Okay, I Knew I'd Have One Some Day....my 1St Disaster!

Decorating By Sugar_Plum_Fairy Updated 30 Aug 2007 , 2:34am by Sugar_Plum_Fairy

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Sugar_Plum_Fairy Posted 29 Aug 2007 , 7:43pm
post #1 of 11

(Warning: a bit long)

Here it is: I offered to make the baby shower cake for my cousin, Amy, in Long Island. That's about a 2-1/2 - 3 hour drive from my home. I was looking forward to the shower itself and seeing my cousin and aunt who I don't get to see often because of the distance. As it turns out, my Aunt B. moved to Nevada almost two months ago and money is real tight so I found out she wouldn't be attending the shower, but she'd be flying in when the baby is born. Needless to say she wants to see her first grandchild. Also, my other cousins (we're all first cousins as our moms are/were three sisters. For clarification purposes, my mom passed away a year and a half ago and re: my aunts and cousins, I'll use initials.) RSVP'd "no" as did my other aunt, Aunt A.

Aunt A. and her oldest daughter, C. said that since C's hubby recently had open heart surgery (about four weeks ago), they wouldn't be attending the shower. Sister, M., said she might be going on vacation (usually if C. doesn't do something neither does she!). And I didn't hear why the third sister, J., wasn't attending. Anyway, to keep it short, I'm leaving out a lot of details, but because of this and some other reasons I won't get into here, I'm no longer speaking with C. who was like a sister to me, and Aunt A. hasn't returned my phone call or e-mail. Haven't heard from M. either, so I guess we're not speaking as well and I was never too close with J. anyway.

I found out also, that noone else from my side was showing up either. It was all going to be Amy's friends that I don't know and are all at least six years my junior and her cousins from her father's side that I remember from years ago and we're very different - amicable now that we're older, but didn't get along well as children. Anyway, my heart was totally not into this so that could be one reason the cake didn't do too well.

Other reasons (not intentional) for the cake's failure, were: 1- center dowel didn't go all the way into foam core board - it just broke through the freezer paper. 2 - I realized too late that I shouldn't have torted each layer. and 3 - the humidity wrecked havoc with my MMF!! edited to add: Due to the humidity and the way the fondant looked, I opted to turn what was suppose to be a diaper bag into a bag of diapers!

So before I could even get out of my uphill driveway, the cake was falling and the MMF was a mess and the edible image 'cracked'. I was so annoyed with the cake and the whole situation that I didn't go to the shower. I called up Amy's cousins and explained that the cake was a mess and they'd need to get another one. I then called up Amy later that evening and told her I'd come by to see her when the baby is born and I'd bring a cake then. Also, I'd get to see Aunt B. and meet her boyfriend (baby's father).

Well now for the cake photos. Before: http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-gallery_display_971203.html and after:
LL

10 replies
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AmyBeth Posted 29 Aug 2007 , 7:51pm
post #2 of 11

Sorry about your disaster. I recently had my first as well. It's so disapointing after all of that work!

My advice- Don't stop talking to your family for any reason. It isn't ever worth it!

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Beezaly Posted 29 Aug 2007 , 7:55pm
post #3 of 11

So sorry this happened! I can relate though, had my 1st a few weeks back. Never fun! The before picture looks great!!

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jenbenjr Posted 29 Aug 2007 , 7:56pm
post #4 of 11

Oh my gosh! I am so sorry to hear about your disaster! The cake looked great and it looks like you had so much time in it. I totally understand the whole messed up family thing. My Dad passed away 6 yrs ago and since then so much has happened with his side of the family, my mom,sisters, and I don't talk to any of them. I don't even think of them as family....sad but sometimes for the best. Anyway...I am sure the next cake you make for them will be just as great and will make it there!!!

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ceshell Posted 29 Aug 2007 , 8:14pm
post #5 of 11

Sorry to hear about your nightmare! You know I think if your heart had been in it, you could have just gone to the shower anyway and people probably would have still been amazed by your cake, even in its..uh..compromised state lol. You could surely see the effort involved even through all of the cracks icon_lol.gif.

Anyway it sounds like you will see your cousin under better circumstances, and then she will have just had the baby, and she'll be thrilled to have one of your cakes all to herself icon_smile.gif.

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lentula Posted 29 Aug 2007 , 8:19pm
post #6 of 11

You poor thing! That's heartbreaking after all that work and time... and I'm not going to broach the family issue, as I haven't even figured out mine yet!

The before picture is wonderful, I hope you've emailed it your cousin so she can see what a fabulous job you did in her honour, and why when it was ruined you were too frustrated to go to the shower - I know last week, when I had my first disaster, I didn't want to go to the party (just curl up and stuff myself with chocolate cake to feel better about the whole mess icon_wink.gif)

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lapazlady Posted 29 Aug 2007 , 8:27pm
post #7 of 11

Whoa! Now, that is a cake disaster, so sorry!! They happen. Everyone has had one somewhere along the line.

Now, family. It's the only one you have. Be sure to keep the ties open. You can fight, not speak, feel neglected and still love one another. Send a card, an e-mail, whatever, just keep in touch. Life takes all sorts of twists and turns, but there is still only one family. God Bless.

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Sugar_Plum_Fairy Posted 29 Aug 2007 , 8:41pm
post #8 of 11

Thanks everyone! At the risk of getting too involved this "problem" with the family actually goes back to when I made my Get Well cookie bouquet for my cousin C's hubby after his open heart surgery. He e-mailed me a thank you and it was right before that that my Aunt B. mentioned that her sister, Aunt A. wouldn't be attending the shower because he wasn't doing too well. When I responded to his e-mail and mentioned that I was glad to hear (from his thank you e-mail) that his recovery was going even faster than anticipated (by the dr's) and that the only reason his mother-in-law/my aunt wasn't attending the baby shower was an excuse and not totally accurate (she had told her sister that he wasn't doing well and I had become concerned that he had taken a turn for the worst), he sent me an e-mail berating me for involving his mother-in-law and cc'd his wife (my cousin).

When I e-mailed back explaining my position, he responded by basically calling me a liar and telling me to not be ridicoulous that I shouldn't have involved his mother-in-law at all as she had nothing to do with his thank you or condition. I was like WTH?! My hubby happened to walk into our bedroom and saw me crying while I was reading the e-mail. Then he went back and read the one before it and threatened to call them up. Being that he was recovering from such a serious operation I told him not to. But my aunt never returned my phone call and a week later I sent C an e-mail with one question (I asked if that was just her husband's opinion of if he was speaking for them both and she never responded either). So I haven't heard from them since and after sending one more e-mail to my aunt and two of her three daughter's and getting no response, I'm no longer turning the other cheek and I'm now not speaking with them!

So my family is now my hubby and three children and my in-laws as I don't know my father (I've only spoken to him once on the phone and he said he'd call me back and never did - that was before my 9 yr old was born!! He never knew about me until I got in touch with him as my mother was never married and only told me who he was when I turned 21 as was my wish). Oh, and my one aunt and cousin. Gee I'm sorry my other two cousins are two of my children's Godmothers now!!

Sorry to rant! I'm just so hurt and frustrated by all this and the cake collapsing didn't help.

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Monilynn Posted 29 Aug 2007 , 9:03pm
post #9 of 11

* hugs* your family sounds alot like mine. I am very sorry to see how it all turned out for you but the cake started out beautiful .



Monica

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DanaJones Posted 29 Aug 2007 , 10:21pm
post #10 of 11

you are a braver woman than i am! I have never done anything in fondant and quite frankly im afraid to! your idea was really cute and i think you should just take this as a learning experience and dont let it get you down. i wish i had been there... looks like a delicious disaster!! icon_smile.gif

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Sugar_Plum_Fairy Posted 30 Aug 2007 , 2:34am
post #11 of 11

Thanks!

BTW, I did e-mail a photo of the cake to my cousin and her mom (my Aunt B. in Nevada). Just haven't heard from them regarding the photo.

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