The other day I found myself with some time to kill (that NEVER happens) and I decided to start on a project- organizing my pictures on the computer. As I looked through all of the pictures I started to notice something- every single event, every birthday, anniversary, baby shower ect. had a less than perfect cake in the background. There were sloppy swirls, missing sprinkles, air bubbles in the butter cream and various other no nos that I find unacceptable in my own cakes. At the time I thought these cakes were beautiful and I paid or helped to pay a great deal of money for these cakes but looking back I wonder why I didn't notice the obvious flaws.

I agonize over my cakes and when people say they absolutely LOVE the cake I wonder if they noticed that the back of the cake (my cakes have a definate "back") isn't nearly as nice as the front. I have been decorating for awhile now and I was wondering at what point did you stop driving yourself crazy about perfection, allow yourself to accept and fully believe a compliment and what was the thing that helped you to do that?

As soon as I realised what you just have - that a non-cake person will never see the flaws a cake decorator does! I'm not saying you shouldn't strive for perfection, but I doubt that there are many cakes out there with without a tiny flaw somewhere! Give yourself a break, you do lovely work!

You do lovely work! Now hush!

We cake decorators are all our own worst critics. We see every itsy bitsy teensy tiny flaw through our "cake eyes" as if through a microscope. Most people will never see the things we see, even if we point out the supposedly offensive booboo.

Because we put SOOO much time into what we do, of course we see every little teesy weensy flaw in our cakes, look in my pics at my elmo... i panicked because my piping wasnt perfect and the colour i used started to split the buttercream (i can still see it in the pics) but everyone loved it and the few people i mentioned my worries to had absolutely no idea what i was talking about!
Unless you are making a cake for another decorator, i wouldnt be worried, and if you do make a cake for another decorator she will understand fully the time and effort that went in to it. And will love it anyway!
I think we are too hard on ourselves... As long as the reciever loves it that is all that matters!

[quote="SugarFrosted"]You do lovely work! Now hush!



Thank you all for your compliments!

I know that my stuff is ok and I wasn't fishing for compliments I just wanted to see if this almost crippling need to criticize myself is a normal stage of development. Its so bad that I don't take pictures of my cakes because I criticize myself so much. Although, when other people send me pictures I can't believe how good the cake/cupcakes look and assume it was a trick of lighting. I guess I just wanted to know if this too shall pass.

Its good to know that I am not the only one.

Not sure how long it will take to pass, if ever. At the end of a long decorating day, when I'm tired, I am usually sick to my stomach, thinking that this is the worst looking cake I've ever made, and trying to talk myself out of trashing it.

In the morning, though, I can see the cake better. I still see the flaws, but I'm not as focused on them and can see the whole thing more like the recipient will.

So I guess my advice is to sleep on it, or walk away for a few hours if you can. Then take pictures! It's just another way to give yourself perspective on your cake. The camera is completely impartial- what you see on the photo is what is really there.

I personally think that being anal about "smooth" Is laughable! Granted....I slap the icing on and make an effort ~ but is a cake for gosh sakes! The nice people are going to attack it with a weapon and EAT IT!!!!! Many times, I do swirly tops....cover my less than smooth top with cornelli lace (great trick), basketweave the top......or just leave the "character" flaws there because I DON'T CARE!!!!!

I just had this same conversation with my husband the other day...

To poorly paraphrase one of my favorite actors, Johnny Depp,

"the day I start thinking I'm good is the day I'm finished..." (he meant as an actor, but I think it should apply to anyone who wants to improve at what they do and love.)

I do the SAME thing.

I think a lot of people do this when they put their heart into something. They just want it to be right.

I agree that we spend so much time and passion in cakes. I tend to step back and look at every little bump or whatever. Sometimes my DH has to tell me to walk away. Or in his words "Just step away from the cake and no one gets hurt". Always the supportive one!

Trust me I have learned from being in jewelry repair that your average person doesn't see what you find to be obvious...even under a microscope!

I have a theory that what everyone else sees is about the same as what I see after I take a picture of my cake and even then, they don't really know what it's supposed to look like! Like on my blueberry princess cake, my columns looked aweful but I couldn't really repair them so just left them. When I mentioned it to my mom, she said, "oh, I thought they were supposed to look like tassles hanging off..."

This topic has been nagging me especially since I looked at all those cakes on the people's magazine site. I noticed some tiny flaws in some of the cakes. I've always felt that cakes were supposed to be perfect - not that I ever acheived it! Now I am starting to realize that these amazing cake decorators who make a ton of money are regular people too. I guess I'm relieved that my cakes don't have to be absolutely perfect to be a great cake and to make happy customers.

I'll repeat here what I said in another thread...
I saw an interview with Colette Peters...she told the interviewer that she still gets nervous when making cakes...

Can you IMAGINE!?! She is amazing, but she is human, and she worries about making a mistake or having a cake fall, just like us.

We can only do our best and hope for the best.

I have started to notice my DH looking at other people's cakes with "cake decortator eyes". It cracks me up to hear him talk about a cake not being level or the icing not being smooth. I don't think he could even tell you what our wedding cake looked like, but since I've been doing cakes, he's noticing a lot more too!