Well it happened, I knew it would but it still doesn't make it any easier. I got my first mixed reviews on a cake. I've made 3-4 cakes for this family and they have loved all the previous one, but this one for some reason missed the mark . I wish I had pictures to show you but I haven't developed the roll of film yet.
It was a 1/2 sheet cake that looked like the beach, graham crackers for sand and piping gel over buttercream to look like water. It had a beach ball and a pair of flip flops in the sand. The family said they "loved" how it looked but the frosting "wasn't my best" (but it's the same butter cream I've used on all their cakes) When asked specifically she said it was the water part of the cake, so I'm wondering if the piping gel had something to do with it? Have any of you had complaints about piping gel tasting funny?
It just comes at a bad time. I'm doing a lot of baking today for a wedding I have this weekend and I'm planning on using my standard buttercream recipe. It makes me feel a little paranoid. I don't think I'll be using the "water effect" again or I'll warn people to scrape it off if they request it.
Thanks for letting me vent,
Kate

Hi! I'm sure it was probably the piping gel. In my opinion, it doesn't taste very good. I made a 'lake' cake once and nobody liked the gel either. My nephew asked me if it was toothpaste! I used to use gel for lettering because it's easier to write with, but the taste made me switch to b/c even though I find it difficult writing with.

Thanks galaglow,
I just was so upset about this because I am pretty confident that I have a good buttercream recipe. Thanks for the input, I think that 's the last time I use piping gel like that.
Kate

you can flavor the piping gel. Most people don't like the taste of piping gel.

I have to do a " castle" cake for my niece's 5th birthday..and I plan to use BLUE JELL-O, I"m going to make a batch, firm it up in a sheet pan and "shred" it with a fork and place it around the castle as the water in the moat.

Pastry diva,
I like the idea of using jello, I'm sure that would taste a lot better.
Thanks for the reassurances, I wish I would have tasted it out myself before sending it out the door. The part was for over 60 people and I think I could have gotten some more orders if it hadn't tasted terrible
Oh well, live and learn.
Kate

I'm sure it had to be the gel. It does taste crappy on its own. I'm sure your cake and frosting were wonderful! I wonder if you could add vanilla to it or something. I have to make a water/dolphin scene in a couple of weeks.

I'm sorry they said that - I bet they'll still order from you. I know it must be disappointing to hear though. Keep up the good work - I can't wait to see it.

Why are my posts going on twice?

I"m sorry you got mixed reviews! Piping gel does taste sort of nasty, what a great idea to try adding a little vanilla! Sometimes the food coloring can make things taste a little off as well. Don't let it get you down. Just use your usual butter cream and don't fret. Life's too short!

when I make that cake everyone seems to not like the graham crackers because everyone wants "frosting" but yes it must have been the gel, it is a pretty look but I haven't tried it I make my "water" with blue/white not quite mixed and then frost to look like waves.
I am sorry for you, I feel your pain.

Yes, I agree. It was the gel. While it does look realistic, I don't use it either. I like the idea of the jello!

Sorry to hear about that bad review, I know it must be hard to hear. I am sure along with the others here that it probably was the piping gel. Did you make your own or use Wilton's? You probably did but I will ask anyhow. Did you put buttercream icing underneath and then put the piping gel on top? I use Wilton's and to me it doesn't really have a taste at all. I try to use a little as possible and kinda mix it in with the buttercream. I have made sevearl cakes so far with piping gel and so far (knock on wood) no one has said it tasted funny.

Good Luck on the wedding cake, I am sure it will be GREAT!

It was the wilton brand colored w/ royal blue coloring. It was unfortunately put on in a generous layer over my buttercream. I asked my friend how the graham cracker part was and she said that was fine and everyone was eating that. She felt really bad about breaking the news to me but I'm so glad she did, whta if I had done this one again? UGH!
Does the home made variety taste any better, and what is it made out of anyway?
Thanks again for the encouragement, you guys are great!
kate

I have a recipe for homemade but I haven't made it yet. I just bought a tub of the Wilton gel and dye my own the color I need. I haven't used their tubes before. Maybe they have too much dye in them or are made differently. I thin my gel down with water too after I mix the color in it so that it will spread easier over the buttercream without having to use a whole lot. Maybe you can try a little practice cake and see if using less piping gel might taste fine. I will be sure and taste mine if I make another again. I have seen some pretty neat looking "water" in the galleries here by using white and blue buttercream. That jello idea sounds neat too.

Keep your chin up,!!

Don't worry too much about it...they know your work...everyone is entitled to one "mixed review"....

make a rule for yourself...taste everything before you put it on your cake, just to make sure. I've never used piping gel so have no clue what it tastes like.

Sorry to hear that Kate~ Don't worry too much over it. I'm sure you will get more orders from them. I don't like the piping gel either. It tastes like plastic. I made the homemade piping gel but it didn't do right. It got hard like the rubber on the bottom of a tennie shoe. Veejaytx had the same problem. Last time I did a water/fish cake I just used thin, thin, white icing w/ very little blue in it. The Wilton gels are too greasy or something. I can never mix them up enough to get the color even.

I have faith that you will still have bunches of cakes to make!!! Hang tight! They'll come, your such a great decorator!! Good luck on your wedding cakes too!!

I will FIRMLY agree that it's the piping gel. It does have a strange taste. I did a golf cake for work and usually the whole cake is gone before lunch and that cake was gone except for the small section where the water was! it was like people carefully cut around it or something?! Strange but then I grabbed a bit of it and it wasn't all that great?! I like the comments above about flavoring it. Not a bad idea at all!!
Don't worry about it, people don't know the details about cake making like we do, they only know that it was "different" and the gel was probably the issue!

I agree that the piping gel tastes odd. I, too, like the idea of flavoring it.

I'll be using a generous amount on a cake in the near future and I think I'll try some concentrated candy flavoring in it--I'm afraid that a regular extract might thin it out too much. I'll let you know how it "pans" out...

Rae

I agree that the piping gel tastes odd. I, too, like the idea of flavoring it.

I'll be using a generous amount on a cake in the near future and I think I'll try some concentrated candy flavoring in it--I'm afraid that a regular extract might thin it out too much. I'll let you know how it "pans" out...

Rae

I heard another good idea too when it comes to the 'beach' cakes. I've heard you can use coarse granulated brown sugar or 'raw' cane sugar. It's in bigger granules and would look like sand but maybe be more tasty than graham crumbs. I think I'll try it next time I need sand.