I have taken several classes but still have so much to learn. I have read several post from time to time, and have decided that it was better for me to just read and not respond because some of the replies were just down right mean. I thought this was a place for me to come and ask questions but have decided to just edmire the cakes and read the post.
I do cakes as a hobby, and know my skills will never be at a professional level. Hope some of you will change your outlook on helping and being kinder on your responses. We can't all be professsionals but would love to better our skills.
Thank you to those that came forward and said some were mean in there response. I started doing this three short years ago. I have taken several classes but still have so much to learn. I have read several post from time to time, and have decided that it was better for me to just read and not respond because some of the replies were just down right mean. I thought this was a place for me to come and ask questions but have decided to just edmire the cakes and read the post.
I do cakes as a hobby, and know my skills will never be at a professional level. Hope some of you will change your outlook on helping and being kinder on your responses. We can't all be professsionals but would love to better our skills.
I understand what you're saying. I've seen some mean comments of this site. I have to be honest though. Nobody was rude is this forum related to the opening post. If someone is making wedding cakes they need to have taken some classes, thats just common sense.
I agree with you that nobody was rude. Just harsh statements can easily make me feel intimidated and make me even more aware of my limited skills. If I am brave enough to come forward and ask a question, I don't want people to make fun of me, laugh at my lack of knowledge or make me feel bad. I want to ask questions where I can feel comfortable and confident.
I also agree that using supports is common sense. Gee, even I know that!!
Be a good person and just tell her how to use the cake boards. Why purposely watch somebody fail.
I may be wrong, but I don;t think she was purposely watching someone fail. I think(as her title states) she was TOTALLY SHOCKED. Sometimes it is hard to compose your thought, let alone a sentence when you are in this state. And a tactful sentence is almost impossible! Have you ever seen a woman with her skirt hem tucked in her pantyhose? Or a guy with a used toilet paper trailer hanging out of his pants? Or a huge spinach leaf stuck to someone's tooth? What do you do? All of this is shocking and most don't know what to say or do, but you are embarrassed FOR them, and you don't want to look but they need to know, and you don't want to be the one to do it. I imagine the OP felt the same way about a stacked cake with no support frozen to "keep it's shape". It is GHASTLY! (BTW, I will go tell tell them, after I compose myself and look to see if anyone else will do it, and think of what to say, it takes a few seconds!)
Anyway, IMHO, I don't think that anyone on here deserves to have SEVERAL people come here and tell them what meanies they are. It has been said. And I really think people were joking or just being flippant.
edited because of some extra letters!
I think you must have missed this post and the posts from all the people agreeing with it (NOT from the OP):
maybe i'm a b@#$h but i wouldn't tell her a thing. Let her learn the hard way or let her take/pay for a class like most of us have had to do.
I think this is what people are commenting on when they say the OP should tell her about supports. I think the post I quoted above was a bit harsh and I was a little surprised to see how many (and who) agreed with it.
Did anyone notice that the OP did not say that this person did this for a business? To quote the OP: Now I know she does wedding cakes now and again for family and friends. So why not give her a little advice, especially if shes your friend?
Sorry, I wanted to let this thread die and I usually don't get involved when these discussions move in this direction. I just wanted to defend those people that you thought were calling people meanies.
I don't give out freebie cake info to anybody unless it's on CC. I did a lot of work and spent a lot of time, effort, and money to learn what I know and I don't give that info out freely to anybody, friend or foe, especially someone who might eventually be a competitor.
I googled and found this site and all my recipes. They can to. You might think people with this viewpoint are being mean, we just ask that others spend the same time we have to learn.
Since i'm the b@#$h that wouldn't say any thing. I figured i would chime in here.
I feel that if anyone is going to make a wedding cake (free or not) then they need to place a certain amount of time into research on how to construct it.
Do i give out advice yes i do, do i offer it when it hasn't been asked of me, not normally. I have one young girl that i mentor locally, had i been at her house and cut the cake i wouldn't have told her unless she asked me why the cake was unstable.
I agree with you that nobody was rude. Just harsh statements can easily make me feel intimidated and make me even more aware of my limited skills. If I am brave enough to come forward and ask a question, I don't want people to make fun of me, laugh at my lack of knowledge or make me feel bad. I want to ask questions where I can feel comfortable and confident.
I also agree that using supports is common sense. Gee, even I know that!!
But i believe that may be the difference. I see lots of threads from folks asking "Do I need support?" I've never seen anyone respond with "Well of course you do, ya big moron!" Asking for help or advice is usually viewed very positively ..... most folks (and especially here on CC) are very willing to help those who are trying to do it right; trying to improve their skills.
The ones we "wonder" about are the Sandra Lee's of the world who just slap cakes on top of each other, all willy nilly and in their world they just know all there is to know, don't cha know! 
If I ran into a person who told me she did wedding cakes .... and I don't care if it IS just for family and friends! It's still a WEDDING CAKE! ..... and i observed this kind of slip shod shadowy merky method of assembly, part of me would step back and wait for her crash and burn.
It's just too easy to get information these days (as opposed to my Encyclopedia Britannica days of my youth!!) on how to do ANYTHING. Hubby has even observed, "My god you have to make an effort to NOT know something these days, with all of the stuff on the internet!!"
I agree Indy. With all the information available, even IF you start with a Wilton book...yes I said it, there are instructions all over the place, in print and video. When you're making someone's cake, especially wedding, you, the baker have some responsibility to find as much information as you can. I also think that when people genuinely ask questions here on CC they are received well and others try to help them as much as possible.
Since i'm the b@#$h that wouldn't say any thing. I figured i would chime in here.
I feel that if anyone is going to make a wedding cake (free or not) then they need to place a certain amount of time into research on how to construct it.
Do i give out advice yes i do, do i offer it when it hasn't been asked of me, not normally. I have one young girl that i mentor locally, had i been at her house and cut the cake i wouldn't have told her unless she asked me why the cake was unstable.
Okay, you are right, these are wedding cakes we're talking about and you should feel a responsibility to learn what you can to do it right, free or not. I guess I wasn't thinking along those lines.
I will be making my first wedding cake for my neice NEXT October, and believe me, I'll be spending countless hours researching and stressing and practicing to give her the best possible wedding cake I can.
I still think I personally would offer the advice regardless, but I understand your point. Sorry to single out your post, but it just freaked me out a little 
And I also agree, it is extremely easy to get information on the internet, especially here on CC.
I use dowels, separators and on three tiers or more I use a long dowel in the center-I delivered a three tear wedding cake yesterday. It was a long way and the road had several speed bumps. Even with separators, dowels and a big dowel in the center that went through the three tiers, it ended up croocked.
I have not been able to relax thinking about it. It is just a nightmare that I do not have to go through never again.
My advise, stack at least the top tear (s) at the venue. 
I guess I'm on the side of peace, love and understanding. If you bake and decorate well, helping someone else with some friendly insights isn't going to detract from you qnd your clients. Saying to someone "I made it on my own, now you do the same and not with my help" doesn't make you a better person or a better baker. Someone else's failures don't advance your successes either. We're living in a harsh world right now. Reaching out to each other softens some of that harshness. My sainted ma always said "the more you give, the more you receive" I've found that kindness is like that.
This happened to me yesterday...dowels, supports and all.
http://cakecentral.com/gallery/2118802
Sometimes the worst things can happen when you do everything right. That person has been lucky so far...so far!
I would be nice and say, wow, how have you been stacking cakes without support? Offer advice and if she takes it fine, if she doesn't, well...we know what will happen eventually.
I'm new to this site, I googled it as I was looking for inspiration and this site came up.
Im a beginner at cakes, I mean a proper beginner, and I read this thread and I thought some people were actually being a bit mean.
Where I live there are no cake decorating classes, I google what I can.
I knew wedding cakes had supports, but a 2 tiered cake like this one (which is gorgeous!)
I actually had no idea that you needed supports/dowels (i dont even know what they are) to do this kind of cake. I must be really stupid!
To be completely honest reading this thread has completely put me off ever posting for advice in these forums.
OMG that Sandra Lee cake is horrific! LMAO. I think my 6 year old could decorate a cake better than that. What was up with those candles...couldn't she find anything bigger?
I'm thankfully she is not a regular on Food Network in Canada!
First off, ieatcakes157 don't be scared to ask for advice here on CC. There are many, many people here that will help you any way they can and also your cake is beautiful!!!
When my daughter got married (this was before I started making cakes) her so to be husband wanted the wedding cake from this bakery that he loved to buy donuts at. Well, apparently they don't make a lot of cakes because at the reception the cater came to me and said that they were having a hard time cutting the cake because there were no cake boards or supports in it!!! Even before I started making cakes I knew a tiered cake needed cake boards and suppport! On the positive side the cake tasted good and it didn't collapse!
She probably learned how to make cakes by watching Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee. I've seen her stack 3 tiers with no support and she goes on and on about how easy and what a money-saver it is. I wanted to punch her in the nose.
Finally...Someone who realizes this lady is a quack. I mean really buy this buy that open it up & put it on a plate. How did she ever get a show
Haha! Have you seen her Kwanzaa "hate crime"! HIL-arious! I am in tears when I watch this thing!
She can't make toast!
had never seen this befor...but i very much dislike her.
WHY DOES SHE HATE CAKE SO MUCH!!??
I cant take the credit for that cake, it isn't mine lol, i dont know where i can get the support thingys from lol
She probably learned how to make cakes by watching Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee. I've seen her stack 3 tiers with no support and she goes on and on about how easy and what a money-saver it is. I wanted to punch her in the nose.
I saw this episode! Was this the episode where she purchased the cake from like, Cosco, or Sam's club and then glued sugar cookies all over it?
Yeah boy! That's a wedding cake I can be proud of....NOT!
She probably learned how to make cakes by watching Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee. I've seen her stack 3 tiers with no support and she goes on and on about how easy and what a money-saver it is. I wanted to punch her in the nose.
I saw this episode! Was this the episode where she purchased the cake from like, Cosco, or Sam's club and then glued sugar cookies all over it?
Yeah boy! That's a wedding cake I can be proud of....NOT!
omg, the video that was posted was totally different...but I've SEEN that ONE! I swear she has no skill what-so-ever 
OP....tell the poor girl she needs supports! Yeah, she should do more research and you could have the "let her learn on her own" attitude but the nice thing would be to tell her. You'll feel better about yourself if you do.
carmijok....so sorry about your cake!
People are not entitled to any information unless they paid for it and No one is obligated to share information either. Ironically the people that some are so quick to jump on for saying they would not say a word are the ones that have shared so much on this site.
I think this is more a matter of the nature of the friendship rather than the information itself. The OP knew what could help her friend yet she didn't tell her. And honestly I don't think she needs anybody to tell her if to share the information or not. There are actually some friends that I would help and some I wouldn't and when the time comes I know the difference between the two.
I think it is crazy that this lady has made not only one but a few wedding cakes and haven't even bothered to research anything on tiered cakes.
In my opinion, it's like boogers on your face. If you really love your friend, you would tell them they have boogers on their face to go wipe their nose.
I would consider myself blessed to have such a friend.
As for the Sandra Lee thing,
this was the 'No Bake Wedding Cake I was referring too and I believe she stacked it with no support.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/semi-homemade-cooking-with-sandra-lee/no-bake-love-cake-recipe/index.html
I'm a firm believer in support, so hold your breath.
In reference to cake supports:
My husband is a cop and it's like he always says about carrying an off-duty-weapon, "Better to have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it at all."
*tokazodo slips out of the room quietly hoping she didn't just put herself in the crosshairs*
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