Hi all, 

I didn't know where to post this. I'm just really upset and need to bounce my thoughts off of some other people. 

Apologies for length, I just thought back story was necessary. 

So this was my first wedding cake. I've done cakes for years and never had problems like what I experienced with this one (go figure). Bride wanted a black cake with dark red sponge and red sugar flowers/black vines and leaves. 

Baked cake, got color I wanted, torted and filled it. It didn't feel too soft or crumby, but wasn't super dense either. Put it in the fridge overnight.

Next day I go to do the fondant. Now bride wanted a double barrel cake but was for a small number of guests so I stacked the cake ontop of a cake dummy for the double barrel effect. Got my Renshaw black fondant out, noticed it was very soft and sticky. Kneaded it, used powdered sugar to keep it from sticking, didn't work stuck horribly. Scraped it all back together again, kneaded again, lightly greased countertop to prevent sticking. Worked this time. I wrapped the cake as I knew fondant would tear with a cake this tall (a little over 10") if I just laid it over. Fondant turned out lumpy from buttercream underneath and I couldn't properly smooth it as it was that sticky (even tried just rubbing powdered sugar over it to make it not stick). Ugh but ok, I'm putting flowers and vines on they can cover up the bad spots.

Put on red drips next, used candy melts colored red and thinned out with trex. Bad idea. Turned out too thick. Bride was happy with it tho so I didn't redo it. 

Next morning (morning of wedding) come down to find sponge has sagged underneath the fondant and it's bulged out---irreparably. I contact bride, informed her I was going to repair it and would drop it off couple hours later (but still couple hours before reception). Start making chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream immediately.

While mixer is going I decide to try fondant one more time, and roll out a large amount of black frosting on a nonstick mat. Get it over cake in one piece, smoothing sides, and it rips. Of course, duh. Take it off and notice the heaviness from the fondant has started to break the cake (large part was starting to break away. I use my smoother, smooth and push it back together, get it back in fridge. 

Start coloring SMB and it's dark grey rather than black (after I had added cocoa powder, melted cooled dark chocolate, extra black food coloring. I know it'll darken over time but I'm so stressed and shaking and not thinking right and getting really worried. 

Quickly cover cake with buttercream, smooth it out and it looks pretty good. Not as black as black fondant but actually better than the fondant cake it was last night. 

Get it delivered, set up, new red drips (with white chocolate this time) lay out the cookies and cupcakes as well. 

Bride contacts me at 1am extremely unhappy. Said the cake turned to mush once cut, there was a 'break' on the side, and said I ruined her day. Obvs I feel horrible. My worst nightmare (ruining someone's wedding day) has come true. I immediately apologized, explained I'd never had that happen before and wasn't sure what happened (very true), offered a complete refund. I asked what she used to cut the cake (out of curiosity as I'd seen a cake server on table and thought they might have used that to cut the cake. Wouldn't have affected refund at all but would have given myself some peace of mind that I'm not completely incompetent) claimed to have used sharp knife so ok, must have been something with the cake. I'll include pics of cake and pic she sent me as well of aftermath. Pic of side of cake (with area of uneven buttercream is 'break' bride referred to)

I'm just looking for thoughts, feedback, anything. I feel incredibly incredibly horrible and discouraged and thinking about just shutting business down now. Should I write a formal apology letter? (She only communicates via fb messenger so would have to be on there). What else should I do? 

thanks in advance 

idk what happened -- i just wanna say you obviously are a very competent, artistic, seasoned caker -- don't let one booboo however it occurred define you and cause you to quit -- although i understand that feeling -- you clearly are stronger than that -- and i understand the need to grieve a bit --

two things i would have done differently -- i would let the black fondant dry in the air uncovered and knead and dry it again as many times as necessary to get the desired result -- and i would not have told her about the mishap unless i had no other choice -- she was primed for drama and i'm not saying  the cake didn't crack -- i'm just saying the very last person i ever want to deal with after the consult is the bride especially day of --

give yourself some time -- not too much though and this will get behind you and move on forward -- welcome to the club nobody wants to join 

best to you -- happens to the best of us! 

Your cake was beautiful and, as -K8memphis said, do not let this define you as a baker.  Just one thing to say about the bride, if this ruined her whole day, her wedding was seriously lacking and she needs to crawl back into her safe space.  Disappointment I can understand, but the whole day ruined?? Please.

Thank you both so much for your replies! And thank you for the tip on the black fondant! I'll try that next time (or I'm threatening on buying an airbrush and just painting them black next time I'm not sure lol) 

I've actually got an update from the bride. After I'd promised the refund, apologized etc she sent me a pic of the back of the cake (that apparently she didn't notice until someone showed her a pic of it a few hours ago) the back was completely melted. Like totally. Then I realized it had been near a window, sun came in after I left melted whole side (and insides) of the cake. I think I was taken for a bit of a ride here with this one. No way would no one could NOT put 2 and 2 together and not seen cake sitting in direct sunlight and melted and realize what happened. But I feel better that it wasn't really something I did. But going to pay extra careful attention to where cake tables are placed from now on, and might just stay and do cutting myself. 

thank you both!! 

I agree with @SandraSmiley ‍ . I hate when people say the cake was so bad it ruined the wedding. Please, the cake is only one part of the event. You know what I think ruins a wedding? The groom runs off with the maid of honor. The person performing the ceremony gets a cease and desist notice. An hour after dinner starts, guests begin vomiting. The reception hall burns down. (I'll stop now.)

I must admit, the cake looks so yummy that I just want to dive into it face first, just like a baby's smash cake!

There is another forum topic that is just a few days old regarding staying and cutting the cake for the bride.  Evidently it has it's own perils. Look it up and you may want to reconsider.

You now know that it is likely the sun killed your cake and not anything you did wrong, so that should ease your mind.  It is not worth the hassle to consider further.  Refund her money and let it go.

Hahaha!  Totally agree, @MimiFix ‍ !

Haha! @MimiFix ‍ very true!! 

Thanks @SandraSmiley ‍ ! 

i didn't realize that, I'll have a look and research that further before committing to any plans for it, thanks! 

I was definitely extremely relieved when I realized what had happened. And you're right, I'm just letting it slide this time and learning the costlier lesson. I think if I refused the refund it would be all out drama and I just don't have the energy for that fight. 

Mimi.....as a former firefighter please, please don't even suggest such a thing.   

I know you were trying to make a point and I agree w/you on all but that last suggestion.

I once did a wedding cake that called for 'celeon' color.  They gave me a tiny pint chip.  In my floresent lighted shop it was a very close match but at reception in a tent the mother of the bride pitched such a fit when I delivered everyone there had to come over to see it.  And when she returned the equipment MOB did the same thing in fromt of customers.  I bet if she had not been so vocal very few would have noticed.

I just wanted to say beautiful cake!  And I much prefer the color as it is over black-black - makes the beautiful flowers and vines stand out.  Nice job!

I feel your pain!  Had all the swirls melt off the bottom of a wedding cake this spring.  Everyone wants buttercream, not fondant, and buttercream and hot humidity don't do well together.  The bride was fine, I think everything at the reception melted!  But I felt horrible.  But, I learned alot and figured out some things I could have done differently.  And I'm trying to find or develop a crusting buttercream that tastes good and sets like concrete!  The point of this is, don't worry about it.  It happens.  We are human, and it is cake!

cutiger -- there are high humidity buttercream recipes -- for example add a quarter cup of wondra flour to your favorite recipe -- check in the recipes here for more -- best to you

Thanks!  I'm trying them all to see which works best.  I am beginning to wonder if the humidity is more of a factor than the heat.  I know that doesn't make sense.  The one thing I have discovered is that I can only use water as the liquid, no milk.  Any recipe I've tried with milk turns to mush...even the flour recipe.  Haven't tried Wimbeckler's boiled recipe yet.  Thanks again for the help!