I made a baby shower cake last week and it just came out horrible. So horrible in fact I decided to just get a Walmart cake and bring it to the baby shower. I tried making a fourth of July cake which was another mess. I am at the point of just getting a plain butter cream cake from walmart and doing the decorating myself. That way I can just think about the decorations instead of baking, leveling, filling, and making sure it's smooth. I don't understand why i am this way when it comes to baking the cake and decorating it. I can bake, level, fill, and smooth with frosting. But when it comes to actually decorating it seems everything i know goes out the window and my kitchen is a total mess (which stresses me out even more) and the cake is horrible Just needed to vent

I know it's cheating and but it's only for my son's birthday, but knowing that i don't have to worry about actually baking the cake, and making the buttercream which I know how to do. I am not as freaked out knowing that the actually cake will be level and smooth ( which I am constantly stressed about). I know pratice makes perfect but I don't think I can handle another diaster. I am hoping someday I will be able to do it all without stressing out as much as I do.

If it is the baking, leveling etc of the cakes that is taking the fun out of it for you, then why not find an easier way?
Life is short, don't stress, no worries!
I think it's a pretty clever idea to purchase an already torted and filled cake and just do the decorating on it!
Decorating is the fun part, and it goes by way to fast compared to all the prep work!

It's okay to take short cuts, and spend the rest of your time doing what you love to do and visiting with your family.

Good Luck!

You should be able to enjoy making his birthday cake - if it causes you stress to bake the cake then I don't think it hurts to just buy one and decorate it. Birthdays are supposedd to be fun - not a total stress-fest so I say whatever makes you happy, go for it!

There's nothing wrong with taking a shortcut if it helps your stress level. Planning, baking and decorating cakes is a lot of work and I have felt the same as you from time to time. Step back for a while, then go back in with a new strategy if this is something you truly enjoy doing.

For example, bake, level and crumb coat your cake and cover well and put it in the freezer for a day, or as long as you need to come up with a design for decorating.

It works for some of us to sketch out a design, decide on the color palette, and make the decorations a day or two ahead of time.

I fully agree with you, that leveling a cake can be a huge challenge; and yes, with practice you will find that it becomes easier and easier. There are so many helpful tips here on CC for anything you can imagine, including leveling cakes. There are a lot of tutorials on you tube, and if you google 'leveling a cake' you can find additional ideas. There's not one specific way to do it, and you just have to find what works for you.

There are no rules to when it comes to caking, so don't be so hard on yourself. I'm sending you a {{hug}}

Kat