What Do You Think Of Your Own Cakes?
Decorating By keonicakes Updated 24 Nov 2006 , 12:01am by GIAcakes
Hi everyone, I was wandering if I'm the only one that is never satisfied with the outcome of my work. It was brought to my attention a couple of days ago by my friend and hubby that I never have anything nice to say about my own cakes. Plenty of good things to say about others, I just see every flaw and am just never happy with the outcomes. On occasion, I've made my husband do deliveries just so I wouldn't have to take credit for what I've done. Anyone else like that or am I totally into self ridicule?
Amy
i am so with you on that-i guess its human nature -you always want better-but we wouldnt learn otherwisw i guess-by the way i really like your work!!
I am exactly the same way. In my opinion, all my cakes suck, and anyone who has anything nice to say must be lying. LOL
We're all our own worst critics I think. I am usually happy with the end result but it takes me forever sometimes before I'll let myself be satisfied. Lots of "correcting" things that nobody else would pay attention to. Like writing being slightly off center and needing to redo... or polka dots not spaced just right.... and then smoothness of icing... on and on... 
oh my gosh, i am the same way!!! my DH is always telling me to stop pointing out the flaws in my cakes to everyone. i have a hard time not saying anything if i'm not totally happy with the cake. the flaws are so obvious to me that i feel they would be just as obvious to everyone else.
but, i'm learning that that is not usually the case. so, i've been trying to just smile and accept the compliments - and bite my tongue.
I agree with everyone. I think it is maybe what keeps us grounded and always trying to improve our trade!?!?
Like all of you I'm never satisfied with my own work -- there's ALWAYS room for improvement!! BUT I have given up the quest for perfection (the end result) and have given to striving for excellence instead (the journey.) As a result, my cakes are taking on a more overall professional appearance and the stress to have everything just so has been relieved. Look at any flower in nature -- they all look good, yet none are perfect!
Haaaaaaaaaa. Good questions. I think I've only liked about 3 cakes I've ever made. (Fortunately the babyshower cake (in my album) is one of the good ones.lol). I won Best in Show on a cake this year that I HATED!! Gave it away. Sounds like I"m in good company.
You guys are crazy. Your cakes are phenominal. I only wish I had half your talents!
I find every flaw, but then again I have only been doing this a couple months.
I agree with everyone here about us being our own worst critic. I think we envision perfection, and when its not what we had in our head (or sketch), we automatically think its "flawed". I am the same way. Sometimes I'm very happy with the cake when its first done, then the more I look at it I see opportunities for improvement. I'm sure the cakes are better than we perceive.
I'm not sure if any artist is totally pleased with their creations.
Sometimes it drives me crazy that my hands cannot duplicate what I can dream up in my head. I am always disappointed with the end result.
I guess perfection only comes when your hands can keep up with your head.
Hey Bobwanderbuns........
I looked at your location and cought myself starting to look over my left shoulder. So twisted, I love it!!!!lol.....
Have you guys actually looked at your photos with fresh eyeballs? You all are artists! Fabulous stuff all!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You answered my question and I'm glad I'm not alone in feeling the way I do. Well, sort of. I want you to see your stuff through someone else's eyes and you will think that you are the freaking bomb!!!!!!!!!
amy
I am definitely my own worst critic and I have a hard time taking a compliment. If someone makes a nice comment about my work I find myself pointing out flaws. Don't know why I do that. I can look at my cakes and sometimes say I did a really nice job, or that turned out just the way I envisioned it. Other times I know I could have done better work. And I often compare my work to others and know it isn't quite as good.
I'm never happy with my cakes either. I think its partly because I see all of the wonderful cakes here on CC and mine just don't compare. I guess I expect perfection..but then again I'm still learning and teaching myself as I go along (haven't taken any classes yet).
My husband is always telling me to keep my mouth shut and accept the compliments...its bad business to point out all of my flaws. Hehe!
I can really relate to the compliment thing also. Do you think it is a personality thing? I have problems accepting compliments on anything I do. I think I have the perfectionist thing going for me!?!? I do find that I am usually happier with the cakes I do for family and friends (free) than the ones I get paid for. I'm not sure if my standards go up or the pressure gets to me!
I have to add my two cents here and agree with everyone else.
Dear Ihatefondant: I totally agree with you ~ I can picture something in my head and it will be absolutely gorgeous and when I actually make the cake it's not exactly what I wanted. But I usually get a lot of positive comments. So yeah, we're our own worst critics.
You are all so talented!! Be proud. But just to be a hypocrite... 
the only cakes of mine that I LOVE and am so proud of are the ones that I didn't plan out every detail of. My personal lesson....to go with the flow so that I am not so disappointed because I didn't do what I intended to do.
I am in awe of the cakes that I see. It's in my nature as well to be critical of myself. It makes me strive to be better, but sometimes it makes me not appreciate what I have accomplished.
I agree with the poster who suggested to stand back and look at your cakes with fresh eyes. Don't be afraid to be impressed with yourself!
Angie
I should show this thread to my husband, he thinks I'm nuts.
I've only had one that I was really happy with and then my husband came home and said it was okay which made me unhappy with it. Turns out he was saying that because he figured that if he said it was wonderful I would start picking it apart.
A couple weeks ago I made a baby shower cake for a relative and I was so unhappy with the bottom cake I didn't take a picture. My husband laughed at me when I told him how much everyone raved about the cake that I was so unhappy with. 
count me in..i guess i feel insecure coz i never even baked a cake before i started decorating..and whenever i do something, there is always something going wrong.just my kind of luck i guess ..
OMG we must all sound like that Twilight show where they had to do plastic surgery on a woman and when they took the bandages off they kept saying how ugly she was. Then we see she is beautiful but the rest of the people are pig nose strange looking people. No wonder our loved ones don't get us 
I'm just like everyone here always thinking how sad my cakes look. I'm trying to get over it. What I've been doing is going to stores and bakeries to look at the work there. Also, I've looked at Michaels at the instructors work. I would say 99% of the time I think I can do better then what I've found. So it's starting to make me feel better. I mean if people buy those cakes and are happy they have to be happy with our cakes.
To be honest I think because we spend so much time looking at the great cakes on the Internet, ICES, books and contests that we assume all cakes are perfect.
I think it is sort of like when you had a photo to someone that is a group shot. The only person they really notice is themselves. If they don't look good they hate the photo. But if they came out nice they don't care what anyone looks like they love the photo.
I think we all just need to try to be nicer to ourself and point out all the good parts rather then the parts.
Well I had finally got where I kind a liked the way my cakes were coming out. But my last two were AWFUL They made me cry quarts! 
Oh well hopefully the two I make this week will work out better. (I sure hope so anyway as one of them is for someone else eekkk)
As you can see I do not have any photos posted. I have potos of some of my cakes. I just think they are not good enough to post. I am praying that the teapot cake I am going to attempt to make for my Aunt will be photo worthy. I haven't made a cake yet that I like. My family thinks I am nuts. I tell them they are biased. My 8 yr old is excluded from this. She is very honest.
As you can see I do not have any photos posted. I have potos of some of my cakes. I just think they are not good enough to post. I am praying that the teapot cake I am going to attempt to make for my Aunt will be photo worthy. I haven't made a cake yet that I like. My family thinks I am nuts. I tell them they are biased. My 8 yr old is excluded from this. She is very honest.
oh my gosh... you should absolutely upload some photos! the supportive and kind comments you can get here at CC is such a great confidence booster. it seems like there is always someone who can point out something great about your cake.... something you didn't even see yourself. you should go for it. we're all here for ya! 
It seems that not being happy with our own cakes is a common problem. I'm never totally happy with my cakes and never seem to know when to class a cake as finished. I add things, take off things and alter bits right up until the last minute. I always seem to focus on the bits that went wrong, not the bits that went right, and spend ages trying to hide imperfections. If I get complimented I worry the person is just being kind. I think I must have a lack of self esteem problem! 
Oh well ........ there's no such thing as perfection and there's always room for improvement. I have to keep reminding myself that if people didn't really like my cakes they wouldn't keep coming back!
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