I made a sheet cake for my husband's family reunion being held at the beach. Food enough for an army all over the various picnic tables. The cake is safely boxed to protect it from blowing sand. I take a walk on the beach with my niece. We return and dead silence comes over the party and everyone is staring at us. Ok, what's up? One of the cousins comes over to me very apologetically and tells me that "something" happened to the cake. Someone put a gallon container of cranberry juice on top of the box. I'm like..."so...if it's destroyed just throw it away. It's only cake. What did you think I was going to do?" Here are the before and after pictures.

P.S. we cut around the smashed parts and ate the rest anyway.

It was such a beautiful cake! I'm glad you were able to get a before pic. As soon as my cakes have been "seen", I'm not too worried about what happens after that. Up until that point, you'd think I was an over-protective mother and the cake was my first child.

You have a great attitude VickiC!! I would have cried my eyes out!! Thank goodness most of the cake was salvaged!! Hope that doesn't happen again!

The pictures are a lifeline aren't they, they prove that "we did it" no matter what happens afterwards!
Vicki, I have a damaged one in my photos, but I had time to repair mine.

Great looking cake! I'm sure it tasted just as good as if it had never been touched! Good work! Janice

oh how frustrating!!!! OH well.. at least it wasn't intentional.. and most of it was salvagable for eating..

Hugs,
AngelWendy

You handled it a lot better than I would have too! I would have wanted to cry after all that hard work! You have a great attitude.

heck it looks good enough to eat even where it was destroyed

What are you gonna do ~ right!? Having a fit wouldn't have fixed it. They couldn't destroy the taste though and they could still see most of it and get the idea. Great cake by the way!

Debbie

When all is said and done-let's face it-it's just cake!

I'm the same way- once they are presented... oh well- they are meant to be destroyed!!

Very nice cake, BTW!!

VickieC, you have a tremendously great attitude. I do get stressed up to the moment the cake is seen by whomever I am doing the cake for. After that it is such a relief to give it up to someone else. I thought that your cake was beautiful! You did an excellant job on it. And like everyone else has said, it didn't destroy the taste!! Great work is always appreciated, even if it is a bit damaged!! BTW how did you do the names with the 2 tones on them??
~Tanya

Thanks Tanya. I cut the letters out of fondant. The letters are lined up then brushed with luster dust shading from bright to light. These letters are 2" high so there is plenty of area to work with to get the shaded effect.

I agree with all the sentiments posted-each cake is my "baby", very nervous until the customer sees then enjoys the cake, overprotective until delivery-all of it. This experience made me realize that even though you put your heart and soul into a cake, in the end it's just cake-food-something to eat. Precious yes because food represents love for most of us, but hey there's more love in the next box if this one doesn't work out through no fault of your own.