If my initial observation is correct I have a little different take on this. I'm not positive because honestly it barely looks like the same cake--but it looks like the high side of the bottom tier collapsed?
If you look at the angle of the 99 ornament and the spot where the flowers are placed on the second tier--it looks to me like the tall part of the bottom tier unfortunately bit the dust, or bit her lap or something.
But that high edge is infamous for disaster if it's not sculpted out perfectly. I think the cake cracked off from the pressure of the second tier. I mean the client would describe this as 'sliding off into her lap." To me it's a credible explanation.
So sorry but I think it's a sculpting/stacking issue where the second tier forced out the tall edge of the bottom tier. Just my observation--since this happened I just wanted to offer this possibility so you can be aware for next time. Since you went to all the trouble to post and reveal everything.
I mean it might not be and I know my assessment comes with an ouch but just my gentle thoughts on the subject. I mean it also looks like they stopped at the store for while too & it melted but I don't know.
Another thing for going forward, carseats that are not level can easily be made perfectly level with a nice half roll of paper towels or a coke can or a folded towel or jacket.
(((hug)))
She showed up in a tiny Mercedes coupe and the backseat was so slanted, the only place to put it was on her lap.
Is it possible this little sports car was a standard and not automatic. I hear most people these days can't shift for beans. One or more hard shifts could make cakey go bye bye. Actually I don't know anything about anything...I just want you to feel better. 
If the "cake collapsed onto her dress" had not been mentioned, I would not be so suspicious. But I bet they got around the corner out of your sight and she took it out of the box because the box was too awkward. Then she set it on her lap and they drove away. Then the brakes got slammed. And now she is blaming you for her stupidity.
When my clients pick up a cake, I tell them that once it is out of MY hands, it is now THEIR responsibility.
I'd really have to wonder how holding the cake itself could be less awkward than holding it in the box. What kind of nitwit would take it out of the box to hold it in her lap in the car. Sorry, this just struck me as really funny.
The cake is beautiful. Sorry this happened, but it looks and sounds more like a transportation issue than a construction issue. I never let a cake leave my place without being securely/totally enclosed in a box or container.
BTW, I'm from Orange County, CA. Graduated from Pacifica High School. Class of 1969. Go Mariners!!!!
mamawrobin....
You posted that to many dowels/straws can cause your cake to be unstable. Can you please explain this to me. I thought just the opposite. If you don't use enought dowels, your cake will be unstable. How can using to many not be extra stable?
Thanks.
=)
mamawrobin....
You posted that to many dowels/straws can cause your cake to be unstable. Can you please explain this to me. I thought just the opposite. If you don't use enought dowels, your cake will be unstable. How can using to many not be extra stable?
Thanks.
=)
Using too many dowels can be kind of like making a dotted line for the cake to break in. Every dowel you put in displaces cake and puts outward pressure on it. Think what might happen if you stuck a few broomsticks into a cake...you cant add that much more volume into the inside of the cake without it creating outward pressure. It would likely split apart. A dowel acts exactly the same way, only to a much lesser degree. The more dowels you use, the more you increase that effect.
*edited to add...for any cake 12" and under, I generally use one bubble tea straw (they don't displace any cake) in the center and four to six (depending on the size of the tier being supported above) in a circle, 1" in from where the edge of the tier being supported will sit.
I am not trying to be a Sherlock Holmes here, but something doesn't make sense.
I have been studying the before and after photo's of your cake for the past five minutes and my eyes and mind keep telling me that the story is not (entirely true).
If you look at your 'before picture', you can see the cake standing firm in the MIDDLE of the drum. On the 'after picture' you can see how the cake somehow shifted to one side of the drum (at the back of the cake, right towards the tumble dryer or washing machine or whatever it is, you cannot see any part of the drum so this must be covered with cake).
So, if the lady held the cake on her lap, then the side where the drum is not visible anymore must be the side directed to her body, closest to her dress. If not, gravity is playing tricks.
So, if that part of the cake touched the ladies dress, then how come the middle tier looks less damaged and how come the roses that now face the front of the cake are crushed? IMO, if it fell or shifted into her lap, the cake could not have looked like this. The part where the drum is all covered with cake should have been the part that is most damaged and the opposite side should be the part where the cake is least damaged. Strangely, it is just the other way around...
[quote="Mikel79"]mamawrobin....
You posted that to many dowels/straws can cause your cake to be unstable. Can you please explain this to me. I thought just the opposite. If you don't use enought dowels, your cake will be unstable. How can using to many not be extra stable?
artscallion did a very good job explaining this. Actually if you "don't use enough dowels" your support system will be unstable, and allow
the "resting" tier to collapase onto/into the tier below. Using "too many" dowels actually (pushes out of the way) displaces cake, therefore, making your cake unstable.
Trust me, the more holes that you poke into a cake the less stable it becomes.
Just a quick Question? Did you carve out each layer before setting the next one on top? or DId you just cut the top of each cake at a slant and set them on? I have found that with topsy turvy cakes you must use a lb cake type of cake. ( at least really dense) and you must carve out the slanted top of each tier before setting the next one on. That way your cake are truly level but appear crooked. I am so sorry this happened. This has always been a fear of mine. Out of curiosity, what did you end up doing for her. Did you make a new one?
I was curious about that too. I have found it much easier now when it comes to bigger topsy turvy cakes, I just do the carving out the middle to make it level, to create the illusion of the topsy turvy, so that you are actually stacking a tru tiered cake. No worry of sliding! Perhaps the original poster stilll made it that way, but unfortunately, we still have mishaps. I have had this happen before. I now call my customers the day before and make them bring a bath towel and a cookie sheet so we can build up their back seats to make them level so they can transport their cakes properly. THere is nothing worse than someone showing up in their car with major slanted back seats and they are there to pick up a double decker sheet cake and they expect you to just throw that puppy in the back! Um.......hello??? lol
I am far from an expert, but I cannot believe that cake did that without some sort of avoidable mishap. I don't know how well you know these people, and am not questioning their ethics or honesty, BUT that cake looked fantastic and perfectly balanced and stable. It really, really just does not add up.
Your cake was beautiful! I am sorry this happened, and I also question the manner in which the gentleman drove to the venue.
Another problem with topsy turvy cakes, and this DOES NOT apply to yours, is if you carve the angle to sharply. (Top to bottom creating a V) I did this once, then put too many dowels in, as mamawrobin said. Between the sharp V I created and the dowels, I made it unstable and even with a nice sturdy dense cake, to many holes, and it down it went!!!
Tracy, I hope this will make you laugh...but....the next time a customer argues with me that "the cake will be fine slanted just a little bit/in my lap...I only have a few miles to drive!!"...I'm going to show them a picture of your 'after' cake! 
Your 'before' cake was beautiful, btw! 
If someone picked up the cake with the front of cake closest to their body - then i am thinking that this unhoy mess happened because the safety belt ripped into the cake - thus making the cake shift from its base,...PERHAPS
You will never know how fast they drove - how fast they breaked - how they got out of the car when at the venue -
1000 questions - no answers. 
The only people who know what realy happened are those who were in the car. 
Such a beautiful cake you created - so sorry everything you put into it ended up as it did.
Bluehue
After reading everyone's posts, sounds like since it sat on this lady lap, whom ever was the driver in a Mercedes Coupe, gave it the gas and the cake sitting on the lap went into the lap.
Sounds like the passenger really wasn't paying any real attention to make sure the cake wouldn't plop over.......
If you doweled and put straws and a center spike, then it should have been very stable.
It just sounds again to say, the person who was holding the cake, didn't really pay attention and got the smoosh end of the cake.
Sorry this happened.......
I know I am coming in late here and I am no expert but there is just no way that cake just fell over! Someone dropped that gorgeous cake and needed to blame someone else for it. I love the comment that it looked like it went through the washer!!
I'm sorry she is blaming you. The picture of the completed cake is beautiful. The primary damage was to the bottom tier. So it looks to me like it got bumped up against the dashboard of the car while on her lap. Looks like she was not careful and really should not have had it in her lap.
Another clumsy cake muggle trying to blame the maker.
Sandy
Thanks everyone for all your comments - they really helped me feel better. I guess I take my creations way too personally. After all, it is just a cake right? And for the record, it was in a 6" high box, 14" wide.
Ahh! Thanks for clearing that up! I thought I must have mis-read something and the box was actually 6 inches high, not 6 inches high.
) but I have been a cop for 14 years. My bet is she was 1. not wearing her seatbelt (tisk tisk) and 2. someone hit the breaks. 
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