Omg!! It Finally Happened!!

Decorating By sugartopped Updated 1 Jun 2006 , 9:44am by fosterscreations

sugartopped Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
sugartopped Posted 28 May 2006 , 3:55am
post #1 of 38

my 1st collapsed cake!! icon_cry.gificon_cry.gifthumbsdown.gificon_sad.gif and it was awful!! i felt awful, it looked awful, customer felt awful....it was just awful!! and I just LOVED the cake! I was so damn proud of it....I only had 2 days to get the thing done and it just turned out beautiful!!

Well my first mistake was putting all three tiers together at home and traveling w/them (yes, I've read ALL the horror stories on here from those that have tried and failed at this icon_redface.gif )!! But the cake was suppose to be picked up...so I couldn't finish onsite. Well it didn't make it out of my car!

But i don't think that was the problem. I'm thinking I didn't dowel enough????...but I'm just not sure. Once we removed the top two layers...it looks like the cake split where the dowels were!! The tiers were 10" (w/4 dowels), 8" (w/3 dowels), and a 6" w/center dowel. I really thought that would be enough......the cake had been stacked for several hours at my house before we put it in the car. I was in the back of my Escape w/the cake b/c I so nervous about it...and luckily I was..b/c we would have lost the whole thing. I was able to sorta salvage the top two tiers b/c LUCKILY all the damage was in the back of the cake!!


What is the most disappointing is this was one of the bigger cakes I've done so far and I was proud of it (before I left the house that is)! And then to top it off I made NOTHING (I know...my fault....but I can still wallow in self pity for another day or two at least)!! I only ended up telling her to pay me $25 for the top two tiers (this WAS a $170 cake...at first I actually couldn't believe this is what they wanted and I was soooo excited by how fun and colorful the desing was)!! The cakes were still edible...but not pretty anymore. Most of palm trees had broken off from either the cake falling or us trying to extract the top two tiers from the center dowel! There were finger holes and cracks ALL over the place! And the leaves and flowers had fallen off. I have NEVER been so embarassed as when I had to walk this pitiful sorry excuse for a cake into the party. And since we had this diaster in the car and had to pull over (we ended up delivering the mess)...we were late and most of the party people were there already! icon_redface.gif
LL
LL
LL
LL

37 replies
Kitagrl Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Kitagrl Posted 28 May 2006 , 3:59am
post #2 of 38

Awww, I LOVE that cake, too!!!!! Poor girl.... icon_sad.gif

_ChristyB_ Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
_ChristyB_ Posted 28 May 2006 , 4:01am
post #3 of 38

Oh girl! That was one AWESOME cake!!!!! I can feel your pain here!!! I am sorry that happened, but at least you have that beautiful picture to prove you did it and that it was absolutely gorgeous!!!!

daltonam Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
daltonam Posted 28 May 2006 , 4:03am
post #4 of 38

your cake was very beautiful & i'm so sorry for you

coffeecake Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
coffeecake Posted 28 May 2006 , 4:10am
post #5 of 38

The cake was beatiful - love how you did the orange colors. I am sure people were happy with the taste (at least you could get even cutes out of the layers)

rezzygirl Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
rezzygirl Posted 28 May 2006 , 4:12am
post #6 of 38

What a fun looking cake. So sorry for your mishap! icon_sad.gif

TamiAZ Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
TamiAZ Posted 28 May 2006 , 4:13am
post #7 of 38

What a beautiful cake... Sorry that happened to you!! icon_sad.gif Don't let this deter you from doing more tiered cakes.

Did you use wooden dowels? If so, I probably would have used more, especially with fondant. I'm paranoid that way. I would have used 6-8 in the 10" and 5-6 in the 8". I'm such a believer in chilling cakes before delivering them. When they are chilled they solidify and they don't move. There's not chance of the cake jiggling and splitting like that. I'm not sure if you have room in your fridge, but you may want to try it.

I'm really sorry...I know what it's like to work on a cake and then something happen...What a bummer!! icon_cry.gif

Kos Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Kos Posted 28 May 2006 , 4:18am
post #8 of 38

Gosh, even at it's worse, it still looks beautiful!


kos

LisaMS Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
LisaMS Posted 28 May 2006 , 4:19am
post #9 of 38

That cake is (was?) AWESOME! So, so, SO cute. I'm so sorry. Those darn tiered cakes...why do they have to be so tempermental! Yep, been there, done that...but mine wasn't near as CUTE!

traci Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
traci Posted 28 May 2006 , 4:57am
post #10 of 38

Your cake is gorgeous...sorry for your disaster. I also chill ALL of my stacked cakes and deliver them fully assembled. I ALWAYS over dowel and use the plastic dowel rods along with the wooden ones.

Don't give up...I think we all have to have a disaster sometime! icon_smile.gif

mrboop Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
mrboop Posted 28 May 2006 , 5:17am
post #11 of 38

So sorry about your cake. It did look absolutely beautiful.

beany Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
beany Posted 28 May 2006 , 5:23am
post #12 of 38

Beautiful cake! Sorry to hear about your disaster. Did you use boards between your tiers?

Pootchi Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Pootchi Posted 28 May 2006 , 12:01pm
post #13 of 38

Gorgeous cake!! I'm sorry to here about what happened. Anyone knows the best way to dowel cakes? I never done a big cake like this and just like to know before I'm asked to do one. thanks

Lorris

pinkopossum Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
pinkopossum Posted 28 May 2006 , 12:04pm
post #14 of 38

sorry about your cake - it was gorgeous and I'd probably still take it after the demolition - looks awesome!

bunny- just got to say that you're really turning out some super stuff. I haven't run across one of yours that I don't like. (maybe it's our names lol thumbs_up.gificon_lol.gif )

spottydog Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
spottydog Posted 28 May 2006 , 12:11pm
post #15 of 38

Awwww I love that cake. What a bummer! Chin up...you have some great talent!

awela Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
awela Posted 28 May 2006 , 12:21pm
post #16 of 38

My heart goes to you, I can imagine how did you feel when this happened and when you entered the place to deliver it. Must have been awful for you! When I know that a well dowelled cake can be delivered in good condition as long as you dowell it in the middle from the top to the bottom and as well as the base cake has the same "number" of dowells as the inches of the cake on top. I always place my cakes in the refrigerator and deliver them in separate boxes. Always tape the bottom of the cake board to the inside of the box. But besides all this: Your cake was/is GEORGEOUS!!!! Feel proud of yourself, accidents just happen.

yassy Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
yassy Posted 28 May 2006 , 12:24pm
post #17 of 38

Sorry to hear this happened to you. The cake looked amazing though ! icon_smile.gif

Crimsicle Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Crimsicle Posted 28 May 2006 , 12:29pm
post #18 of 38

Pink Bunny - your cake was absolutely gorgeous! I'm so sorry you had this awful experience.

Would you mind sharing with us what actually happened? Was it an accident - or near accident? A sharp corner? A swerve. A slamming of brakes? A huge speed bump? Or maybe self-desctruction because of heat/humidity issues?

I guess I'm hoping it was something out of the ordinary and that we shouldn't be worried that our cakes would simply fall apart on us for no apparent reason. I've never delivered an assembled cake. Now, I'm not sure I ever will....

Thanks!

cats28 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
cats28 Posted 28 May 2006 , 12:36pm
post #19 of 38

Oh gosh, I must confese that I know how you feel and my cake was not a gorgeous cake like yours. It happened to me because I didn't listen to the group and took a risk and paid for it. My cake was a two tier cake, not even big, and it happened. I was able to fix it at the place and the people were so nice to me but I will never forget it. It was my fault.

Your cake look absolutely gorgeous. The combination of the colors and the decor of the palm tree and all. What can I say.

Hugs to you.
cats28 (Tina)

Mac Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Mac Posted 28 May 2006 , 12:38pm
post #20 of 38

Pinkbunny--

I feel your pain. I had a wedding cake do the same thing--the cake shifted on a turn and the bottom layer started to split. Then every bump made it a little worse. I had used the wooden dowels.

Talked with Earlene of Earlene's Cakes and she recommended using only the Wilton plastic tubes and also to get a stress-free support sysytem.

I got one--kinda pricey $179. and I think they have gone up since then. If I have to deliver a stacked cake, I always use that. It keeps stress and weight off the cakes.

That being said--your cake was beautiful, even after the disaster. I have a surfboard cake to do this coming weekend and would like to use your design. Keep your chin and decorating bag in hand, girl!!!

beachcakes Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
beachcakes Posted 28 May 2006 , 1:37pm
post #21 of 38

Ohhh! So Sorry! It was such a beautiful cake!!!

Kiddiekakes Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Kiddiekakes Posted 28 May 2006 , 1:49pm
post #22 of 38

Your cake is Beautiful!! It actually doesn't look as bad as you described!! I haven't had a dissater like that but almost....Maybe something to consider next time is pack yourself a complete repair kit..by that I mean icing from the left over cake already in the bag..extra pieces of royal icing cutouts,trim,dowels,boards,paint,brushes in the cake color etc...that way if somthing does happen you can try and repair it.There isn't nothing you can't hide with icing and a few unexpected extra pieces.The Bride will never know and you can sometimes save face if it isn't that bad.I think every decorater has at one time or another repaired a cake in the back of their car or SUV....

knoxcop1 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
knoxcop1 Posted 28 May 2006 , 2:02pm
post #23 of 38

I just love that cake, and I'm sure the guests did too!

Keep your chin up, girl...

--Knox--

flourgrl Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
flourgrl Posted 28 May 2006 , 2:36pm
post #24 of 38

Oh my! What a pity - I loved the design - so creative! I saw it in the gallery and was wondering what you meant about the mess.
I always take my cakes stacked - but this forum is now making me scared to do so!
I use plastic drinking straws as my supports and not had any (KNOCK ON WOOD!) problems as of yet - even driving for over 2 hrs in the summer.
One thing I can think is that your tiers look extra tall - how tall was each section? How many layers?
When you do extra tall or double tall cakes, you need to treat them as 2 separate cakes (mini stacked) and place a dividing board and dowels in them as well due to the height/weight.
All your tiers look to be about 6 inches tall, that may have been the issue, one on top of another, too much weight not enough support.
I've done severl 6,8,10 combos, all 4.5 inches tall and not yet seen something like that.
Another thing I noticed is that it doesn't look like you had used any "glue" between the layers - either royal icing or I use watered down fondant (same colour!!). That is really needed to help keep the tiers from shifting during transport. Perhaps if you didn't "glue" them together, they shifted during the drive and then the offset weight caused the issue
Just some thoughts
You do amazing work, sorry to see that happened

sugartopped Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
sugartopped Posted 28 May 2006 , 2:39pm
post #25 of 38

thanks everyone, not sure what happened in the car. we had to drive through mostly a construction zone on the interstate (a little bumpy) and then about 500 stoplights!! so i'm sure a combo of the both just did it in!! and it was hot, but we had the air on full blast in the car for about 20 min before we left.

but i called my old wilton instructor right after it happened and she said some of the same things you guys did!! PLASTIC TUBES ONLY.....AND ONE DOWEL FOR EACH INCH OF CAKE!!

great advice that I'll be sure to follow in the future!! also like the 'chill' before delivery tip! do you do this w/fondant also??

thanks again for all the nice comments.
christine

Price Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Price Posted 28 May 2006 , 2:56pm
post #26 of 38

I feel your pain! I haven't had that happen to me with a tiered cake, but just this week I made a 12" layer cake. Thank goodness I got a picture before I left home! The top layer shifted while driving to my sisters house with it. I was happy it wasn't a cake that someone was paying for. (I have trouble charging anyone for a cake, and she was just paying for the ingredients.) I didn't know before, but I do now! The next time I will refrigerate the cake before transporting. I was thinking since it wasn't a stacked cake that I shouldn't need to dowel it, but I'll do that the next time too! What a disappointment it is to put so much time and hard work into a cake and to have something like that happen to it. Hang in there. We learn from our mistakes.

TamiAZ Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
TamiAZ Posted 28 May 2006 , 2:56pm
post #27 of 38
Quote:
Originally Posted by pinkbunny

thanks everyone, not sure what happened in the car. we had to drive through mostly a construction zone on the interstate (a little bumpy) and then about 500 stoplights!! so i'm sure a combo of the both just did it in!! and it was hot, but we had the air on full blast in the car for about 20 min before we left.

but i called my old wilton instructor right after it happened and she said some of the same things you guys did!! PLASTIC TUBES ONLY.....AND ONE DOWEL FOR EACH INCH OF CAKE!!

great advice that I'll be sure to follow in the future!! also like the 'chill' before delivery tip! do you do this w/fondant also??

thanks again for all the nice comments.
christine




You might want to look in to the stress-free supports... They are expensive, but are worth every cent. They really help with the stress of delivery and wondering if you have enough support...I can guarantee the cake won't fall becuase of a dowel slipping.. The legs are attatched to metal rings.

I see you live in Florida... You may have a problem with your cakes sweating after being in the fridge if it's humid and hot. You should experiment with it... It's another thing that really does help with delivery. I would rather have a cake sweat a little than see it jiggling around while I'm driving.

ladyonzlake Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
ladyonzlake Posted 28 May 2006 , 2:56pm
post #28 of 38

Oh my...you're cake was beautiful!! I feel your pain. I had a 2 tier stacked cake for my daughter's birthday and had a cake disaster. The top tier slid off and the bottom tier cracked. I ended up buying a cake to take to her. When I got home I saw that if I had brought along frosting ect. I probably could have fixed it. I did use dowels but didn't dowel through the entire cake and like you I did not refrigerate prior to transporting...I think that is a good idea. I will never transport a cake tiered again.
I am so sorry this happened to you but I think when things like this happen we need to have a good cry and then we need to walk away with something positive by learning from our mistakes.

SugarAches Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
SugarAches Posted 28 May 2006 , 5:40pm
post #29 of 38

What a beautiful cake! I definitely know how you feel, even though my similar cake disaster wasn't for a paid order. I had put a lot of planning and effort into a mother's day cake, and just as I had finished the fondant and some accents, I walked out and my apron caught the sheet it was sitting on. Voosh! The entire cake was a big glob on the floor. I cried for ages. I really feel for you, but I just know the people loved the taste anyway, and you could definitely still see how gorgeous that cake was.

cakesbyallison Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
cakesbyallison Posted 28 May 2006 , 5:48pm
post #30 of 38

The same EXACT thing happened to me last week... It's the wooden dowels... I had the same size cakes too, but used a lot more dowels. (I usually use plastic too, but took my chances with the wooden ones). With fondant, I would have used at least twice as many - that's a heavy cake! I just sent my order and payment to the lady that sells the stress free supports, and cannot wait to get them!! I don't ever want that to happen again! So sorry this happened - I can honestly say I know how you feel!! icon_cry.gif

Quote by @%username% on %date%

%body%