I'm such a wimp. I critique all my cakes so awfully that I know at least 20 things to do different next time. Hearing my peers saying them to me is just too much to bare!
for real
i bake/create to ring the client's bell -- in a good way ring their bell
but if you want to feel comforted in your human-ness...pickup almost any published cake book and start ticking off the booboos
and besides there are definitely degrees between:
- homely as sin but 'a' for effort
- loving hands at home
- hand crafted and perfect are both a 3 imo
- take your breath away omg dingding ding ding ding we have a winner!
i like to hit about a 3.5 on a sunny day with a tailwind--
i'm usually in the 2.9 to 3.1 range give or take i think --
i'm comfortable with where i am in this regard--i hit the heights sometimes
but check out the books to find cakes/cakers who are far from perfect decor wise but are 4+ all the way ;)
I'm loving this! I was getting bored with CC and this has made it fun again. I do have a suggestion, though...
Could we all be sure to preface our comments with something that indicates it's from the cake club ? I'd hate to see a misinterpretation and have people start offering all kinds of unsolicited critiques .
Thanks!
Linda
I'm such a wimp. I critique all my cakes so awfully that I know at least 20 things to do different next time. Hearing my peers saying them to me is just too much to bare!
You know what's funny? I've entered several cake competitions and it seems like the judges NEVER comment on what I think is the cake's weak points but find their own things to critique.
I'm loving this! I was getting bored with CC and this has made it fun again. I do have a suggestion, though...
Could we all be sure to preface our comments with something that indicates it's from the cake club ? I'd hate to see a misinterpretation and have people start offering all kinds of unsolicited critiques .
Thanks!
Linda
I've been prefacing my critique comments with PRCC.
I've definitely been putting "Cake Club-" in front of mine.
So a competition that I entered way back when I was quite green, I probably lost first place to because of the way my cake was presented, not the cake itself. The table needed to be pretty too! I did take some satin fabric with me, but I just didn't have the eye for it, nor the skills to fancy up the table.
So ever since then, I am so critical of cake boards and whatever immediately surrounds the cake. Sometimes it's as simple as just a fondant covering and a piece of ribbon, but it really really finishes the presentation, no matter how simple the cake may be. I think of it like an arrangement of flowers in a clear vase. If the blooms on top are gorgeous are pretty, then take the time to trim the stems and dump out the dirty water before you call it done.
I truly believe cakes finished all the way like that warrant an extra bump in what a person charges. Uniformity when it's called for, and an all around polished look is what counts in my book-decorations rate second.
So get ready to hear it repeated: no aluminum foil! Cover those boards! Wrap that edge with ribbon!
thank you so much, beeskneeskins.
i think perfect is srsly over-rated in and of itself--perfect is not art of course--it does have it's place but it's not essential in a 4
to me a cake's gotta have that elusive ethereal breath of life to be a 4
must create an awe-inspiring jaw dropping wonder in the viewer
can't take eyes away wonder
That's the whole point! Get feedback on what to do next time or what to try a different way to push your work to a higher level! Like if everyone would stop using aluminum foil to cover their presentation board with, BAM! There's an easy improvement right there. Little things like that.
Yes you are so right!
Here is one of mine:
Constructive feedbacks are welcome!!
I remember this group, too, from years ago. I love that y'all have started it up again, and I'm eager to get help with my cakes!
OK, I'm being brave enough to post a recent cake; I need all the critiques I can get! The worst part is the dice; they're lumpy and are sloppily stuck on the cake. I should have done the details on the poker chips with fondant, but they were small and I was running out of time! The brown part of the table was done with 6 separate pieces of MMF, but I think it would have been better/neater/smoother with only 1 long piece, but I've had long pieces go saggy and wonky on me. Not sure the face down card looks very realistic. Thanks for all your help!
OK, I'm being brave enough to post a recent cake; I need all the critiques I can get! The worst part is the dice; they're lumpy and are sloppily stuck on the cake. I should have done the details on the poker chips with fondant, but they were small and I was running out of time! The brown part of the table was done with 6 separate pieces of MMF, but I think it would have been better/neater/smoother with only 1 long piece, but I've had long pieces go saggy and wonky on me. Not sure the face down card looks very realistic. Thanks for all your help!
Post you link! We won't bite, I promise :D
I'll post one of mine, there's a clearer photo of it before set up in my gallery too. Also the board was covered in red fondant, and finished with a red ribbon but you can't see it in the photo!
It was my first 'big' cake, it's a 8-10-12 in MMF. The only request was an UNO theme, it was a gift for a friend and I spent about $45 on ingredients and supplies.
http://cakecentral.com/g/i/2936716/the-finished-uno-cake/u/898072/flat/1/
Is this the correct way to post a link...go to the gallery pic and copy the first stringon the panel called "embed"? Here's a try:
Here are the satellite cakes that accompaniedthe groom's cake to make enough servings. The poker chip is an extra amaretto layer I hadn't used, decorated with buttercream and fondant to match the brides colors. The dice are "cookie pop" amaretto dough with BC and molded chocolate suits for the pips. Really wanted to do more chips with their monogram in the centers, but it didn't get done. This should be the link, and thanks in advance for your help.
http://cakecentral.com/g/i/2947150/grooms-cakes/album/10/flat/1
ANew to the site and still figuring out how it works but love this post! Learning lots not brave enough to put any of my cakes up. Scary to compare then to all the ones ive seen on here!
Okay, here goes nothing. I'm not new to baking, however, I'm new to posting on CC, but have used it for some time to gather advice by reading the forums. I'm still trying to figure out everything while waiting on my new little one to arrive (currently 37 weeks pregnant). I would love to participate in this post by giving you all access to my last two cakes. One is only my second wedding cake and the other is my first groom's cake. I hope I post these right, if not, please let me know what I did wrong. Thanks so much, I know I still have tons of things to learn. Can't wait to see what I can learn from you all.
http://cakecentral.com/g/a/3316993/tiered-flower-cascade
and
Just want to say I love this idea! Thank you FromScratch for starting this!
I've learned so much from the critique I received for my own cake. And reading the critique for other cakes are also good lesson for me! These advice are so valuable. They are honest, sincere, and really constructive.
A good lesson I learned is - details, details, details. Pay much attention to every detail. Make sure everything is sharp, clean, and neat. That's one of the important factors that differentiates a pro from a novice.
Again thank you to FromScratch! By the way, I love your blog and your post on SMBC is my go-to page for buttercream.
I think they are both quite lovely! Very dark rich colors. Edges look good!
And congratulations on the new baby!
If someone would critique my profile picture that would be great. I have been on this site for about three months but just looking. This cake was done as a last minute order so please be kind but also honest. Thanks
I have to agree, this has been a really useful thread for me, as a newbie. I try not to copy other designs, but that means I have to come up with all the details myself and I don't have the experience to know how far to go with some things. So thank you to everyone who has been participating and long may it continue!
What a helpful idea! I've been cake decorating for about two years now, but I'm afraid I'm still more of a baker than a decorator. Trying to improve and learn a little more with every cake, so any tips on execution and design are much appreciated.
I'd appreciate a review of this cake, my 3rd wedding cake: http://cakecentral.com/g/i/2947683/a/3317224/white-butter-cakes-5-7-9-with-vanilla-american-buttercream-and-raspberry-filling-decorated-with-fondant-ribbons-white-gumpaste-roses-and-purple-cascading-blossoms-that-were-supposed-to-give-the-impression-of-wisteria/ The fondant ribbons are painted with petal dust/vodka to try to match the ribbon swatch the bride gave me, but I was unhappy with the streaky look of the color.
Also, could you give a critique of this one, my second wedding cake: http://cakecentral.com/g/i/2947772/a/3317266/my-second-real-wedding-cake-all-tiers-have-rlbs-silk-meringue-buttercream-under-mmf-6-top-tier-was-lemon-ginger-cake-with-lemon-smbc-filling-9-second-tier-was-pumpkin-spice-cake-with-maple-smbc-filling-12-base-tier-was-chocolate-cake-with/
This second one was a real challenge (and by "challenge" I mean "nightmare") for this all-butter-all-the-time scratch baker because the bride discovered that she was lactose intolerant about 2 months before the wedding, so I had to scrap all my recipes and find new ones. (Actually, the pumpkin spice cake I ended up using is FromScratchSf's - it's one of her fantastic variations on her basic white cake.) I didn't want to just give her criscocream, so I made silk meringue bc and SMBC and subbed shortening for all the butter - which was a terrible idea, because it stayed extremely soft, making putting the fondant on a real pain. Also, I could have sworn it didn't look that crooked in real life; I used SPS to stack, so I'm not sure how I managed that so badly!
I am glad to see this thread renewed. I never had the courage to submit my cakes before, but after some elapsed time I'm eager to try. I appreciate whatever feedback I can get. (My family's comments are never impartial.) Thanks.
<a href="http://cakecentral.com/g/i/1872830/ordered-by-a-daughter-for-her-mothers-75th-birthday-her-request-was-that-it-include-orchids-and-the-lilies-as-those-were-in-her-moms-wedding-bouquet-oh-and-purple-is-her-favorite-color-the-cake-is-cakepros-thanks-cakepro-lemon-cake-recipe/u/700117/flat/1/"><img src="http://cakecentral.com/image/id/504968/width/400/flags/LL"></a>
Thanks,
Jan
ok, I have lots of cakes that i know are bad so I'm posting the best one I think I have. :-S
one of my main problems is smooth sides, they are always bumpy. help?
Ledfordchas, this thread is about honestly critiquing cakes to help people improve. No-one is going to be deliberately nasty on it. By saying "be kind", it implies that we are not to say anything that might hurt your feelings (and not knowing you we do not know how sensitive you might be), which may make it very hard to give you helpful advise if there are problems with your cake. If people only tell you what is good about the cake, so as to "Be Kind", it defeats the purpose of the thread. Having said that if you want others to critique it you will need to post a link to it.
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%