What Am I Doing Wrong?!!

Decorating By Euphoriabakery Updated 19 Feb 2006 , 4:32am by Helendelk

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Euphoriabakery Posted 15 Feb 2006 , 7:51pm
post #1 of 30

Okay- so I am a little discouraged by this whole cake decorating buisness! I have been decorating seriously since October 2005 and try to decorate as often as I can. I have even sold a few cakes.

However, everytime I decorate I am usually pretty proud of what I create, I know it's not up to par with most of you guys on this site, but I think I do pretty well. Each time I make something I get so excited to present my work but I don't get much of a respose when I show people my work? I might get one or two saying oh good job, but usually very little response. Even on this site I get few to no comments on my work. I have even tried putting my pics in forums and asking for feedback, hoping to figure out what I am doing wrong and I still don't get feedback.

Is the lack of feedback a sign that maybe I am just not cut out to be a cake decorator? I always get great reviews from pepole who eat my cakes and baked goods, but never any comments on the decor.

29 replies
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KittisKakes Posted 15 Feb 2006 , 7:59pm
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Hi,
I looked at your pics and you really do good work. I agree it gets discouraging when you don't get responses to questions or comments on your pics. I think it has more to do with the volume of stuff that goes through. I know I've posted a picture and in just a few minutes it had already been replaced with other pictures, so not as many people had seen it and probably won't unless they search through the gallery. Don't give up and keep them coming.

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Kiddiekakes Posted 15 Feb 2006 , 8:03pm
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Just because you don't get many replies or comments means nothing about the fabulous work you do!! Kitti is right!! There is so much posting with pictures and posts that sometimes it gets knocked aside by another picture posted etc...I too just looked at your photos and everything is wonderful.....don't let the lack of comments discourage you!!!


Laurel thumbs_up.gif

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parismom Posted 15 Feb 2006 , 8:06pm
post #4 of 30

I'm sure alot of people have seen your cakes and said WOW in their heads... but like me sometimes my toddler keeps me from posting comments b/c she is tugging on me to get off the computer! LOL!

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hlcsp31 Posted 15 Feb 2006 , 8:10pm
post #5 of 30

I would say that the reason you are not getting too much feedback in the galleries is because of the amount of stuff posted there.

I know I only really have time to look at the ones that are on the home page --where it says newest cakes. I hardly ever look through the galleries ----unless I am needing a specific idea. It takes a very long time to go through them. I don't usually have that kind of time.

As far as posts, it may be the same reason. Too much volume.
Probably so, because I just looked through your photos and your cakes look good.

I really like the brown (chocolate) with pink dots on it.
There were a few others that I thought ----ooh I like that one best-----, then after looking some more I would forget which ones, because I would think ----ooh I like that one, I like that one, etc.

Please don't get discouraged------you are doing well. Just keep it up. You will get even better as you go.

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lng_1978 Posted 15 Feb 2006 , 8:12pm
post #6 of 30

I AGREE WITH EVERYONE...YOU DO A GREAT JOB! DON'T GET DISCOURAGED! I COULD EVEN USE YOUR HELP ON PETIT FOURS...THAT I STILL HAVEN'T MASTERED!!!

LES

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Euphoriabakery Posted 15 Feb 2006 , 8:13pm
post #7 of 30

Thanks so much for your encouraging responses. It does seem that my pics get pushed off the home page before people get to look at them, or I finish a cake really late at night and post the pick and no one is on at that hour to comment.

Thanks again for taking the time to encourage me in my self pitty!

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hlcsp31 Posted 15 Feb 2006 , 8:15pm
post #8 of 30

That chocolate one with the leaves----THAT is my favorite!!!! I decided that after looking at your avitar. hee hee thumbs_up.gif

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SquirrellyCakes Posted 15 Feb 2006 , 8:17pm
post #9 of 30

Well, I rarely go into the galleries unless someone deliberately makes a general post drawing attention to a cake they have added. For a New Year's resolution, I decided to try to get into the galleries everyday. Before even mid morning, there is more than 100 new cakes posted every day. I did it for three days, took me 9 straight hours on the computer to get through one day of pictures. I went through every last one of the new decorator's cakes at one point and was up-to-date but I couldn't keep this up.
People are not ignoring your work at all, you need to make a general post in the morning or afternoon, calling attention to your work. If you do it later in the day, there are just so many posts being made, your post will get lost.
But I have been thinking of a solution for this, I will make a separate post.
Hugs Squirrelly

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kjb Posted 15 Feb 2006 , 8:18pm
post #10 of 30

Hi,
Don't get discouraged! I think you do great decorating!!!I even have your daffodil cupcakes in my favorites...some day I'll try them myself. If decorating a cake lets you express your creative talent...Do It!!! That's why I do it.
Anyone can bake a box cake and throw a can of store bought icing on it. It's when someone takes the time and puts some care and thought into a cake that makes the difference. And if it doesn't come out exactly how you pictured it in your mind the first time. Eat it and try again. (Ha, Ha)

I hope you continue posting pictures...I know I am guilty of looking at pictures...thinking wow that's nice, but not writing any thing...I quess we can all be more pro-active in encouraging our fellow bakers by taking the 2 minutes to type some thing on their post.


KJB

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Wandootie Posted 15 Feb 2006 , 8:20pm
post #11 of 30

You're not doing anything wrong. I agree with the others...I think it's just amount of posts here. Everyone has somethhing to share and it's a little hard to get to everyone. I felt the same way at first...like no one likes me, not that's not true.

You do beautiful work. I especially love your petit fours and I sent you a pm a while back about how you did them...they are impressive. I think I have misplaced your post to me regarding the petit fours, so if you ever have the time, please pm me with your instructions again. I would really appreciate it. I have a Bride-to-be that wants petit fours for her wedding shower, so any advise would be appreciated.

Keep up the good work...and the posts!

Wanda

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Euphoriabakery Posted 15 Feb 2006 , 8:22pm
post #12 of 30

Wandootie -

Thanks so much, I will try to locate that PM on the petit fours and send it to you.

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Euphoriabakery Posted 15 Feb 2006 , 8:39pm
post #13 of 30

Thank you everyone for your encouraging words! And everyone make sure to check out Squirrleycakes post on cake comments! What an awesome idea!
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-155289.html#155289

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poppie Posted 15 Feb 2006 , 8:53pm
post #14 of 30

Your cakes are great. I look at the cakes on here and know that if I keep working I can do what all of you do. Don't give up us Newbies need all the help we can get. I will even try to post comments more often. thumbs_up.gifthumbs_up.gif

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lng_1978 Posted 15 Feb 2006 , 8:58pm
post #15 of 30

I AM INTERESTED IN YOUR INSTRUCTIONS ON PETIT FOURS...WILL YOU PM ME AS WELL?

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Euphoriabakery Posted 15 Feb 2006 , 9:04pm
post #16 of 30
Quote:
Originally Posted by lng_1978

I AM INTERESTED IN YOUR INSTRUCTIONS ON PETIT FOURS...WILL YOU PM ME AS WELL?




Sure will, I'll go send them right now.

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HaileysMom Posted 15 Feb 2006 , 9:17pm
post #17 of 30

Ok...so I don't want to be a bother, but would you mind forwarding me your advice on doing petits fours? I've never attempted them, but looking at the ones in your gallery makes me want to try them. Yours looked so yummy! If you get a chance to pm me, I'd really appreciate it. And, as everyone else has said, I totally agree that it's purely the number of pictures and posts that come through each day as to why your particular pictures haven't received as many comments as you'd like. You have a variety of desserts in your gallery and as for your cake decorating skills, you appear to be pretty talented. I'm glad you posted this topic though so that we can all make an effort to comment on the pics in the gallery more.

Anyways, TIA!
Steph

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Euphoriabakery Posted 15 Feb 2006 , 9:23pm
post #18 of 30
Quote:
Originally Posted by HaileysMom

Ok...so I don't want to be a bother, but would you mind forwarding me your advice on doing petits fours? I've never attempted them, but looking at the ones in your gallery makes me want to try them. Yours looked so yummy! If you get a chance to pm me, I'd really appreciate it. And, as everyone else has said, I totally agree that it's purely the number of pictures and posts that come through each day as to why your particular pictures haven't received as many comments as you'd like. You have a variety of desserts in your gallery and as for your cake decorating skills, you appear to be pretty talented. I'm glad you posted this topic though so that we can all make an effort to comment on the pics in the gallery more.

Anyways, TIA!
Steph




Just sent it out to you. Good luck and make sure to post pics!

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Euphoriabakery Posted 15 Feb 2006 , 9:45pm
post #19 of 30

Since I have had 4 people PM me asking for my petit four instructions I thought I would just go ahead and post them here!

Thank you guys for all of your encouragement! And there is no better compliment then to have so many people request my instructions!

When I decided to try to make petit fours I started looking all over the web for some instructions. I didn't find any that I completely liked so my method became kind of a hodge podge of a bunch of different methods.

I used a standard yellow cake recipe, but any fairly dense cake would probably work. I cooked it in a 12x17 jelly roll pan. Once the cake was cooled completely I leveled it and trimmed the edges off, so I would have nice sqaure pieces. Then I cut the cake in half and torted each half. I filled half with chocolate ganache and half with lemon curd. Once filled I spread a thin layer of buttercream on each cake and then put them in the freezer for a few hours.

Once frozen I cut them into one inch sqaures and placed them, back in the freezer. Then I took out about 12 at a time, placed them on a cooling rack, and covered them in quick pour fondant ( I used the recipe in the back of a wilton decoraters book), chcoalate for the ones filled with chocolate ganache. I tried a number of ways to do this however the only way that turned out to be succesful was to put the icing into a squirt bottle, like those used for ketchup or honey, and quickly cover each petit four starting at the top and working around the sides, making sure not to leave any holes. I could do about 12 at a time with the size bottle I was using. If you set the cooling rack over a large cookie sheet you can just scrape the extra icing drippings off the cookie sheet and back in the pan. After each bottle you will need to reheat the icing before refilling the bottle. The trick is to get the right consistency in your icing. If it is too thin it just runs off the cakes, too thick and you get too clumpy of a coat. I found that heating it just a little thinner than desired worked, because it would cool slightly by the time I got it transfered into the bottle.

The freezing of the cakes helps the icing set much faster than normal. Once the icing is completely set you can transfer them and decorate them any way you like. I used royal icing for my decorations.



Here's the quick pour fondant recipe:

6C confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2C water
2T white corn syrup
1 tsp. almond extract
coloring ( optional)

Combine water and corn syrup. Add to sugar in a saucepan and stir over low heat unitl well-mixed, thin enough to be poured, but thick enough so that it will not run off the cake. Stir in extract and coloring.

For chocolate poured fondant add 3 oz. melted chocolate before adding extract.

Good luck and make sure to post a pic when you are done, I would love to see how they turn out!

Roxanne

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stephanie214 Posted 18 Feb 2006 , 3:00am
post #20 of 30

Hi Roxanne,

Just wanted to let you know that I checked out your cakes and they are wonderful.

I use to have time to look at and make comments on most pictures but CC has grown so large that it is impossible to do this now.

thumbs_up.gifthumbs_up.gifthumbs_up.gif

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mary-ann Posted 18 Feb 2006 , 3:27am
post #21 of 30

Wow, your cakes are awesome! Don't get discouraged. You have a great style.

Another reason for lack of picture comments is because the gallery feature to scroll through the latest pictures isn't working. I don't look at the pictures as much anymore because it takes so much longer now.

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SquirrellyCakes Posted 18 Feb 2006 , 4:20am
post #22 of 30

Roxanne, thanks for sharing your recipe and your method! I am sure a lot of people are happy to get that information and your recipe!
Hugs Squirrelly

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ellepal Posted 18 Feb 2006 , 4:32am
post #23 of 30

Your cakes are wonderful!!! I remember your pettifours for Christmas and thought, "WOW!!!" That takes talent and patience. Just keep baking, if it is what you love to do!! You do quality work, so don't stop just because you don't feel you are getting response on this forum. I don't get response everytime, but I decided not to let that discourage me anymore.
Best of luck!!!
Ellen

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Euphoriabakery Posted 18 Feb 2006 , 6:04am
post #24 of 30

Thank you all for all of your wonderful comments! I feel so much better abut my work and so greatful to be a part of such a great group of decorators!

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steph95 Posted 18 Feb 2006 , 7:42am
post #25 of 30

Your cakes look great. I think you can chalk the lack of comments at your workplace to a hint of jealousy. Maybe they wish they would be talented enough to do what you are capable of. Be proud. People will only make you feel as bad as you let them.

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MeloMiMi Posted 19 Feb 2006 , 1:15am
post #26 of 30

I also think your cakes are beautiful. I also bring cakes to work and everyone doesn't make a comment on it much less say thank you but they sure "scarf" it down. I also feel hurt because I rarely receive a comment from the site. I am also guilty of not posting my opinion on the cakes I view because it is time consuming.

All the cakes on CC are pretty because we put in so much time and effort. Keep on decorating!

MeloMiMi

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Euphoriabakery Posted 19 Feb 2006 , 1:42am
post #27 of 30

MeloMiMi

I think your cakes are great especially your valentines cake! Keep decorating and check out the new support forum that squirelly cakes started!

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-forum-29.html

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Zamode Posted 19 Feb 2006 , 2:47am
post #28 of 30

Roxanne nothing wrong with your cakes. You are way ahead of me! I know how you feel though, you need that boost or even the critique from others, especially those who share the love for decorating. I can relate 110%. Keep going!

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MeloMiMi Posted 19 Feb 2006 , 4:14am
post #29 of 30

Roxanne, Thanks for your kind words.

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Helendelk Posted 19 Feb 2006 , 4:32am
post #30 of 30

I so know how you feel I havent hardly posted any of my cakes because of feeling the same way... I dont get out much so my only true contact of people seeing is on here. I get excited when I post them and then wait for the response and wait and wait but hey I figure ppl have lives and dont have time to go thru galleries... Your cakes are very beautiful so keep up the great work! and keep posting ! thumbs_up.gif

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