This weekend I made the cake from HELL!!!! I had a reception that I volunteered to organize for our church (after the kids Christmas play Sunday night). I decided to make two cakes - 1 Frosty (3 double layer stacked tiers with fondant nose, eyes, mouth and buttons) and 1 double layer sheet cake. Saturday morning I got up early and got my bottom layers done for each of the cakes. Frosty was French Vanilla with Cherry Filling and the layer cake was pink and white marble, peppermint flavored with chocolate buttercream filling.

The bottom layers were beautiful. Put the chocolate buttercream filling on the bottom layer of the sheet cake. Went to transfer the top layer - went on the cake fine then decided to come apart. I decided to see if I could get it to stay together with the buttercream icing (the crusting layer). Nope, didn't work. The whole top layer came apart. Scraped that off and started again with a smaller square top layer. Worked great. Got my crusting icing on and let it sit overnight. Got up yesterday morning and put my final layer of buttercream on. Got the lettering and the scrollwork done for the sides. Look beautiful. I went and got ready for church and came out of my bedroom to see my 18 year old son with a knife trying to do something to the cake. Seems him and my 16 year old son had been wrestling and Josh (the oldest) fell into the cake. I very calmly asked him what he was doing and then told him to get away from my cake in a very controlled angry voice. I was able to fix the cake with only a slight indent on the side that Josh fell into.

Now for Frosty. I got my layers together. Looked great. Went to put the icing on the bottom tier and the whole top of the cake came off onto the knife. Okay. I'm breathing!!!! Decided to bake another layer. Put it on the cake -- going okay. Finished the crusting layer on all three tiers. Yesterday afternoon I put the final layer of icing on. I decided that it would be easier to take Frosty to the church in separate boxes and then put him together with the final trim at the reception hall. Took care of all that and was pretty proud of the way Frosty had turned out. Took my pictures. Well, the story doesn't end there. I had some friends of mine helping set everything up at church (tables, chairs & etc.). Their son is what we would say a "little hyper". He decided to run in circles around the table and then under the table. Can you guess what happened??? He somehow caught the tablecloth and down came Frosty. I'm pretty proud of myself for not loosing my temper and strangling this kid!!!!

I have made numerous cakes in the last several weeks and have never had these kind of problems. I really feel like it was because these cakes were so important and everyone in our church would see them. This just wasn't my weekend for cakes. I do have pictures but they are on my computer at home and I'm writing this from work. I'll post them later.

Looks like cakes and kids (of any age) do not mix well! I'm so proud of your control and restraint, and bet everyone loved both cakes enough to offset the problems you suffered! Janice

Sorry to here what happened but congrats on your patience...I may have not had such self control!! I'm sure everyone loved your cakes regardless!

You poor thing! I have no problem being the bad guy and telling other people's kids to stop running. I've been to a couple of wedding receptions where the parents just kinda pretended they didn't see their kids running around the cake table. Sorry to hear that your Frosty turned into a Humpty Dumpty.

I would have killed that kid!! I hope the mother apologized to u on her hands and knees...

so sorry about your weekend!!!!
i hope that kid learned a lesson, or at least the mother bought him a leash, haha
you poor thing.

At least you we at a church event...great opportunity to practice forgiveness.
sending you a cyber hug and a pat on the back for keeping your cool

mommachris

gilson6,

Sorry to hear about your cake troubles...but since you are a pro, you were able to repair them

As for the little brat, I would have told his mom from the start to get him before he damaged my cakes.

My mom tells us all the time that her children are too outspoken for our own good

Awww, that really stinks. Applause to you for controlling yourself...not sure if I would have been so calm!
Angie

All that hard work? HOW did you not scream? You must have enormous self control. I need lessons.

Aw!
That's so frustrating. I'm sorry. Congrats to you for not screaming at that little brat!

I had a similar problem with my first paid wedding cake. Five tiers stacked, everything was perfect until a gang of screaming 7 to 9 years old came barrelling into the reception area unattended. They saw the cake and swarmed it, bumping the table it was on and STICKING THEIR FINGERS into the layers. When I told them they needed to leave, they told me they didn't know me and didn't have to do what I said. When the MOB finally chased them off, the cake was tilting slightly because of the repeated table bumpings.
When the reception started the SAME KIDS swarmed the table as I was cutting the cake and made the serving process pretty difficult. I finally decided that all brides will receive notice in writing that I am not responsible for what happens to the cake after I've set it up and it's been approved. I will also advise brides that unattended children may lose whatever body parts that touch the cake without permission!!


I know this woman is your friend, so it's hard to tell her what to do with her kid. Don't really have any advice for you there. Good luck next time!

I probably would have cried!! I applaud you for holding yourself together!!