How Do You Know When Your Ready
Decorating By luelue1971 Updated 9 Oct 2007 , 7:38pm by springlakecake
I saw an ad on our local craigslist for someoe to make a halloween inspired wedding cake so I answered. Now I'm really scared.
How do you know when your ready to do something like that?
I will be making a birthday cake for my grandmother this week and it will be 4 tiers so I guess that's a start.
She has asked for photos of the cakes I have done. I thought I would send her a couple and of course let her know my experience and offer to make a small version of the cake she wants for her to see.
Do you think that's fair?
Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.
Your cakes are nice. I see you've already done a tiered cake so that's a start. As far as the cake from craiglist, since your nervous, here's my tips
I found that procastinating cake projects that you want to be perfect ( well as professional looking as possible)is a NO NO!
Start as far in advance as you can.
PLAN, PLAN, PLAN! Make out your list and go shopping for everything you need down to the board, covering and boxes. It helps if you can have all your components for you project in advance so you don't have to waste time running around in stores when you could be working on your cake.
Make all gumpaste accessories in advance and make extras to be sure they have enough drying time and to allow for breakage.
Cover your boards
Bake your cakes one week in advance and freeze or bake them three days before the event. Wrap well. Make your icing in advance then fill and crumb coat, let cakes rest over night or at least several hours to prevent bulging.
Ice then decorate cakes. The key is to do each project in advance so you don't become overwhelmed with the overall project. How many of us procastinated to the last minute and nothing came out right or as you planned; how many of us said I'll start this small two tiered or one large size cake the day before event (no problem right?) well you have yor time management all mapped out for each task including clean up and you were so WRONG!
Personal issues come up, oven is acting up, forgot or don't have this ingredient can't substitute got to go to the store (waste of time), dropped the cake pan with the batter, cakes sunk or fell apart,( have to start again, I don't have time for this, and it's starting to cost more. If I had done this part days in advance I could just breathe and start again without feeling the pressure of running out of time and wanting to pull my hair out in frustration!) It's too humid, my icing is not cooperating, it's too soft ( I don't have any more ps, I got to go back to the store? DAMN!!), won't crust, can't smooth, spending too much time trying to get perfect corners, my fondant is too crumbly (how long do I have to knead before it's right) It's looking like fondant now but it's too soft to work with ( I should have done this yesterday) it's tearing (I've got to log on to cc need advice immediately! Damn computer is so slow, waiting for some replies, it's taking awhile) It's getting late, I planned on being this far into this project by now and I am nowhere near. Instead of me getting up at 8 am to ice and decorate this cake that is due at 3 p.m (my plan was to have the cakes baked, filled and crumb coated before I went to bed the night before the event because this was a simple order remember)It is now 2 a.m. and I'm still baking. MY BACK! MY LEGS! When will this cake be completed? What will it look like when it's done, surely not what I had originally planned ( I have no enthusiasm for this cake anymore)? Will the customer be satisfied? Will I have to give some kind of discount or refund back? Will this put a negative on my business?
Oh I'm so sorry! I zoned out and all my procastinating caketastrophies flashed before my eyes while answering your post! LOL!
The moral of this flashback is who needs all that extra pressure, aggravation, frustration, back breaking, body aching, and negative doubts when we're supposed to being doing something we love!
Well, I think I have the job. She's decided not to have a wedding so it is just a two tier the bottom for after the wedding for her and hubby and the top to be frozen for their anniversay. The only negative thing she said about my cakes was that they weren't as smooth as the one she wanted. She emailed me this pick of the cake she wants and it is obviously fondant.
I explained that to her so now she gets it.
How would I make the cobwebs? transfer the design and then buttercream?
First off, congratulations on getting the job! 
I believe the cobwebs were done freehand. They're not as hard as they seem to be since they're actually not straight/perfect lines. Just relax and have fun while piping. I keep on telling myself this everytime I pipe since I suck at it 
Goodluck! 
I actually think that cake might be buttercream. Just smooth away with a paper towel/melvira method to get that faux fondant look. (also in the articles there is a faux fondant tutorial I think)
You could free hand the spider webs or maybe prick your design into the icing before your pipe over it. I would put a little corn syrup or piping gel into my icing for the cobwebs to make it a little stretchier when you are piping it on (less breakage).Let the icing fall where it falls. Dont try and draw it on because it will look wiggly.
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