Ok so after reading some posts and looking through most of the galleries of cakes on this site I feel that maybe my cakes are not up to par! That being said i have only made the cakes in my gallery plus 3 more that were not picture worthy lol. I have no formal training just watched my mom decorate and always loved anything that involved drawing, sculpting, Ect.

I am just asking for some constructive criticism! If you all don't mind!

By the looks of your cakes you have NOTHING to be ashamed about if you are proud of your cakes then thats all that matters and when it come to baking for family members its the thought that counts! take a look at my single pathetic looking cake i have posted on here!

I don't think its really being fair to yourself to have us "rate" your cakes. Everyone has a learning curve! I think your cakes are great for being self taught and newer at caking, and you will always learn and improve!!!

For instance, look at these cakes of mine.

This one was done in 2006:

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/25432


This one was done this year for a local wedding magazine:

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1902420



I just post that to say...in 2006 I did my best and my customer liked the cake just fine. But over the years I learned and practiced and tried new things and got better at the regular stuff (like icing cakes smooth, which is one of the hardest but most important things about doing professional looking cakes) and you just learn and grow.

Which is why I say its unfair to "rate"....my early cakes were just fine for where I was in life at that time....and my current cakes are fine for where I am in life now. I hope in 5 more years my cakes will be even better.

Happy caking!

For where you are at right now, I'd say your cakes are creative and colorful. I agree with kitagrl, you will just keep getting better.

Study the compostitions of cakes you think are great and try to bring some of that into your own creations!

Thanks everyone! I hope to one day be able do decorate half as good as all of you!

I LOVE looking back at my first cakes! A friend commented recently on my FaceBook that my cakes NOW...sure don't look like one of the first wedding cakes I did. Let me just say...it was SCARY! LOL But, it was free and for a friend and she knew I wasn't a professional. And through the years....I've steadily made progress. Still not professional but happy where I am!

I think your cakes look GREAT! We are our own worst critics some time!

Happy Baking

Beth in KY

Growing and learning is one of the best parts of becoming a decorator! I too have taught myself everything I know and seeing how far I've come is so rewarding. My friends and family are always telling me how amazing it is to watch my progress. I cant wait to keep getting better keep practicing and keep going!

You cakes are very nice. Kitagrl is right
The first time I made cupcakes my family wawed & oooed & kept on asking me: how did you make these lol they really hardly ever saw decorated cupcakes ( in my pics the pink & black)
Now 9 months later I always get: your best work yet!
I am also a self taught baker. All I can say is practice makes perfect

I think your cakes look really good but to turn the question around, what do you see wrong with them? Where do you feel you need to improve? If there are certain areas you feel weaker at can you practice those seperately so that next time you do a cake using that technique you will feel more confident about it and your work?