How Do You Know If You're Cut Out For This?

Business By es329 Updated 2 Aug 2013 , 9:28pm by Annabakescakes

es329 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
es329 Posted 29 Jul 2013 , 6:20am
post #1 of 35

AI agreed to do a cake for a friend's birthday. What a disaster! I had to struggle to finish it today, because I was told it was for Tuesday when it was for Monday. I worked on it for hours and my other half finally came and helped me finish it, otherwise I would have never got done. My whipped icing wouldn't stabilize. Then my border slid down the side. Couldn't get it as smooth as I wanted because of the milk leaking out (Tres Leches Cake).

I did the best I could, all things considering, but, I'm still disappointed in how it turned out.

It makes me wonder if I'm actually cut out for this or if it's just lack of experience and I'll get better with time.

How do you tell if you're cut out to do this?

34 replies
Annabakescakes Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Annabakescakes Posted 29 Jul 2013 , 6:54am
post #2 of 35

You are cut out for it when you SEE the mistakes you made, and are unsatisfied by them, and learn from them, and do better the next time :-)

es329 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
es329 Posted 29 Jul 2013 , 7:04am
post #3 of 35

AMy ocd is getting the best of me. I'm debating whether I should even send the cake. Or go to the store as soon as they open and remake the cake? Tell them I couldn't do it and hope they have time to get another one? Send them the cake and money to buy another one? Not sure if they're having it at a family type event where the ugliness won't matter much or if it'll ruin the day. :(

Annabakescakes Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Annabakescakes Posted 29 Jul 2013 , 7:21am
post #4 of 35

Let me see the cake ;-)

 

And you don't have to remake it, you could just scrape it, and re-ice, and decorate.

es329 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
es329 Posted 29 Jul 2013 , 7:34am
post #5 of 35

AThanks Anna. :) Here it is: [IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3066319/width/200/height/400[/IMG] [IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3066320/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

The foil managed to make the writing smudge even worse. :/

es329 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
es329 Posted 29 Jul 2013 , 7:38am
post #6 of 35

ADownside is it needs to be finished by 5am or I'll have to take the hour trip to deliver it myself. :( The stores don't open until later than that. Not sure what to do.

Annabakescakes Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Annabakescakes Posted 29 Jul 2013 , 7:48am
post #7 of 35

What are they expecting? I will say it certainly isn't professional, but you are not a professional. I assume it tastes amazing?

 

You need either a plastic or metal scraper to smooth this, I assume you don't have one, so a scrubbed and sanitized plastic card of some sort would work. Or a nice rustic pattern would help, since you are having trouble smoothing. Get rid of the writing. Seriously. It is not helping. It would be better left off. If they need writing, they can do it themselves. They can add some silk flowers, or plastic picks from a party store to fancy it up.

Annabakescakes Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Annabakescakes Posted 29 Jul 2013 , 7:51am
post #8 of 35

Maybe swirl the writing around on the surface, to make a nice fluffy looking pattern? Click this link to get an idea of a nice rustic pattern. 

 

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=rustic+icing&qpvt=rustic+icing&FORM=IGRE

es329 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
es329 Posted 29 Jul 2013 , 8:04am
post #9 of 35

A

Original message sent by Annabakescakes

What are they expecting? I will say it certainly isn't professional, but you are not a professional. I assume it tastes amazing?

You need either a plastic or metal scraper to smooth this, I assume you don't have one, so a scrubbed and sanitized plastic card of some sort would work. Or a nice rustic pattern would help, since you are having trouble smoothing. Get rid of the writing. Seriously. It is not helping. It would be better left off. If they need writing, they can do it themselves. They can add some silk flowers, or plastic picks from a party store to fancy it up.

The cakes they've had before were tres leches with a simple white frosting. Tasted great, but not really decorated. The writing and color were what they wanted. Needs to be pink and have writing were their only requirements. We did the best we could on the writing, but it still looks awful. I think it would look a little better if I could just ditch the writing, but then they'll be disappointed by that

Annabakescakes Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Annabakescakes Posted 29 Jul 2013 , 8:16am
post #10 of 35

Can you send a picture, and ask for their approval? Do you have a decorating tip, and some food color? You could re-write it using a small decorating tip, and cursive writing. It is easier to pipe cursive, since you don't have to stop and start as often, and do it MUCH smaller, that is easier as well.

Annabakescakes Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Annabakescakes Posted 29 Jul 2013 , 8:22am
post #11 of 35

That is gel, right? I mean to use icing for the writing. If you don't have a decorator bag, you can use a sandwich bag with the tiniest corner cut off, or a paper cone, with just the tip cut off. PRACTICE on a clean cookie sheet, or plate, and scrape it off to use again.

 

Here is how to fold a cone. Video after a short ad. http://cake-decorating.wonderhowto.com/how-to/fold-a-parchment-cone-for-decorating-cakes-356896/

es329 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
es329 Posted 29 Jul 2013 , 8:40am
post #12 of 35

AIt's gel. I've got bags and tips, I just can't get the whipped icing stabilized enough to pipe with (those pics were taken after I scraped the awful border off).

My plan was to do something like this in pink: [IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3066322/width/200/height/400[/IMG] (not my pic, it was posted in a thread years ago on here. sorry. :/) with one of those skewer type banners saying "Feliz cumpleanos". That way they could have their "writing" without my awful handwriting. Then they said they wanted it a day early and my whipped cream wouldn't stabilize. :(

I've decided not to send it. I'm going to try to fix it and make the extra trip to take it myself.

doramoreno62 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
doramoreno62 Posted 29 Jul 2013 , 8:49am
post #13 of 35

Annabakescakes has given you some great ideas. I would also try to mop up some of the milk that has leaked with paper towels. Then add a simple shell border to the bottom to cover up and fill that empty space. I agree on trying to re write the message and make it smaller. Do you know how to make simple flowers? You could add some to the corners.

Try to use less milk next time so it won't leak as much.

Good Luck!

es329 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
es329 Posted 29 Jul 2013 , 9:09am
post #14 of 35

A

Original message sent by doramoreno62

Annabakescakes has given you some great ideas. I would also try to mop up some of the milk that has leaked with paper towels. Then add a simple shell border to the bottom to cover up and fill that empty space. I agree on trying to re write the message and make it smaller. Do you know how to make simple flowers? You could add some to the corners. Try to use less milk next time so it won't leak as much. Good Luck!

Thanks so much to both of you. I can do simple flowers and stuff, but with this whipped cream icing , I can't get anything piped. I've tried multiple recipes that are supposed to stabilize it and nothing has helped

doramoreno62 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
doramoreno62 Posted 29 Jul 2013 , 9:22am
post #15 of 35

Here is an article on 6 different ways to stabilize whipped cream, maybe it will help

 

http://www.wikihow.com/Stabilize-Whipped-Cream

 

What about making some buttercream roses? Do you have ingredients to make BC?

es329 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
es329 Posted 29 Jul 2013 , 9:29am
post #16 of 35

A

Original message sent by doramoreno62

Here is an article on 6 different ways to stabilize whipped cream, maybe it will help

[URL=http://www.wikihow.com/Stabilize-Whipped-Cream]http://www.wikihow.com/Stabilize-Whipped-Cream[/URL]

What about making some buttercream roses? Do you have ingredients to make BC?

I'm going to try adding pudding mix to my cream as soon as I can get some of both and see if that works.

Unfortunately no butter cream. I almost bought the stuff but then I thought it would be too sweet mixed with the cake. :(

doramoreno62 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
doramoreno62 Posted 29 Jul 2013 , 9:36am
post #17 of 35

Well I hope it works for you!

I frost all my cakes with a non dairy whipped topping Called Pastry pride. It comes frozen and all you have to do is thaw it and whip it up. It is sold in California at Smart and Final, but you can also by something similar called Bettercreme and also Rich's. Look for them so you won't have to stabilize your own. 

Smckinney07 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Smckinney07 Posted 29 Jul 2013 , 11:07am
post #18 of 35

AThose swirls can be made pretty quickly and simply, if you can't figure out how to stabilize your whipped topping then just get some powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla to make a quick batch of BC, drop in some food coloring and swirl it over all that if you can't scrape it off.

For the letters melt some chocolate/candy melts, type or use a pencil to write the phrase on paper, cover with parchment/wax paper and pipe the letters following the writing if you don't think you can wing it. Chocolate dried really quickly, you can just place them carefully where you want them.

Good luck! It can be frustrating, but don't give up. One of the qualities a good designer has is being able to step up and fix the problem, it's happened to all of us at one point! I've dropped an entire cake and had to remake it, things happen, just power through!

Next time, after baking, wrap your cake and let it get cold (refrigerate/freeze) and make sure to level your cake. Starting with a flat 'canvas' will make a huge difference and it's easier to do any carving or torting when your cakes are cold/partially frozen.

es329 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
es329 Posted 29 Jul 2013 , 6:23pm
post #19 of 35

AThank y'all all so much. You're cake savers! I got some sleep and managed to fix it the best I could : [IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3066742/width/200/height/400[/IMG]. It's not perfect, but I can live with that better than I could the other one. I just wish I could have done the sides too.

Now to get the writing figured out (chocolate isn't working out. :() and get the thing to her.

SecretAgentCakeBaker Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
SecretAgentCakeBaker Posted 29 Jul 2013 , 7:01pm
post #20 of 35

AYou did a good job fixing it! Just make a pretty flag on your computer and attach to a skewer. It will look nice.

kikiandkyle Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
kikiandkyle Posted 29 Jul 2013 , 7:03pm
post #21 of 35

The cake looks much better with the roses. I agree about printing out a banner, maybe you could just use a couple of cocktail sticks to attach it since the cake isn't super tall. 

doramoreno62 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
doramoreno62 Posted 29 Jul 2013 , 8:33pm
post #22 of 35

That looks great! I'm glad you got it figured out thumbs_up.gif

Smckinney07 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Smckinney07 Posted 29 Jul 2013 , 9:17pm
post #23 of 35

AThat's awesome, much better! I didn't even think of a banner, probably the best solution. I was sleep deprived as well ;) I'm so glad you figured it out.

Annabakescakes Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Annabakescakes Posted 29 Jul 2013 , 9:37pm
post #24 of 35

I am proud of you for fixing it, and doing better! Would you just look at the difference between the two of them? Night and day! I think the banner is an excellent idea. You could use 2 shorter skewers and tie them with a long string, and add a little bunting with the message on a card in the middle. You just make diamond pieces, and a square, then fold them in half.  Add your message, and hang over the string. Use a dot of glue or glue stick to hold them together. 

 

To keep the string from slipping, you cut a little notch in it, and tie it tight in the notch, or cut the top, as if to split it, then jam the string in there, like floss between teeth. 

es329 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
es329 Posted 30 Jul 2013 , 6:50am
post #25 of 35

A

Original message sent by Annabakescakes

I am proud of you for fixing it, and doing better! Would you just look at the difference between the two of them? Night and day! I think the banner is an excellent idea. You could use 2 shorter skewers and tie them with a long string, and add a little bunting with the message on a card in the middle. You just make diamond pieces, and a square, then fold them in half.  Add your message, and hang over the string. Use a dot of glue or glue stick to hold them together. 

To keep the string from slipping, you cut a little notch in it, and tie it tight in the notch, or cut the top, as if to split it, then jam the string in there, like floss between teeth. 

Thank you. :) My printer died, my local store didn't have any of the stuff I needed for a banner, so then I tried writing it in glitter glue on ribbon but the glue wouldn't dry. So I ended up leaving it blank and sent some gel for them to write it themselves, if they still wanted it.

Thanks to all the help I got here, I managed to save the cake. For anybody wondering, mixing pudding mix in is what stabilized the whipped cream to make it pipeable. I used white chocolate flavored and to me the icing had a pudding like taste to it so I hope it tasted ok with the cake.

[IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3067175/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

Showed it to my other half when he gothome and he was like, "it's beautiful". Lol. Makes me proud that I managed to fix it. Maybe I won't give up after all. Lol.

Bosbo Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Bosbo Posted 30 Jul 2013 , 10:48am
post #26 of 35

That's a fantastic save! well done! how wonderful that someone on here had just the right hint to make all the difference :-)

vgcea Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
vgcea Posted 30 Jul 2013 , 11:23am
post #27 of 35

AWhat you did right here, this awesome save? You are totally cut out for this.

Baking Sis Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Baking Sis Posted 30 Jul 2013 , 11:45am
post #28 of 35

The cakes are as different as night and day! Good job!  thumbs_up.gif

kaylawaylalayla Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
kaylawaylalayla Posted 30 Jul 2013 , 3:20pm
post #29 of 35

cc needs a hug button. I want to hug the thread:P

es329 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
es329 Posted 2 Aug 2013 , 4:54am
post #30 of 35

A

Original message sent by kaylawaylalayla

cc needs a hug button. I want to hug the thread:P

Me too. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. :P

Thanks so much everybody! :)

Quote by @%username% on %date%

%body%