The Worst Part Of Caking!!!

Decorating By noosie Updated 21 May 2007 , 3:18pm by scoobam

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noosie Posted 20 May 2007 , 12:34am
post #1 of 39

After all the planning, materials, hours of baking, creating and decorating comes the WORST part of caking. THE DREADED DELIVERY!!!!! icon_cry.gificon_cry.gificon_cry.gif I don't know about you guys, but would love to know what is your worst part of caking. As soon as that cake is placed in my car, the nerves, anxiety, insecurity and adrenaline all flood into the pit of my stomach. I hate, hate, hate delivering. Then come the "first impression look" but I'll leave that for another post. icon_razz.gificon_razz.gificon_razz.gif

38 replies
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mommicakes Posted 20 May 2007 , 12:39am
post #2 of 39

I must agree with you. I too dread the delivery part. I catch myself sometimes holding my breath until I get to the destination. icon_eek.gif Having to watch out for the other guy just gets me.

I also don't like that part after the delivery, when the phone rings and it is your client, "did everything taste like it should or not" usually runs through my mind at first. icon_redface.gif

Then I get ready for the next delivery. It is a never ending feeling. icon_cry.gif

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Monica0271 Posted 20 May 2007 , 12:49am
post #3 of 39

icon_surprised.gif Oh my I TOTALLY agree! Yesterday I delivered my first anniversary cake. This nut-o on the interstate almost knock me off the interstate icon_mad.gificon_cry.gifthumbsdown.gif I was a nervous wreck!

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Starkie Posted 20 May 2007 , 12:51am
post #4 of 39

I agree, I don't like delivering cakes. But above all else, the WORST part of cake decorating is the CLEAN UP!!!! I hate cleaning my kitchen, anyway, but after making a cake, it looks like a powdered sugar bomb went off in my kitchen!

When I made my Phantom of the Opera cake, my floor was actually black from the airbrushing I did on the cake. Took forever to clean up!!!

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jenncowin Posted 20 May 2007 , 12:51am
post #5 of 39

Definitely the delivery. I delivered a wedding cake today that was a 2 hour drive and the last 5 miles was a ROCK (not gravel or dirt, that would have been so much better!) road up hill! I was afraid to open that back of my car and soooo glad that I didn't stack the bottom 2-layers. I do okay with the birthday cake deliveries, it's just the wedding cakes that make me sick.

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itsloops Posted 20 May 2007 , 12:57am
post #6 of 39

I too feel the same but what really gets me and I haven't been able to shake the feeling is the cutting. icon_surprised.gif

I feel bad for my cake. icon_cry.gif

I know it's silly but I just feel that way. I'm entitled.

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berryblondeboys Posted 20 May 2007 , 12:57am
post #7 of 39

That's what happened to me today - a delivery disaster! I made a Cupcake bouquet. All was good until I went around a corner - the LAST ONE... I heard a "sound" sure enough, it had tipped over and one of the cupcakes was unsalvageable. Fortunately, I had the BC in the bag with me as was SURE something would happen.. I TRIED to protect it, but since nothing can come close to the cupcakes, I was at a loss.. I think somehow I'll have to create a special box just for delivering these. People LOVED it... but I couldn't dream of delivering these all the time as HOW????

Melissa

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MandMCakeDesigns Posted 20 May 2007 , 12:58am
post #8 of 39

I am with Starkie! I hate the cleanup. I get nervous to deliver a cake, but it is not nearly as stressful to me as cleaning BC residue off my kitchen when I am EXHAUSTED after finishing a cake.

As far as delivery goes, I bought some of that non-slip drawer/shelf liner from Walmart (looks sort of "waffle-y") and put it in my trunk. It keeps the cake in one place. I do worry about getting hit though... just a random tip.

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berryblondeboys Posted 20 May 2007 , 1:01am
post #9 of 39

I've got to get better about cleaning up after making cakes. I manage to cover the ENTIRE kitchen in spatulas, tips, bags, etc.... I'm too tired at 3 am to do it, so it sits all night and then into the next day as I just can't face it and this mostly isn't stuff you can throw in the dishwasher - that's the biggest rub!

That, for me, is the worst part of making cakes - greasy clean-up. I don't get too much powdered sugar around, but lots of spilled/splattered icing for some reason!

Melissa

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noosie Posted 20 May 2007 , 1:02am
post #10 of 39
Quote:
Originally Posted by itsloops

I too feel the same but what really gets me and I haven't been able to shake the feeling is the cutting. icon_surprised.gif

I feel bad for my cake. icon_cry.gif

I know it's silly but I just feel that way. I'm entitled.




Oh I soooo understand too. Last week I made the spiderman bust cake for my nephew and they asked me to cut & serve. OUCH!!!! That was painful icon_cry.gificon_cry.gificon_cry.gif

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Schmoop Posted 20 May 2007 , 1:02am
post #11 of 39

Isn't that the truth! I delivered a 3 tier whimsical cake today in fear that it would topple on the way there as it was way out in the country...those contry roads! I could not find an adult to help spot for me, so my 6 year old daughter did it. She did an awesone job!

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Kitagrl Posted 20 May 2007 , 1:05am
post #12 of 39

I hate cleanup too but yeah, pickups and delivery are stressful. Today I had a pickup for my 3D Phillies Phanatic cake and I had forgotten that I had to lift the fridge rack slightly to push the box and cake in (I had another cake on the top rack) and then the guy showed up and I was in a hurry and forgot and just pulled the box out....off went his hat!!!! I glued it back on with icing really super fast, and hope it stayed put....

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all4cake Posted 20 May 2007 , 1:08am
post #13 of 39

It baffles me that I can drive like a crazy woman with a cake in the back with no damage to my nerves but let the cake be for someone else and I feel like puking the whole way.

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mom2spunkynbug Posted 20 May 2007 , 1:23am
post #14 of 39

Oh, I'm with the others who say they hate CLEAN UP!!! thumbsdown.gif I'm so tired after doing a cake the last thing I want to do is clean up the huge mess I made!! icon_redface.gif I usually wait 'til the next day! I have a small portable dishwasher....and, of course, not everything can go in the dishwasher....

uhhhh...I'm getting exhausted just thinking about it!

Although I'll have to say that delivering would be a close second in things I hate about caking! But, it hasn't been that bad for me since 1) I just "opened up" a few months ago, and 2) dh is usually with me, so he can drive me where I need to go while I can be with the cake, and 3) I haven't done any wedding cakes....sooooo, if/when that occasion arrises, I'm sure I'll feel like puking the whole way! thumbs_up.gif

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Kitagrl Posted 20 May 2007 , 1:25am
post #15 of 39

The worst part about cleanup is bags and tips. YUCK. I end up getting everything else clean but have a small stack of tips and bags and smaller tools that I put off. Of course the bags have to be saved anyway until the cakes are all picked up or delivered but they usually don't get clean until the day after that at soonest haha.

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noosie Posted 20 May 2007 , 6:33pm
post #16 of 39

I agree that the clean up part stinks too especially when your back is sore. I am not a big fan of Rachel Ray, but her idea of a "garbage bowl" while preparing meals has helped me in baking. I designate one bowl for egg shells, butter wrappers, paper towels etc rather than going back and forth to the trash can or just randomnly throwing them on the counters. I also try to wash as I go from one step to another so I am not left with a sink full of dirty bowls and utensils. Every little bit of organization definitely helps.

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Housemouse Posted 20 May 2007 , 7:07pm
post #17 of 39

for me it is often the getting started bit!!

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DoniB Posted 20 May 2007 , 7:30pm
post #18 of 39
Quote:
Originally Posted by berryblondeboys

That's what happened to me today - a delivery disaster! I made a Cupcake bouquet. All was good until I went around a corner - the LAST ONE... I heard a "sound" sure enough, it had tipped over and one of the cupcakes was unsalvageable. Fortunately, I had the BC in the bag with me as was SURE something would happen.. I TRIED to protect it, but since nothing can come close to the cupcakes, I was at a loss.. I think somehow I'll have to create a special box just for delivering these. People LOVED it... but I couldn't dream of delivering these all the time as HOW????

Melissa




Take a piece of strong cardboard, fold it into even thirds, and cut a hole the size of the pot (about 3/4 of the way up the pot) in it. Then stand this in the box, and if necessary/desired, tape into place. Put the pot into it, and you should be good to go. icon_smile.gif

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step0nmi Posted 20 May 2007 , 7:36pm
post #19 of 39

OMG!! I am so glad I am not the only one that DREADS the cleanup!! I just finished two cakes this weekend and my kitchen is still a mess!! I hate washing bowls, tips, bags, spatulas, etc. I am just awful at it too!! Thank you guys for letting me know I'm not the only one!!! Yeah!

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tcturtleshell Posted 20 May 2007 , 7:37pm
post #20 of 39

The part after the icing & smoothing is my worst. I draw a blank when I'm starting to decorate a cake. What do I do next? I have the plans all on paper & in my mind but I still freeze everytime. It's the worst thing! Then when I'm finished I look at the cake & say WHY do I freak out everytime!?! I do it with every cake. Weird huh!

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tyty Posted 20 May 2007 , 7:58pm
post #21 of 39

I hate the cleanup, I used to feel bad about the cake prices. But now I just think about my war zone of a kitchen when I complete the cake. I really hate it when I have to deliver a cake and then have to come back home and clean up the mess. I try to give myself enough time to complete the cake and cleanup, but sometimes it doesn't work out.

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CakeDiva73 Posted 20 May 2007 , 7:59pm
post #22 of 39

crumbs in the frosting is my most dreaded fear in caking.....sometimes, no matter what I do it is a nightmare....getting the frosting smooth also. The delivery part is not too bad since I use tons of that non slip rubber stuff between each surface so nothing will slip.

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SweetToothCreations Posted 20 May 2007 , 8:08pm
post #23 of 39

Clean-up!!! Ugh!!! There's no easy way to clean BC!!! I definatly dread clean-up the most!!

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woodyfam Posted 20 May 2007 , 8:18pm
post #24 of 39

Ooh, I agree the bags and tips are the worst! My hands are covered in buttercream and I feel all greasy. I too leave my kitchen a wreck at times and I can always bet that someone will surprise me that day. icon_sad.gif

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MissRobin Posted 21 May 2007 , 2:23pm
post #25 of 39

The delivery makes me sooooo nervous, I become this crazy psycho, my husband usually drives and I sit in the back with the cake, and every turn and bump I am yelling at him to be careful, poor man, he takes it all in stride!!!!

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all4cake Posted 21 May 2007 , 2:28pm
post #26 of 39

What about the time span between delivery and setup or pickup and the time that you find out how well the cake went...taste, design...

I can't stand waiting to find out

I hate when someone else picks up the cake

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MandyE Posted 21 May 2007 , 2:44pm
post #27 of 39

For some reason I dread making the icing. I hate this part! I guess I'm worried about consistency being just right and I hate measuring all those freakin' cups of powdered sugar. I keep telling myself to pre-measure and put in ziploc bags, but I just never do it.

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karensjustdessert Posted 21 May 2007 , 2:49pm
post #28 of 39

I hate cleaning my floor afterward. I have a tile floor and picking out all the dried icing from the grout is so fun!!!! NOT!

Regarding delivery, this past Saturday, I had delivered a small wedding cake to the other side of the island. I was making great time that day, and was happy, because I had another delivery and long setup to make later that day (the sandcastle cake in my pictures).

Anyway, had a fender bender on the way home! I'm okay, car is okay, other driver got gobs of tickets. My first thought was "$$##!!&&^%&*(", and my second thought was "Thank God there is no cake in the car." Third thought "Now I'm going to be late." (Fortunately, I was only put about 15 minutes off my schedule.)

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berryblondeboys Posted 21 May 2007 , 2:51pm
post #29 of 39
Quote:
Originally Posted by MandyE

For some reason I dread making the icing. I hate this part! I guess I'm worried about consistency being just right and I hate measuring all those freakin' cups of powdered sugar. I keep telling myself to pre-measure and put in ziploc bags, but I just never do it.




am I the only one who just dumps the entire 2 lbs into the batch? (Sometimes I sift, depending on how it seems).

Mleissa

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pastryjen Posted 21 May 2007 , 2:52pm
post #30 of 39

I hate colouring icing when you have to get a certain shade for a character where everyone knows the exact colours. My Dora (not in my pics) looked more Oriental than Hispanic!

I love the baking and decorating, I hate the prep and the cleanup.

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