I DID!!! I can't believe I did it! I was soo mad at myself!!! I worked and worked all week long on stuff for this cake. I put too much pressure on myself and had too much going on with having just moved and still having boxes everywhere and is that time of the month. But I had to make a special cake for my Nanny for Mother's Day. She is very old and very ill and was in the hospital and we just found out my Uncle(her son) has cancer and only a few months.
I had baked the day before, stacked and filled and butter creamed my two layers and it was just past midnight. My mom came up to stay with us for the weekend as well. She really works me up most of the time. Like oil and water we are sometimes. Our new house has high ceilings and tile and sounds like a concert hall. She can't whisper she just can't. She had already been constantly asking me for stuff even though I was busy with cake and everyone else was asleep including my hubby who has to get up at 4 AM. I kept asking her please just leave me alone to work on the cake like 5 times already. I even asked her to go to bed but no. So she settled in on the couch to watch a movie with a head set on. I really am the kind of person who likes quiet time by myself to work on things. I just can't take someone over my shoulder. And it was like she had been perched up there all day! So she was finally quiet...Phew-or so I thought. Just as I am working the fondant to soften it up she gets up again to say that it is a lot of work. And then pick at me for how much chocolate is in the cake. See my Nanny has blood pressure issues and has to watch things. But I double checked and so did she because my Nanny LOVES chocolate. And a little is fine. So I made a marbled cake light on the chocolate part and my mom had already told me it would be Ok to make it all choc. Anyhow at that moment she chose to question it instead of a week earlier when I asked her repeatedly about making sure it would be ok which she did and it was fine. I asked her yet again to let me alone to get this done and she sat back down. I rolled and rolled and got the cake ready. But just as I ever so gently lifted the fondant draped over my wrists in the air to lay it on the cake -you guessed it my mom jumps up and rushes over with her eyeballs bugging out and a look of OMG on her face. I jumped and rammed a finger deep into the cake as I laid the fondant down.
It felt like someone has sucked all the air out of the room! "What!", I said. She said she needed something. Look can't you leave me alone right now!?, I said. I was so stressed and why knowing how hard I was working on this would she keep pestering me???? I looked back at the cake and tried to steady myself to attempt to smooth it even though I knew there was no way because it was right on the top edge. She whispered my name again! And remember she CAN"T whisper at all. My name comes out like an evil pit viper is hissing it... SSSSSSSSSSSssssssarah!
She gave me this look of desperation and complete importance that she needed something. Before I could breathe I watched myself pick up the blanked injured cake and heave it up high into the air and throw it down onto the tile floor at her feet. "There it's done now I have time, WHAT DO YOU NEED!" I stammered. I felt sick and ashamed and angry and exhausted! You want to know what was so important that she needed? She wanted to know where my oil(right on the counter) was so she could take off her mascara and go to bed. Now why doesnt she bring her eye makeup remover when she travels I do not know. I take mine with me.
She was in shock and so was I. At least no curse words came out. But I did have a few words of learning how to read a person's mood and when NOT TO BOTHER ME. It wasn't pretty!. So in true Mommy Dearest Fashion ( you remember that Joan Crawford movie?)
I began scrubbing my floor and discarding the pile of crumbs. Yeah I was a bit anal at that moment in time. Knowing I had tons of stuff to do and re-baking would put me even further behind schedule if it was even possible at all. I went to bed at 1AM in tears. Knowing that my only 8inch cake pan had fallen onto the tile floor and gotten badly dented and I may not have time to do anything about it. But I had all this gum paste stuff that needed a cake!
I woke up at 7 Am(even thought I can't remember falling asleep) to the sounds of our almost 2yo. I started the day and was determined to get it done. I hammered out the dented pan with the aid of a rounded tuna can and my hubby's hammer. Did the usual stuff with the kids and pulled my last box of cake mix out and got started. I still had to go out to the store to get an edible image printed and to buy a base for the whole thing and my Daughter needed a B-day present for a party she was going to.
The day was tense but she finally left me alone. Ok well not true. She tripped over herself to tell me I didn't have to go out of my way and to just make something simple. Yeah no encouragement to shoot for the moon...
I put the cake in the freezer and went to the store. After an hour the bakery lady gave up fighting with the image printer and I hugged her and said thanks for trying and walked away in tears I hope she didn't see the tears. Heaven knows she tried hard, it just wouldn't work. Got to love computers! So yeah that is paper on the cake but oh well! I didn't have the strength to paint that on there.
Any way I iced the cake and my mom took the kids to the pool. So I kept working and worked right through the night and was still up when my hubby woke up at 4 for work. The Lid was stuck on the parchment it was drying on after three days in front of a fan because it didn't want to dry in the first place. I have a new camera because we broke the old one and I had to learn how to work this one. The pics are a little fuzzy but that's life. We found out that my Aunt's AC broke and hello Florida heat! I had to adjust my filling to one that didn't need refrigeration and one that would be strong enough that the cake wouldn't collapse. The paper got grease stains from the fondant so I rubbed more crisco right on the paper and prayed it wouldn't fall off or fall apart.
I had to explain everything to my mom who had to know. That's her thing she likes to know everything so she can tell everyone.
Disaster after disaster of things not wanting to work I finished it and I love it. I am still in shock. So without further adieu...

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1365176

Your cake is lovely.

I have thrown a cake before...it was long ago when I was pregnant with my first daughter. I was trying to make a cake that looked like my dad's Volvo station wagon, using the wilton pickup truck pan (I hate shaped pans). He wanted caramel pecan icing in the middle, so I leveled and torted it, but then I frosted the wrong side so that the details on the top would have been in the inside (did I mention I hate shaped pans?). At that point he walked into the kitchen and said he hoped I wasn't leaving a mess for him to clean up. I picked up the cake pan, opened the front door, and threw it out. Then I went back and got the cake and threw that out too for good measure. Then I sat on the kitchen floor and cried (good old pregnancy hormones) and my dad went to hide in his bedroom. I can't even remember why I was baking at his house and not at mine.

OMG!!!! That was a GREAT story!!!! I love that you threw the cake at your mom. I COMPLETELY understand that feeling!!! You are my new hero!!!!!

All that drama produced a very beautiful cake.

I sometimes want to put a do not disturb sign on my forehead when I'm decorating. Thankfully my mom has learned to write down notes and wait til I'm done to ask me what I did or why I did.

I had a girlfriend come over when I was doing my stacked book cake. She'd just had gall bladder surgery and was high on Morphine and was actually arguing with me about how to put fondant on the cake (she's in the medical field in the Army- no culinary experience at all). She's trying to point to something and actually jammed her finger into the piece of fondant I was laying on the cake. There was a collective "gasp" in the room when everyone saw it because they knew I was going to flip out...I did and told not to ever touch anything I'm doing again. I walked out of the room because I wanted to say sooo much more.

I really think an isolation chamber is the best thing for all cake decorators!

You did a fabulous job though and I'm sure your Nanny loved it. A great way for her to remember you if she does, God forbid, pass on.

Oh, ((HUGS)) Happy Mother's Day to you!

I am so sorry that you had such a tough time with this cake, it is so beautiful though. Great turn around. (It must have been a little bit cathartic to throw that cake, no? )

I hope you had a great day with your Nanny, it's good to hear that she loved her cake, you made her day special.


BTW - My Mother does the same thing to me, she lives with us in an in-law apartment we have, she is ALWAYS over my shoulder. My Kitchen is small so every time I turn around there she is jumping out of my way! UGH! Questions, questions, questions...what is that for, what are you doing with that, what if you this or that. STOP! I love making cakes, it actually relaxes me but having someone always breathing down my neck is NOT relaxing!

Didn't mean to turn this around to be my vent - just wanted you to know you weren't alone.

I've never thrown a cake, but I have punched one before!

Your cake is amazing and thanks so much for the story. I will now make sure if my mom comes to visit that I have no cake orders to do. Your mom sounds just like mine and I know I would end up doing the same thing you did.

Your cake is fantastic!

Have I thrown a cake on the floor... no but I can guarantee that there have been a few times when I wanted to!

I love getting up at 3am to work on cakes and cupcakes because there is no one else awake!!!


Sadsmile--your cake is a work of art. You are so talented. Thanks for sharing your story and pictures of the cake.

I haven't thrown a cake yet, though if I had one today I would love to throw it at my husband!!!!!

Seems my gym time to loose the baby weight is my free time for myself- long story but age old man inserts foot, woman wants to shove foot farther down throat.

Sarah if you have another cake handy, he gets home in two hours and I'd be happy to follow you lead. Though I think I will throw it at his head not the floor! Either way I am cleaning it up- might as well get some satisfaction from the throw. Next time aim for her head- shuts them up quicker that way!!!

Thanks for the thread- I needed this today

Your cake is beautiful! Sorry you had such a hard time getting it done. I'm sure Nanny appreciated it

OMG you guys! Sad stories or not, you are both my heroes! I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to do that to one pest or another. But I never had the nerve. Consider that you've thrown the cake for all of us as we all live vicariously through you. Someday I'll do it, just to know what it feels like...

flour....$2.99
butter...$1.49
vanilla...$3.29
the look on ______'s face when you slam the cake down on the floor...priceless!

Oh my! What a story and what a gorgeous cake!!

Ohh thanks guys!!! I am finally laughing at it all just now. And yes absolutely there was a certain satisfaction at throwing at her feet and being able to imply that she had ruined it and was driving me crazy. Sad though it was this weekend of all weekends... Mother's Day. Sigh. We have messy emotional issues that complicate things and she knows this. She also chose this week to bring that whole pandora's box out of emotional storage and open it on me. That alone almost sends me into a manic depressed state. Still mad at myself but at least I'm laughing now.
And were is my spell check!!! I soo need it today I have had to edit and re-edit...

The cake is beautiful!!!! Such a thoughtful gesture.

I'm sorry to hear about the nightmare you went through to get it done, though. My best friend's mother is a lot like that too and wouldn't leave us alone when we were making her son's second birthday cake. It led to a wonderful screaming match and almost a cake fight in the kitchen. We finally got the cake done, but she kept telling us that she didn't understand why we were going to so much trouble for a cake that he wouldn't remember. Oh well, live and learn.

Sorry to hear you had to go through all that...I think most of us do at times with our mothers. But OMG! Your cake turned out breathtakingly (is that a word?) beautiful, amazing, and oh so realistic! You did a fabulous job. You should be proud of your work and I'm sure your Grandmother adored it!

Happy (Mother-free) baking in the future!!!

That cake is beautiful. I wasn't expecting such a detailed cake after that story. Although I admire your restraint. I think I would have aimed at my mom's face after all that! Thankfully I have not had any of those moments. I just have a husband that tries putting his fingers in everything for a taste and 4 little kids that ask a million questions "Mommy why are you doing that? Mommy, will you teach me? Mommy, can I have a taste?..." Thanks for the laugh.

Such a lovely cake.No I haven't thrown a cake,too greedy to do that,I would have shouted at my mum though.My voice raises very very very quickly (uncontrolably) when I'm upset.

OMGosh she does that too!!!!!!! I wanna scream she keeps trying to put her fingers in everything for a taste. I have a drawer of nothing but plastic spoons and I always and every stinking time have to catch her before she does and reminde her to take a spoon. She even tries to go for a second taste on the same spoon and I have to tell her to get another one. Why!!! I am either going to be on the 9 O'clock news or in jail one day I swear. *** This just in*** Mother spooned to death over icing... more at Ten.

Your story was very good and the cake was even better its great that you shared it with us.I've wanted to throw a cake but alas I have only dropped a cake by accident,had a full sheet cake fall off the top of a rolling rack and when I worked at a grocery chain I had a customers daughter throw a starter log into the cake when it was in the shopping carriage,I spent soo long making lots of BC roses for it.I think the customer was scared of me when she brought the cake back and saw my face .I told her "if you mess THIS one up too bad i'm going home!" Even though your pressure is probably going to be high for awhile what was important was the woman it was for and i'm sure she loved it good job

OMG
Hilarious
It happened to me this week end too.
My mother can be over dramatic(and I lnow Im 13 and I should listen to my mother andI do respect her all the time so I rarly make cakes cause its like hell) I was making a mothers day cake from 8-3am. My mother was in the kitchen yelling over any little spill or a spot of sugar powder and made me vacume the kitchen 3 times in 2 hours
. I was totaly pissed!! I did more cleaning than the cake it self. Than thankfully she went to sleep I finished cleaning at like 4 in the morning
Then went to sleep and woke up at 12. She went in the kitchen and was all happy about the cake untill she found a spot where i spilled sugar powder and milk(i didn't notice ) she went crazy and washed the whole kitchen over and kept the discussion all about me being irresponsible. I don't want to make any cakes for at least a month now!!!
Baking with some one over your sholders who also is a clean freak is IMPOSSIBLE!!!

NICE CAKE!!! I wish I could make some thing like that one day!!!

wow your mom sounds a lot like mine! lol. i feel your pain, although i live very far away from mine now and have yet to throw a cake on the floor, sorry you had to go through all that cake death, sweat & tears, but in the end your cake turned out beautiful, it's truly a very nice cake, added it as a fav

I have never thrown a cake. But I can almost guarantee that I will someday.

I did throw a bunch of asparagus across a crowded grocery store (had to do with unstocked baking goods right before Christmas, only one checkout lane opened, and a "self checkout" that kept malfunctioning...). It felt good to throw that asparagus. But I did worry that the store would post my picture on sign saying "do not allow this crazy woman in the store", so I started shopping somewhere else.

We all have our moments. They become great stories.. My girls now exaggerate the aspargus incident to the point that it was an "asparagus missile" that "hit an old lady in the head"...neither things are true, but we laugh about it!

Your cake is beautiful.

LOL asparagus, that's funny

OMG ladies! Yes I have thrown a cake and then told DDDDH to clean that Sh!t up! We now have a rule- if mommy has her ipod on DON"T MESS WITH HER!! I've never thrown asparagus, but I will keep some handy for next time!!

Thanks Mom23Angels I doooooo have some asparagus in the fridge. Can't wait to see his face when I launch the asparagus missile LOL.

first of all (((hugs))) What a wonderful cake for your grandmother

after all you went through, I was expecting a cake disaster and instead...

yet another masterpeice

You are so talented and your cakes are so distinctive.

Happy Mothers day to you

I laughed so hard when I read this thread. I have been in that situation. I have not thrown cake, but I have thrown can openers, & half opened mangled cans of vegetables, and pots & pans, but never my cake pans lol.