So, people I know tell me I should start a cake business, so I do, and I shouldn't have. Why did I think that I could? I am not nearly as talented as 99% of the people on here. I am ready to throw in the towel. It has been 2 months, 2 wedding cakes with one more scheduled, several b-day cakes.
So I tried to make Debbie Brown's Tom and Jerry cake, and it collapsed. So I made it again... COLLAPSED AGAIN. I am telling you that I followed the directions to the T. The exception being that in her pics, her cake was white and mine was strawberry. I used MMF. What the &*^% did I do wrong? I would post the pic, but I am too embarrassed.
I ended up making a 1/4 sheet with a bc transfer for the poor kid. Not the supercool tom and jerry that he wanted. I will have to give her a refund of some sort, probably half. I am ONLY ASSUMING that the bc transfer will turn out. It is in the freezer and the cake is iced and ready to go.
I seriously am thinking of quiting. I haven't had any formal training anyway, so why did I think I could do any of this!! I had one class from a friend and that was... this is how to prep the bag, level a cake, etc.
I will say though, that the viva method is awesome. I used it twice this week. Love it. At least I can take that knowledge with me as I depart....
did you do anything to make the cake more dense?
for sculpted cakes, a pound cake consistency is best -- nice and firm.
box mixes and some scratch recipes are too soft to use for 3D w/ out doctoring to make them more pound cake like.
have you tried the durable cake recipe?
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-1972-0-Durable-Cake-for-3D-and-Wedding-Cakes.html
that might help.
don't give up -- just like a little child, we fall down go boom -- but it's the getting up and trying again that gives us mastery.
the only person who is a failure is the person who when life knocks him/her down, stays down.
Aww don't feel so bad! When I first look at some of the cakes on here, I feel like I woul never be able to make them either. But I know if I practice, I might be able to do it. Obviously people have faith in your abilities because they're placing orders. And, the more we screw up, the more we learn!!! Don't quit!
Hey your cakes are better than mine and I AM NOT THROWING ANY TOWELS OR GIVING UP. Practice makes perfect just be determined to get a 3D cake right, like Doug says a lot of people don't know the consistency has to be pretty dense, I had a friend who had a 3D snowman pan from William Sonoma and she says everytime she tried to get it out of the pan it would just fall apart, so I told her about the dense cake she needed for that pan. Good luck and keep trying your cakes are beautiful
OMG! When I read your post, I went to look at your cakes and was really expecting to find bulging sides, lopsided cakes, icing sliding off, you know, the kind of cakes we all made when we first started. I figured that is what was making you so discouraged. But your cakes are GREAT! WOW! You have such incredible talent - and your friends obviously think so as well, since they were encouraging you to start your business. But I know how easy it is to get discouraged when a cake does not come out as planned. I have wanted to throw in the towel several times over a single cake. But don't quit, you have AMAZING talent! Just give yourself a small break before you take on more orders.
Oh, and I think my FAVORITE cake you have done is Kass's cake. It is STUNNING!
I just looked at your pictures and you are great. I took all the classes Wilton offered and am not as good as you are.
We all have bad days and I am sure that is what you are going through. It will get better!
If you enjoy decorating don't give it up because you really are talented!
Hope your day gets better!
Amy
Been there, done that. You'll be okay. Just learn from your experience. Experience is the best teacher.
You are kidding right??? Your cakes are absolutely gorgeous! One cake can't make you want to walk away from your business... If you haven't taken any classes this is OBVIOUSLY a talent you were born with. Your customer base is only going to get bigger, and even though your cake didn't work out today, I'm sure when you explain to the customer that you tried 2x and then made the 3rd cake with FBCT she will appreciate it. I know a discount is necessary, but I HIGHLY doubt you will have a very unhappy customer. Please don't give up, God gave you your talent for a reason, don't let it go to waste... 
I know exactly how you feel. I was there about three weeks ago, but don't give up. We are here to encourage you to press on. Your cakes are great. We all have disasters, even on food network challenges! Just keep focusing on the current cake or the next one and forget the past. Learn from what you did wrong. Most importantly don't forget your tag line.
I've felt the same way many times. I made a toilet cake and the bowl collapsed. I ended up making a pound cake and it held together (although I was a nervous wreck).
Like the rest have said, your cakes are beautiful and very well made. Don't give up. Just get up and get going! You can do this 
Thanks everyone. I am crying now from all the nice words. I think I need a nap.
My husband wont let me quit. He said that only one cake out of ???? should be evidence enough to stay in it. I didn't have the heart to tell him that I was successfully able to hide the mistakes in the other cakes with decoration. LOL I am too tired to post the pics right now, but I will after my nap, then you can laugh and laugh. It belongs in the "Worst cake ever" forum.
The bc transfer worked out, the mom save $30 and the kid still loved it 'cuz it had Tom and Jerry on it. Live and learn.
Thanks for all the encouragement and the compliments. I appreciate it.
By the way...did I mention that my dh took me to breakfast to get away from the cakes, and I sprained my ankle?
I think this is one of those days that are better spent in bed with the new Harry Potter book.
Steady hands... I laughed at your comment about the toilet cake, and so I went to look at it, and it is already in my favs. I thought it was so clever.!
Amy729, I am not better than you. I think you are awesome. I love the whimsical cake the best.
No matter how long any of us have been doing this I think we all have disasters... I had a carrot cake that I wanted to throw through the window yesterday!!! But, the good always out weighs the bad!
Aw don't feel bad! We all make mistakes..I think you've gotten some great help already in this post! I too was told I should start selling cakes that I make, so before I did so, I signed up for the wilton classes at a Michael's store..I'm only in level I right now, so I have a while to go, but I've already learned so much..I'm scared to death for when I actually start selling them...Making a mistake/what if they don't like the cake..But with practice I'm sure I'll be able to do it...Actually, reading about others who have taken the step from no training to selling cakes helps give me confidence...Don't give up... A few mishaps or collapses shouldn't determine whether or not you quit..Cakes are so more complex than I could have ever imagined lol.. Just have fun, don't get discouraged, and try a few of the tips others have mentioned and I bet you'll get that cake done in no time
I had a horrific "cake day" today too (minus the sprained ankle--sorry to hear about that!) I too wanted to finish out whatever orders I had remaining and then quit. I do realize, though, that I am very over-tired today and completely overstressed (took way, way too many orders because I didn't want to say no and then ended up going crazy trying to get everything done in time. In the process missed my daughter's soccer tournament and know I totally disappointed her...). Usually when that happens and I'm so upset I want to quit, things look better in the morning. If you don't quit I won't either........deal? (LOL!!)
I am confident that I used too soft of a cake.
I wont quit, Michelle. My sister called today and asked me to make a cake for my niece. I told her that I would do it for cost and she said that this is my business, so she would pay full price. I am still only going to charge her for cost pricing though bc it is my NIECE, also, she is a CPA, maybe she will do my taxes. LOL
I told my son to take a pic of the the disaster cake, and he didn't do it. So after my kids at the thing (sometimes I swear they pray for disaster so they can eat cake) I went to post the pic and he told me that he didn't take it bc it made me too sad and he didn't want me to remember it. AAAWWW. And then he rolled his eyes, tossed his supershort hair, and left the room. Apparently I was weeping from his love. LOL (he is 12)
I feel for ya! I too am a non-trained decorator whose friends encouraged me to start a business. At 2 am last night I was ready to throw in the towel because I couldn't get my cake to work. Went to bed and woke up - the first thing I do was get on CC to post my latest creation! Guess I'm not quiting. LOL
Oh yeah, I was told one time on CC that a sign of a great decorator is someone who can hide all the mistakes! 
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