i've had mishaps before that i was easily able to fix with minor repairs, but i think this definitely falls under the cake disaster category
this is my first attempt at a topsy turvy cake, after reading the very detailed and helpful article on CC, i was pretty sure of what i was going to do.....the problem was that my base cake was just a tad too small (wide, not tall) and probably not dense enough.....where the hidden pillars were inserted, it's as if it just sliced a piece of the cake right off....plus it's been really humid here lately and that couldn't have helped
luckily for me, this is a cake that the customer really doesn't need for 2 more weeks, but was taking it early and was going to freeze it.....her idea! i've had customers freeze my cakes before because i wasn't available when they needed it, but never this big or MMF detailed.....i explained to her that i couldn't guarantee that it would come out of the freezer as good as it went in, but she still insisted.....hey, the customer is always right....and i'm actually glad someone is going to test this anyway - so i'll know for future cakes
my plan now is to tear away the exsisting base tier, bake another bigger/sturdier one and try to reassemble it all.....we'll see how it goes.....then of course i'll be adding a bow, diamond and circle accents, bauble border, etc.....wish me luck! 
O no! Sorry that happened. All this storied makes me worry. I have 2 big wedding cakes in June and I am relly starting to worry.
i forgot to say, if anyone has any suggestions/better ideas to share, please feel free to do so!!! 
The surface of the cakes is so smooth. It's going to look awesome once it's done. Make sure you post a picture in this post so we can see it. Good luck.
mommyinaprilx2 - don't worry, most have way more good cakes come out than cake disasters! 
thx sunflowerfreak - i will make sure to post the finished cake here as well as the gallery
I love the smoothness and colors, it looks like it will be a great looking cake. I'm so sorry this happened to you. I only made 1 and it too had a problem. I don't think the cake was dense enough. If I ever try it again it will be with a more dense larger cake. I did 4,6 and 8 inch.
Can't wait to see your finished cake!
thx for all ur words of encouragement guys!! i love this site!!
awolf24 - actually, the cakes are covered in just BC (no MMF on here yet - will have MMF accents)
gina1221 - BC is buttercream 
and thanks!!!
it looks to me, i see a pillar for support close to the edge where the cake fell? am i right? i know when i get them too close to the edge it will buldge out. im thinking this is what happened to your cake and with the weight of the above tiers it fell off.
the cake looked pefect by the way. excellent job on icing and colors.
Even with your mishap-- the cake is beautiful. Beautiful colors and so smooth.
it looks to me, i see a pillar for support close to the edge where the cake fell? am i right? i know when i get them too close to the edge it will buldge out. im thinking this is what happened to your cake and with the weight of the above tiers it fell off.
you're right - i knew as soon as i started crumb coating the bottom tier and sizing up how the construction would go, that the bottom tier was too small.....i'm definitely going to use a wider base cake next time
i ended up scratching the whole replacing the bottom tier plan.....by the time sunday rolled around and i was planning on doing this, there was quite a few 'settling cracks' and even some butter drips from where the icing had seperated a little (i've seen this on my other cakes after 2 or 3 days, no big deal - i assume refrigerating would prevent this).....i know that i could have probably fixed/covered up all these small booboo's, but i'm a perfectionist and since i have the time, i decided to start from scratch.....i'll post a pic of the completed re-do here
thx for all the compliments and suggestions.......oh, and the smooth BC is thx to a 50/50 butter/crisco recipe, the viva papertowel method.....and my perfectionist ways
how can you do the viva method with out the towel sticking? i use the crisco and butter too. i must be putting in too much liquid. do you not use much liquid?
i just bought some high ratio shortening!! man is that stuff creamy, i find i ice the cakes much smoother with this. and im suppose to be able to do the viva method with this too. again, i must put too much liquid. how long do your cakes set before the towel?
how can you do the viva method with out the towel sticking? i use the crisco and butter too. i must be putting in too much liquid. do you not use much liquid?
i just bought some high ratio shortening!! man is that stuff creamy, i find i ice the cakes much smoother with this. and im suppose to be able to do the viva method with this too. again, i must put too much liquid. how long do your cakes set before the towel?
here's the BC recipe i use and i've actually had customers call me to order just icing, no cake!
cream:
1 cup butter (salted is my preference)
1 cup all veg. shortening
2 tsp. butter flavoring (vanilla will work too)
slowly add alternating:
2 lb. powdered sugar
4-5 tbls. milk
after icing my cake, i wait about 10-15 minutes before smoothing with a viva papertowel
HTH!
i use the CK butter flavor as well (one thing i found out that i didn't know before is that after it's opened, it has to be refrigerated so not to go rancid)
no, no vanilla or almond but u could use those in place of the butter flavor
i read here someone else said it goes bad. ive never put mine in the fridge. mine does have a smell now kinda, but it has that funny buttery smell anyway. how do you know when its bad?
i like the fridge idea very much.
don't know - i used to keep mine in the cupboard and never noticed anything weird about it....it wasn't until the lady at my local craft/cake supply store informed me about refrigerating it that i found out it could go bad
just wanted to post an update for anyone that might b watching this topic.....i ended up posting another forum topic after my 2nd FAILED attempt on this cake.....i've also now posted finished pics of the cake (well, of a similar cake)
check it out
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-3284073.html#3284073
, but I am so fixated on your gorgeous smooth buttercream that I barely notice your disaster problem.
. Will definately try your buttercream recipe!! Quote by @%username% on %date%
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