I'm just an amateur/hobby baker, no selling or plans to go pro, but I think I have some decent skills.  I know my limitations and I don't try to go for something that's beyond what I know I'm capable of.  With that said, I just made a cake for my son's birthday and I hate it.  I had a hard time visualizing how it was going to go together and as a result, it's just "meh" in my book.  Technique-wise it's fine, my icing is nice and smooth, I covered my cake board, my piping is nice, etc., but the design sucks.  I know my son will love it but after making my daughter's red white and blue cake in my profile, this cake is just such a downer for me.  I think what's really getting me is that some of the reasons it's "meh" instead of "wow" is that I was tired and just wanted to be done with it (we're moving in a week, it's really hectic around here).  I'm just bummed.  I wanted a "wow" cake and it's not really "wow" at all and every time I look at it I think "Ugh."  Thanks for letting me vent, and feel free to share your "cake-hating" stories to make me feel better.

Oh no. So sorry you are not happy with the result. Is there a chance you could add something to it to make it a but wow at least? Not sure how it looks like now and as a mother I know we are our worst critics most of the time. If you haven't served it yet,post a picture, would be easier to evaluate.

To come back to your initial question : yes, I hated not only one cake before but a few. Mainly for reasons you mentioned that already, being to tired/to busy/ overworked anyway and can't focus on the cake. That's why I avoid taking on last minute orders or orders at all during December f.e.  (that's a busy month for me with family birthdays, school holidays, Christmas and my  other business ).

Totally feel you on this.  This happens to me when I don't have a really clear vision of what I want to do.  I just go at it because it needs to get done and then I hate it.  I think about it and look at it some more and either add more or start over again because I'm so unhappy.  I end up spending way more time on it than I should and it's all frustration.  But in the end of all that if the recipient of the cake is happy you should be happy.  We want to outdo ourselves for really special people but sometimes it doesn't happen.  You know your son will love it, you did well :)

At this point there's not much I can do.  It's a Star Wars themed cake, and I was going to do fondant accents to make it look like the inside of the Death Star, but I was so tired that I scrapped that and just did piped accents instead, which don't look 

Be glad you're done and enjoy the oohs and ahhs from the kids :)

I had one, a boy scout theme that I was playing around with.  My red was pink.  I kept it in my personal album because it taught me a lesson and I remember it when I see it.  But for your case, let it go.  I think it is challenging for people who like to do cakes to get caught up in comparing what we do to the ones who have some mad, passionate skills and our stuff just doesn't compare.  I realized I can love and admire those and yet realize that I really don't want to put the time and effort and supplies and tool purchases to do them myself.  I admire what others can do and I (and my friends) are happy with what I bring to eat.  Remember your son and the other people at the party aren't sitting around looking at fabulous cakes all day and they don't know what you had imagined for it.  So bring it proudly and happily.  And for heaven's sake, don't be telling everyone how disappointed you are with the cake.  Keep it to yourself and really hear the compliments that the others will be saying.

True, denetteb, very true.  Thank you for the reminder :)

Solution:  Look at the cake through your son's eyes, not yours.

I Agree!!!

But I too have hated the out come of a cake to the point I sat and cried (funny now not so much then lol) I couldn't wait for them to just cut it and get it over with. Turns out they loved them and couldn't believe how great they turned out. And she is still my friend we get together weekly so I hated it all for nothing!! Oh and the time my icing color darkened and didn't match the fondant topper exactly anymore. I just wanted to crawl under the bed and again they loved it and fought over who got leftover cupcakes. However that one I'll never forget big less ones learned color icing in advance!!! we all have things that don't turn out the way we want but we live to bake another day :)

it will be great in sure!!!

V6eqsta64G-weirdest-star-wars-cake-ever_900.jpg

V6eqsta64G-weirdest-star-wars-cake-ever_900.jpg

So there it is.  Weird cake.  The kids loved it.  Said it was cool, so that's all that matters.  I still think it's weird :)  

I dont think it's weird at all!  It very clean and well done like you said.  No one else knows what you're comparing it to, they just see that it's an awesome unique Star Wars cake.  Great job!

@alexius007. Think you uploaded the wrong picture! We wanted to see that "meh" cake that "sucks" design wise...This can't be it. 

Think you are too hard on yourself.  Let it go, you did a good job and most importantly the kids loved it!!!

told ya....

nobody thinks the cake is "meh" but you....  

May the Force be with you!

I have hated many cakes.    My top one was a mermaid cake I did for my then 4 year old cousin.   Oh that cake........I still cringe over it.     As per my cousin, the four year old...she wanted craisins and for it to be several flavors including orange, vanilla and chocolate...The mermaid was to look like her, with dark curly hair and Carmel colored skin, wearing purple, her favorite color.   (and how does one say no to a cute face?)

so I did it, and the cake was a nightmare to work with, and nothing turned out as beautiful as I had envisioned it.   I screamed and cussed and cried over that cake.   My cake board was too flimsy and the darn thing smeared icing on it.....it was such a pain.    But......

Both my aunt and my 4 year old cousin LOVED it.   They were both delighted over how I incorporated all of her wants into a cake.    It tasted really good and to see both of their smiles as she blew out the candles is something that erased much of my disdain for the thing.

I look back on this now, 4 years later, and I am so glad I had the opportunity to make that cake.   My Aunt was murdered a year and a half ago and her now 7 year old is gone from us living with a relative too far for us to see her.     We haven't gotten to see her since the service for her mom.   We miss her birthdays now.    There will not be any more ridiculously demanding cakes to make for her.   All of those future parties, now taken from our family becasue  of another human being's utter selfishness and disregard for life.   

I look  back at that cake in  now precious photos  and am so filled with love and some sadness, but mostly I am honored that I was able to be a part of that day.....even with the cake challenges.    I just hope that she remembers how much we love her and did everything we could to make her birthday  dreams come true.

Ummm my two Star Wars loving boys would have been over the moon to see a cake like that. Also consider the content...... Star Wars is weird (and I'm a fan now after many years of refusing to watch it lol). Don't be so hard on yourself :) 

I know for all of us bakers hobby to professional we are our own worst critic and what we see often goes unnoticed by others. Thanks for posting a picture!!!

Thank you all, your kind words have restored my spirit!  I have to take a cake break for a while as we move but I'm looking forward to working with fondant more in the future.