Oh!, The Stories, Things I've Learned, And Pics!!! Long
Decorating By step0nmi Updated 4 Jun 2007 , 4:33am by MemphisMom9801
So, I guess I think I've pretty much learned so much from CC in the last 9 months that I've been a member! And, I have learned a lot but, I didn't know these last two cakes were going to be all the disaster stories I've learned in one weekend!!! LOL I am having a good time learning still!!!
The first cake is my 2nd paid cake to a family friend of ours for a college graduation. I was soo nervous about making a cake that large and I was only doing one layer! Well, it is soooo humid here that my gumpaste accents weren't drying correctly, or the way they had before the humidity! The day OF the cake being picked up I still had to put my grad cap and diploma on top of the de-humidifier to dry them out a little more!!! The were sagging and cracking and I was just sooo nervous! Then, I had wanted to put a frosting border around the cake but, the extra board I was putting the cake on was too large to put in the fridge. (they were picking the cake up 2 days before the grad party) I needed them to be able to keep this cake cool because of the humidity before the party. But, she liked the ribbon border and it worked out for her. I didn't like how the frosting kind of turned out peachish...it is suppose to be ivory!
Sooo, the second pic is my 3rd grad cake and it's a gift to my sister who just graduated high school! (Yeah!! I'm so proud!) The first thing about this cake was that it was 2 cakes that were going to be stacked and I was going to be traveling 5 hours away with it to Indiana!! From the start I've had little mishaps! When I collered the 8" cake I made a slight bulge in the cake layers which posed a problem later when icing the cake. I decided to use pudding in the middle of the cake because the vanilla seemed to plain to me! (bad idea in heat!!) The graduation cap did the same as the first and didn't dry enough because of humidity. So, I had to do my back up plan when I got to the house. TRAVELING!!! OH how funny! We were going to be driving in a rented van with air conditioning and that, did , not , work out!! darnit!!!! We ended up traveling in 2 cars where the air barely worked!!! I had to put my cakes in the other car with my grandparents where they sat on the seat instead of the floor! Not flat!!! The melted a little but....they made it!!! The only thing that was sooo bad was that my fondant accents were melting and the 8" cake with the putting was sagging and the frosting was falling off! The 10" was almost perfect except for some smears of frosting!!! I was totally prepared for the cakes to just be exploded all over the cake carriers!!!! LOL 
By the way! This was a 5 hour trip in 90 degree weather!!!
So the next day I was prepared! I had them sit in the fridge over night and I had my first aid cake kit with me!!!(cause of things I've heard on CC) And the only thing I had to do was go to Hobby Lobby to get icing for the borders on the cake!!! I was even putting the cake together with all these people watching and I did fine!!! That was exciting! I felt like a star!
Everyone loved my sister's cake and her grandmother didn't even want to cut it! But, we did cause the outsides were still sweating cause of the heat and MAN, WAS IT GOOD CAKE!!! That is the only thing that made me happy. But, then on the ride home I got nervous about the things that happend to my sister's cake and thought they might have happend to the first cake so I called....everything was fine!!!
WOW! so sorry so long!! I needed to share!! I am so excited and relieved and happy all at the same time about these cakes! I think I will be getting a kitchen cooler soon cause I will be busy this summer and I don't have room in my fridge!!! LOL The stacked cake was definitely not perfect but, it was for me cause it was my first!!! I loved it! Let me know any critiques or ideas for a next time cause I am all for improving!!!!
Thanks for letting me share my stories!!!
Stephanie G.
sorry the cake pics are flipped the stacked is first and sheet cake second!
These are NOT disaster photos! They are great photos and I am very please with how my cakes turned out!!
Wow, after reading your story, I expected to scroll down and see cake disaster pictures. Your cakes are beautiful!! Great job!
~ Sherri
Same here! I really thought they were gonna look bad, lol=) Well, even though those buggers gave you some trouble, you won! Your cakes turned out great=) Jen
Oh... you did a good job!
I bet everyone was impressed! 
mpc
www.mypastrychef.com
I expected a huge mess after reading your story but your cakes are fantastic give your self a pat on the back!!!!
both cakes are beautiful--I was also expecting disaster pictures--I'm so glad everything turned out well for both parties
I agree with everyone else...I took a deep breath before scrolling down...only to see pics of lovely cakes!!! congrats and I'm glad everything worked out in the end
I just love your border on the sheet cake. You did a great job on both, for a newbie.
LOVE the graduation cap!! Troubles or not, it looks great and you should be proud of BOTH cakes!!
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