So I was making my dads birthday cake and since he loves sailing I attempted earlier this week to make a gumpaste sailboat - looked great except it wouldnt hold and I didnt have anything to use as a frame until it dried - so then I made just a flat one and some life preservers out of fondant to go around the side of the cake - my daughter got into them and when I was taking the boat to move it from her it broke - but still useable. So then I get the cake all nice and smooth and I opened the cupboard and a clean bottle fell on top of it! I fixed it as best as I could but now I am looking at the cake - my icing looks all cracked , there is no room to write happy birthday on it because my writing is big and it looks like a cake for a one year old. I could cry. I also cant do anything about it because we are leaving here in an hour to go over for dinner.
Its not letting me upload so its in my gallery

So sorry for your frustration. If it's any consolation, I would tell your father. I bet he will get a laugh out of it. A memory of his birthday cake. I bet it looks ok. Sometimes we are harder on ourselves than anyone ever could be.

Try to smile. Remember, it's dad's birthday! All he really wants is to see you.

God bless.

Don't beat yourself up!! The cake looks great!

I second Shelley's sentiments. I am a daughter & mother & it is absolutely the thought that counts. It will be a much more memorable cake b/c of the imperfections than if you did a perfect flawless cake.

I looked at the picture and that's not a disaster cake at all. It's a very neat and clean design. It may not match the original idea you had, but it's a great cake and your dad is going to be very pleased with it.

I think it's great! I was expecting a complete mess! I think it looks awesome... I'm sure your dad loved it!

your cake is fine, im sure your dad is gonna love every bite! we are so hard on ourselves. we envision something in our mind and when it doesnt live up to that we are too critical. i know im guilty of it.
let us know how it went.
(((((hugs)))))

That cake is NOT a disaster! You did great considering what you describe as events leading up to the final product. Don't beat yourself up. It's going to be a HUGE hit with your dad --especially because it was made with love by his dd.

Thank you everyone for you positive replies - my dad did love it and so did everyone else and they said it was delicious - I was just disappointed that it didn't turn out the way I pictured it. You all made me feel better about it before I got there so thank you

I think your cake looks great. Things happen, and you do what you can to salvage. Your Dad will love it because you put your love into it - plus he understands that things happen. You really did a great job in salvaging your cake! It doesn't show any signs of the trouble you had.

Your cake looked great to me! Hardly any of the cakes I make look the way I originally pictured them in my head. They're never as perfect, and often the design has to change as I go along.

I've had to work at training myself to look at my cakes when they're done as if I'm walking into the room and seeing them for the first time. I try to look at the effect of the cake as a whole. When I do that, I'm generally satisfied, and I stop focusing on that one spot that I couldn't get to go exactly right, etc., etc. It's the way everyone else will see them. I've also had to break myself from pointing out every flaw to everyone else, too.

We really are our own worst critics....don't be so hard on yourself. If everyone loved it, deem it a success! Strive to improve on the areas that bugged you, next time.

Jen

After all of that I would have made a name plaque for the boat and it's name would be "Murphy's Law!"

I wish I could see it. But I trust those who said it looks great. Take it easy on yourself and go have some fun retelling the cake disaster story.