My Worst Nightmare Came True...!
Decorating By cakesbyallison Updated 22 May 2006 , 10:50pm by Samsgranny
It happened... my worst nightmare came true! The cake fell over... 
I was delivering a wedding cake (the rose one I just posted in my gallery)... driving around their subdivison looking for the right street and I hear a "spwhoosh" in the back... I pull over, lifted up my hatch, and the cake has tipped over 
I had the three stacked and a dowel through the middle - thank God! (that kept them from completely taking a dive) . The bottom cake had totally collapsed on one side! I have no idea why or how this happened... no sudden bumps, turns or stops... obviously the only thing I can contribute this to, was lack of support on the bottom tier. Which I have a hard time believing (I'm in denial) as the bottom was very well doweled and stable (at least it was when I left with it!) I have delivered many wedding cakes, most bigger than this (maybe because it was very small, and tall...?) and this has never happened! I called my husband in tears! With an hour and a half till the wedding, I carefully drove the remains to my moms house who fortunately lived less than a mile away, I was able to save the top two tiers, fix patches with icing had to scrap the lower section Half of the bottom was in tact... we just put it on a plate to deliver that to them "as is"... Fortunately there was a grooms cake and they still had plenty of cake between the two! They were so totally sweet about it - very understanding, and loved the rest of the cake - I was just mortified... Needless to say, I didn't charge her for the cake... Well, I'm home now, have had a glass of wine, and time to contemplate... I know one thing... I'm looking into plunking down some change for those stress free cake supports!! I have another wedding cake in 3 weeks and I need some stress free support!! UUGGHHH!!!
I HAVE KNOW I IDEA WHAT TO SAY--HOW AWFUL--I'M SO SORRY FOR YOU--JUST LOOK AT THE FACT THAT AT LEAST THE BRIDE/GROOM WERE SO SWEET ABOUT IT, THAT PART COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE THAN THE CAKE FALLING. SOME PEOPLE JUST HAVE NO UNDERSTANDING THAT ACCIDENTS HAPPEN.
I'll tell you what. I have a large wedding in two weeks and I did purchase the stress free supports just a couple of days ago. Call Arlene and speak with her. she is a great person and helped me figure out what I needed and we spoke for a good hour not only about the system but other tricks we do. She is great and the system is going to be awesome. A great investment to say the least with no stress on any cake layer. It is idiot proof.
that's a horrible horrible story, i can't believe it happened. i'm so sorry for you. maybe another glass of wine is in order
Last summer at my nieces wedding the cake never made it because it was all chocolate and the baker who made it left it in the car. It was only about 90 outside! My niece is very good natured too. No, I wasn't the person who made it. I made about 400 favors and the brides mom left those at home. So there you go.
What is the stress free supports. I'm new to decorating and every bit of advice helps. I've only done one wedding cake and that was for class, but I have a couple of people questioning me about doing their wedding cakes or anniversary cakes that look like their wedding cake.
I'll tell you what. I have a large wedding in two weeks and I did purchase the stress free supports just a couple of days ago. Call Arlene and speak with her. she is a great person and helped me figure out what I needed and we spoke for a good hour not only about the system but other tricks we do. She is great and the system is going to be awesome. A great investment to say the least with no stress on any cake layer. It is idiot proof.
I totally agree! Every stacked cake Ive done has been with the stress free.... I'll never use dowles or push in pillers if I can help it. I LOVE it. And yes she is the sweetest person to talk to.
Can you post how to get ahold of her? Or can you help me? I am making a stacked 10", 8" & 6" round layers cake. I have to assemble at home then transport 1 1/2 hours away. I looked at the sugarcraft website but couldn't figure out what I needed. If someone could tell me exactly what I need to order I would greatly appreciate it. I like the idea of something in my life being stressfree!! LOL
Thanks so much
Teri
"Stress Free" cake supports are made of stainless steel... they are a super support system for tiered cakes. Check out Earlene's sight:
http://www.earlenescakes.com/stressfreeordfrm.htm.
I took a class from her a few months back, that's where I heard about them... What size legs did you guys order?
Bless your heart Allison. I'm so sorry...such a pretty cake too. I'm glad you had a place to go when that happened so you could regroup without onlookers! (Moms don't count!)
You are REALLY a seasoned decorator 
now that you have a good cake disaster story to tell. <big smile> I had something similar happen not long ago but I did something really stupid...supported with straws. Don't know what I was thinking. Not only will I never support with straws again; I just absolutely refuse to transport a 3 tiered cake already assembled...just too iffy in my mind with these Mississippi roads. Not a good feeling to pump time and $ into a cake only to have that happen.
Oh well, live and learn. The stress free system does sound like a good investment and probably pays for itself just in peace of mind!
Enjoyed seeing the new cake additions. Great work, as usual.
Ohmy! I would have been too much of a mess to think clearly enough to go to my mom's! I'm glad that you got it to work and the couple was understanding. It would have been much worse if they had been really upset and nasty about it. Take a nice long bubble bath tonight and have another glass of wine!
I am so sorry this happened to you. After stressing over my tilted cake this weekend I definitely decided I am going to get some of these stress free supports
http://www.lauras-cakes.com/supports.htm
They look awesome and are more in my price range.
I don't stack cakes prior to transit my back just can take carrying them already stacked.
Also I don't think I would have credited her the whole cake price. I would have taken off the amount of servings she did get. She did get a smaller wedding cake and a grooms cake.
I think it is a good idea to credit the whole cake since many people who are getting married know others, it would be good advertising. You would not want to risk the bride talking to her friends about how the cake was shorter and she was still charged. Nice save though, I would be in the same boat as jen1977.
You guys are AWESOME! Thanks so much for the "condolences"! ...I've ordered my supports and can't wait to get them. I'll let you know how they work out. I think I've recovered from this weekend... I know what I was able to deliver was a beautiful (smaller) cake, and it tasted awesome (I know from the scraps I tried!) Amaretto cake w/ almond buttercream... yum. She offered to pay me for the cake, but I could not even think of charging her; they ordered a product, a specific cake - which I was unable to deliver with "quality" results. She did pay me for the groom's cake though. I was just so thankful that this wedding was "casual" and not a large wedding in a nice country club or something! I think I would have just kept driving!!
Oh, you poor thing!.....I'm so sorry this happened after all your hard work! I delivered a cake yesterday and actually had my husband drive while I leaned over the back seat of my SUV to hold the cake because I didn't trust it.....I freaked the whole way, so I can't even imagine how you felt...
Don't worry...in a while, you'll tell this story and laugh about it!
I am soooo sorry, that had to be so over-the-top stressful! I haven't tried the stress free supports, but I don't travel with my cakes stacked because the same thing that happened to you happened to my best friend, fortunately for her, she had an understanding bride... (I'm not sure I ever get those brides, mine always seem to be extremely picky...) but maybe on the wedding day, they have too much else going on to stress over the cake...glad the wine helped!
You guys are AWESOME! Thanks so much for the "condolences"! ...I've ordered my supports and can't wait to get them. I'll let you know how they work out. I think I've recovered from this weekend... I know what I was able to deliver was a beautiful (smaller) cake, and it tasted awesome (I know from the scraps I tried!) Amaretto cake w/ almond buttercream... yum. She offered to pay me for the cake, but I could not even think of charging her; they ordered a product, a specific cake - which I was unable to deliver with "quality" results. She did pay me for the groom's cake though. I was just so thankful that this wedding was "casual" and not a large wedding in a nice country club or something! I think I would have just kept driving!!
Did you order the stress-free supports?? Yes, they are expensive, but worth every single penny!! I can't imagine doing a wedding cake without them!! I'm glad everything worked out for you!!
I worry about the idea of selling cakes for weddings in my area, the people where I live can be so uptight and if something went wrong I am afraid of what they would do to me.
Do not let that stop you from creating and selling your masterpieces. 
People make mistakes in all walks of life and even more so with cakes given their complex, almost scientific concoctions and architecturally devised and designed building plans. A number of things could go wrong, and often do. You know, you learn more from a cake disaster, than you do by creating the so-called perfect cake, and so it mirrors life.
Thick skin is important for people who do not understand this concept, such as your customer base. Never let fear stop you from doing what you do best.
Best...
I delivered a cake yesterday and actually had my husband drive while I leaned over the back seat of my SUV to hold the cake because I didn't trust it.....I freaked the whole way,
Yep!! I know your pain...lol
I ask my poor DH to drive with every delivery, almost. (Not so much with the cheesecakes anymore--unless they're layered/stacked) but--I still "freak the whole way" too.
I always think to myself now, "Just hand it off...just deliver it and hand it off..."
But my hands are always gripping a little tighter there at the end.
I do hope you're feeling better. You held up like a soldier under the worst of circumstances!
--Knox--
[quote="fosterscreations"]I am so sorry this happened to you. After stressing over my tilted cake this weekend I definitely decided I am going to get some of these stress free supports
http://www.lauras-cakes.com/supports.htm
They look awesome and are more in my price range."
Just wondering if anyone has tried these by Laura yet? They are definitely more in my price range as I've only done a few wedding cakes and although I plan on doing more and people are asking, etc, at this time I just don't get enough business to justify spending the $$ for Earlene's. If anyone has tried Laura's I'd be interested in your opinion of their performance.
[quote="yellobutterfly"]
I am so sorry this happened to you. After stressing over my tilted cake this weekend I definitely decided I am going to get some of these stress free supports
http://www.lauras-cakes.com/supports.htm
They look awesome and are more in my price range."
Just wondering if anyone has tried these by Laura yet? They are definitely more in my price range as I've only done a few wedding cakes and although I plan on doing more and people are asking, etc, at this time I just don't get enough business to justify spending the $$ for Earlene's. If anyone has tried Laura's I'd be interested in your opinion of their performance.
The stress free supports are going to be more versatile... Not all cakes are going to be the same height and the stree free system lets you adjust the legs to fit each individual cake. The height on the other system is set, there's no adjusting them. I'm sold on the stress free system...
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