I have read on here before about this subject, but I thought I was going to be very careful...oops!
I have just posted a picture of my niece's wedding cake, but it didn't look like this the night before! I had the bottom layers on the turn table at the first tilt angle when I changed tips on the bag...all I heard was a big KER-PLUNK and saw the whole thing slide off onto the counter top! Hubby came out to investigate and started laughing, then all I could do was laugh along with him! (mind you I didn't laugh when it first happened )

The top layer, 10", had slid off the bottom 12" layer enough that the cake was showing from underneath, and the 12" layer had shifted so that you could see the bulge of the filling in the front. And I just finished putting the swags on the cake too...

Because I had the cake board underneath the 10" I was able to lift it off, re-shift it back in place, scrape off the swags, tidy up the icing and away I went. The bottom layer shifted back nicely, again I scraped off the swags and re-did the icing. Not too bad after all!

TC can vouch for that, I sent her a picture of it while it sat slouched over to one side on my counter!
Hubby's idea was to put the very top layer on at the odd angle and present it like that...no way! Even though it was family, couldn't do that.

This whole cake started out badly because I was going to try new things in my baking, and I'm not too crazy about baking chocolate as the large layers after this one, they seem to have an almost burnt smell to them. Think I'll stick to what has worked for me all along and if I do want to try something new, don't do it when a cake is due!
My friend called the same day asking if there was any way for me to have a cake made for her dad at his request for the same night...sure, no problem, I have an extra cake just because I screwed up at the beginning! So, no cake was wasted and everything turned out fine!

Jscakes, you made my night tonight. I've been laughing so much while reading your post, like if I were there with you. I laugh because I also have had so many of these disasters, after all ---that's the way we learn. When things like this happen to me I go on a crazy mode and curse a little bit but then I laugh just the way I am doing it now (almost crying). Please don't take it the wrong way, you just made me laugh and believe me - I NEEDED IT!!!!

Keep the good work!

I'm glad it brought some laughter to you, we still laugh about it! You are absolutely correct...that's the way we learn.
, and no, I didn't take it wrong!

I heard You should add a grip pad or something to the turntable so it would stay put a little, and not tilt it with layer cakes until you are ready to decorate that second....and then my aunt says she never again put her tiered cakes on anything that moves... her dog liked her too (he was on the receiving end of the cake falling to the ground) but she wont...she puts each layer on it by itself and when she is done decorating them then she will assemble them....

In another thread yesterday a member was considering buying one of these turntables, so I passed on your experience, with a caution about what can happen. I had thought about getting one, but after a couple of these stories decided it definitely wasn't safe, and especially not at $60.
Janice

Ok, now to add a little disaster of this of my own. When reading the post I saw your second reply said that you did not mean to have this post twice...so silly me thought that reply had been the double post....so I deleted it...then when I went back into the forum I noticed your second post.. which then the clouds cleared a little bit in the brain (running on less than 5 hours of sleep today) and I realized what you meant.
Sooooo I deleted the one that you wanted deleted, but can't put back the one that I didn't mean to delete (thank goodness there was no pertinent info in it)...but I thought I should let you know..
m0use

Alrighty then, LOL..Thanks m0use!

The turning part is fine for the smaller layers, but I will not put any layer larger than 10" on the darn thing now, and I doubt very much if I'll use the tilt mode for anything but a 6" layer...if that.

Maybe if they were made of something other than plastic it would be safer, but of course the price goes up then.
:0

Jscakes......... You recovered nicely from that disaster!!!!!!! Beautiful cake!!! I downloaded it as my desktop background!!! I like it that much!!


Flayv, the turntable does have a grip pad already on it. I will not use them on a cake larger then an 8". Too much risk! I think the weight has a lot to do w/ it OR that they are just not all there cracked up to be~

tc ~ I'm extremely flattered to say the least, Thank you for the "compliment".

Yeah, the weight is a huge factor...and it's the most awful sound you would want to hear at that point of decorating any cake!