Fake Cake Disappoints Me

Decorating By 3GCakes Updated 25 Nov 2010 , 7:23pm by sewsugarqueen

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3GCakes Posted 25 Nov 2010 , 3:40am
post #1 of 18

I don't like to be totally intrigued, besotted, or amazed by a cake....

only to find out it's not cake.

I hate to feel this way...because I know it takes a lot to decorate styrofoam or what not. I really do.

Am I a Scrooge, or what?

17 replies
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tiggy2 Posted 25 Nov 2010 , 4:11am
post #2 of 18

If it's for display not going to be eaten what difference does it make?

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HowCoolGomo1 Posted 25 Nov 2010 , 4:36am
post #3 of 18

I wouldn't go so far as Scrooge.

My only disappointment is I know I ultimately can't recreate the beauties in real cake.

The hardest part is telling my nieces. Yes; it can be done, but I don't have the skill set.

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Loucinda Posted 25 Nov 2010 , 5:02am
post #4 of 18

I know how you feel, I see some websites that have both posted as REAL cakes, (little do they know, there are some that CAN tell which ones are fake). I think that is almost like "false" advertising. Let me see you do that in REAL cake. There have even been posts on here about folks complaining that the work "wasn't like what you have on your website" - thus my feelings on it not being right. Go ahead and post them, BUT tell what they really are.

Dummies are much easier to get "perfect" than real cake is, IMO.

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3GCakes Posted 25 Nov 2010 , 5:11am
post #5 of 18

I see it a lot here...when the "most saved" cake is someone's dummy cake for a bridal show.

Like I said, I don't begrudge someone being able to decorate a fake cake, or make a head out of fake cake...I know it still takes artistic abilit, planning, and precision.

I guess my subject should maybe be "I am more impressed when it is really done with cake".

Maybe I am a little jealous when beautifully decorated styrofoam gets more saves than someone's beautifully decorated...uh...CAKE!

Does that make sense?

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candoo Posted 25 Nov 2010 , 5:19am
post #6 of 18

I sooo agree with you 3gcakes!!

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madgeowens Posted 25 Nov 2010 , 6:44am
post #7 of 18

I feel that way too.....when I find out its styrofoam its like eh.....let me see you do it with cake hehehe....because they really are two different things entirely......

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cutiepiecupcake Posted 25 Nov 2010 , 8:00am
post #8 of 18

ooh this is interesting.. I never looked at it that way. I have just started my own website and thought decorated dummies would be a great way to display my skills and ideas on what I could create, however... a real cake is never going to look that 'sharp or perfect'.. could definitely lead to disapointment. Hmmmm thanks for sharing your opinion cc members icon_smile.gif

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Caths_Cakes Posted 25 Nov 2010 , 8:46am
post #9 of 18

When i first bought my dummies, i didnt even know of the concept of display cakes, i bought them to practise on and still use them for that! . . But at the same time, Some people do have the abilitly to get there fondant perfectly smooth, and with sharp corners, it is possible to get the same effect on a dummy as it is on a real cake.

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ramacake Posted 25 Nov 2010 , 9:16am
post #10 of 18

It's definately possible to do a real cake just as sharp and perfect as a fake cake. Some situations just call for a fake cake..Especially if it's going to be on display for an extended period of time, or if a bride wants something much larger and impressive then what she needs servings for. It still takes just as much time and ability to do a fake cake as it does to do a real cake.

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cutiepiecupcake Posted 25 Nov 2010 , 11:03am
post #11 of 18
Quote:
Originally Posted by ramacake

It's definately possible to do a real cake just as sharp and perfect as a fake cake. Some situations just call for a fake cake..Especially if it's going to be on display for an extended period of time, or if a bride wants something much larger and impressive then what she needs servings for. It still takes just as much time and ability to do a fake cake as it does to do a real cake.




Glad to read your opinion.. I've been practicing stenciling on my cake dummy using a homemade stencil made from my cricut with royal icing.. it's come up trumps and gives me the real feel of what it would be like applying it to the side of a cake opposed to a just flat surface. I hope that one day I will get the same 'sharpness' acheived from my dummy cake icon_smile.gif

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Loucinda Posted 25 Nov 2010 , 3:29pm
post #12 of 18

It does take skill to cover and decorate a dummy, I agree....BUT doing the SAME technique on REAL cake is more difficult. Dummies don't move, or give, or settle - real cake does. And the sharpness of the edges? There are a lot less folks that can get that on real cake - it is a LOT easier to get that on a dummy. And again, this (IMO) is why there are so many complaints about "this cake doesn't look like the work on your website". That is why I think it should be stated which ones are real, and which ones aren't.

Edited to add: I realize there are some situations where you HAVE to use a dummy!

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justducky Posted 25 Nov 2010 , 3:48pm
post #13 of 18

I use display dummies, but I never do a styro cake in a form that I cannot duplicate in real cake.

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ThePurpleButterfly Posted 25 Nov 2010 , 5:19pm
post #14 of 18

I agree. It really makes me frustrated when I can't duplicate it. I question my abilities. I thought of buying cake dummies and using them for like bottom tiers but I wonder if there will be a noticeable difference in the look. Does it make it that much more work to get it "perfect"?

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Elcee Posted 25 Nov 2010 , 5:29pm
post #15 of 18

3GCakes...I so agreee with you! I think that a HUGE part of cake decorating is the ability to create a straight, level, sturdy and smooth cake. I think anyone who uses dummies as advertisement should be 100% sure of their ability to construct that design just as well in real cake. We cake decorators can spot a dummy but the general public can't.

I entered a competition last year and all the higher level cakes were dummies. At the beginner and intermediate level (that's me), there was a mix and I thought it was like comparing apples and oranges and I wonder if the dummies got dinged on points for difficulty. Mine was real cake and I got 1st place in my division/category but the first place in the beginner category was fake.

All that being said, I did cave and get a set of dummies for this year, mostly because I want to enter more than one cake and the only way I'd have time to do that is to use dummies for at least one of them.

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elliegails Posted 25 Nov 2010 , 6:41pm
post #16 of 18

Customers and employees alike do not realize the hours spent on the cake BEFORE any decoarating takes place. The baking, cooling, leveling, stacking, supporting, etc, etc...make real cakes a lot more work than dummies. I do think there are reasons to use dummies, but they are definitely easier.

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cownsj Posted 25 Nov 2010 , 6:44pm
post #17 of 18

Maybe it's my lack of experience, but I remember doing a dummy cake for friends and I had the hardest time with the fonant on the cake. I cursed the styro up and down and finally used a box cutter to take off the hard edge so I could get the fondant on without continually tearing it. It did end up looking more like a real cake under it because of that, but I guess it was a lucky problem I ran into? I just know I absolutely hate trying to cover styrofoam (and I had thought all along it would be so much easier) Silly me.

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sewsugarqueen Posted 25 Nov 2010 , 7:23pm
post #18 of 18

I found the difference between practicing decorating on a fake cake and then a real cake caused real problems. It is so much easier with a fake cake. For decorating classes we've used fake but doesn't prepare you for the real problems( sinking , shifting). I've decided to start practicng on real cakes . Looks like the neighbours and friends are going to be eating lots of cake! icon_biggrin.gif

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