This is so great! Ok, here's mine:

Don't forget that you added water to the empty cupcake spaces on the tin when you go to dump out the rest for cooling, water+fresh baked cupcakes don't mix. (I learned this trick from Alton, but I don't know if it's worth it!)

Never stick your hand in a narrow glass to wash it. Doing a 4 tier basketweave left handed after a trip to the hospital is NOT fun. (My Mom did this when I was a kid)

I did this one also! Not very easy at all!!!!
This thread is sooooo funny! Thanks everyone for reminding us all that we are all human and even the best make mistakes.

You can't speed up the drying time of RI flowers by putting them outside in the warm Texas breeze. With the humidy I ended up with blobs instead of roses.

Here is my lesson learned from this past weekend...... Never think you are super woman!!! When you have 2 kids under the age of 2, a husband that works ALL the time, and a full time job that does not leave you time to do a wedding cake!!!!! All the time and stress that it was to do my second wedding cake ever was not worth the time I lost away from my babies!!! Plus I need far more experience before I think I can do a wedding cake again. I do cake decorating as a hobby and its taking way too much time away from the kids. I should wait till they are much older.

If you don't have a full tray of cupcakes, I learned that in order for them to raise properly you should fill the other empty cups with water so that they raise evenly. Anyone else hear that? Like if you have a tray and only use six with batter but have a 12-cup tray.

Melissa,

Thanks! I was in tears the whole weekend. It was a bad ordeal and I was just praying for the day to be over with. Never ever again will I do a wedding cake! I even took Friday off from work to work on the cake and it just turned into a night mare. Then the whole time I sat there thinking of all the things I would rather be doing with my kids!! I need to start learning to say NO. !!! That is my lesson learned!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have two kids - a 5th grader who is 10.5 and a recently turned 2 year old. My fifth grader really doesn't need me a heck of a lot. (though I'm a stay at home mom [ending in the next month or so] so he still gets lots of mom time since I'm home more) I could probably handle doing all these little projects when he got to be about 6 years old because that's about the age he started wanting to do "HIS" thing too. But, my 2 year old just wants Mom... I can get away with doing some things in 1/2 hour stretches during the day, but as the day progresses (as he gets more and more tired) he wants more of my undivided attention. While it can be soooo overwhelming sometimes, I do know it's short lived. Very soon he won't want to be cuddling with me and won't think I'm the best person/thing in the world... Until that changes, I just need to realize that he needs me more than anyone needs a cake... Mostly I do them every 2-4 weeks just to do something fun for me.

Melissa

Make your husband and Chihuahua wear a bell around their neck while baking and decorating.

Husbands can be very light on their feet when they want to and it's impossible to remove a red zagged line from white buttercream. Know where he is at all times.

No matter what you think, you can't float on air above a Chihuahua scrambling at your feet. Know where he is at all times, especially when taking hot things out of the oven.

Wear somthing other than socks on ceramic floors, they are slippery when wet or dry. The floor wins every time, and yes, Corning Ware does shatter into a million pieces when dropped from 5 feet in the air.

1. Never agree to do a wedding cake on or near a major holiday when you are planning to go out of town. It ruins the whole trip!

2. Always remember that the day you need your husband to watch the toddler so you can complete a major project is always the day he ends up golfing, doing yard work or watching the game instead of your child!

3. Make sure you didn't eat the last 4 eggs for breakfast before you start mixing your batter!

4. Always practice if you have been on hiatus for a while before you agree to major project.

5. Tastings for a major event such as a big party or wedding are VERY hard work. Any ideas on how to make them easier?

[quote="travelingcakeplate"]
2. Always remember that the day you need your husband to watch the toddler so you can complete a major project is always the day he ends up golfing, doing yard work or watching the game instead of your child!


Isn't that the truth!

Oh my! This is great! Also remeber if you double your liquid ingredients and not your dry. Your cake will not hold together after you bake it! Even if you say oh what the heck let's see what happens!

1) Always remember if you turned a burner on and make sure it cools completely before you put an oven mitt on top of it..... otherwise, you get a burnt oven mit & a mess on your oven!

2) Always remember the timer on the oven!

3) Always remember to spray the cupcake wrappers before putting batter in them!

4) If you add an ingredient to one of your recipes (like adding vinegar to buttercream to keep it from cracking), make sure you WRITE IT DOWN ON THE RECIPE! That way you don't say "why is my buttercream all cracked? I added..... oops no I didn't"

5) Don't ever try to make a topsy-turvy cake! That was a nightmare!

6) Always check your ingredients to make sure you have everything BEFORE you start baking.

7) Remember to set your butter & eggs out ahead of time so they can come to room temperature before you use them in your cake and/or icing.

Thanks for the laughs and tips everyone! And oh yeah - quite a few tips have been eaten by the garbage disposal monster.... I'm guilty of it too!

Remember that just setting the timer doesn't work ~ you also have to hit start!

Hard wood steps and socks can be hazardous - especially when carrying cake and dodging two dogs and a cat!

When working on more than one batch of cake batter at a time - remember which one you already put the eggs in because they will go straight to the bottom and hide so you'll have to dig to find them!

Debbie

When making a realistic looking 3D soccer ball don't leave it on the counter to admire - your 3yr old may just knock it onto the floor and try to kick it - and only 3hrs before the PARTY!

Thanks for the warning on that one julesn20716 - i'll be making one of those this weekend!

Along the same lines as the soccer ball - When making a humidor cake, gift cake or other cake that looks like something that can be opened or worn (hat cake) - be prepared to have someone try to open it or wear it!

Debbie

Never put your cupcakes pan with liners in the oven to see if they fit and then forget to take them out before warming the oven. Took me 15 minutes to figure out where the burnt smell was coming from.

If you need a cleaning service for all the crumbs that always find there way to the floor. Get two Chihauhau's. But remember to have the husband on puppy babysitting service, when you are tyring to do something the kitchen. Dodging one is hard dodging two is impossible.

If you're parents live with, put a bell around there neck when you are in the kithchen. My mom always finds her way behind me at the exact moment I am sticking my hands into the oven.

Never, ever drop poppy seeds on your floor. You will be picking them up for the next six months or so. And if you do not have the help of chihauhaus' this might be extended to a year.

The cakemaker - where abouts in MD are you? I'm in Calvert County

Don't take your wedding ring off to roll out cookies, cake balls, fondant etc and leave it on your windowsill directly above the sink. That adorable new kitten will knock it into the garbage disposal, if you think a tip or flower nail sounds bad in a disposal, imagine a nice wedding set whirrling around!!!! Luckily the jeweler fixed it and replaced the tiny rounds.....for free!! Whew!

And don't let your pancreatitis proned dog clean your cake crumbs and frosting flings from the kitchen floor!

julesn20716 - i'm in Harford County. We get out your way occasionally to boat with a friend.

Debbie

I agree with whoever said, "Always set a timer." Even if the timer goes off, but the cakes needs a few more minutes, I set the timer again. I know 4 minutes isn't long, but I am SURE to be distracted and forget the cake entirely.

Also agree with checking for all ingredients BEFORE beginning baking. You can't make 10 pm grocery runs when your kids are in bed, and even the friendliest neighbor will not appreciate a knock at that hour.

NO ANIMALS in the kitchen...ugh. I don't care how clean you are, you will have animal hair in your cakes/icing. GROSS!!!

On that note, always wear something on your head when baking/decorating, like a hat or bandana. (I've even heard of people wearing shower caps! Though it may look ridiculous, you save your hair from being smushed out of recognition).

Last, do not stack 4 or more tupperware containers of icing and carry them down the stairs. Glass and plastic are NOT skid-free. Lesson learned, after I cleaned purple and green icing off my hardwood (thankfully not carpet) stairs.

GREAT TIPS, everyone!

Oh, P.S. I like the bell tip! So funny Especially if you're jittery and easily startled.

Oh, make sure you look in the mirrow before heading to the grocery store or to pick up your child from school. I've been caught so many times with a big blob of icing either stuck to the side of my face or in my hair

This thread is absolutely the most hilarious thing I 've encountered!! This is soo GREAT

Remind your kids that baking day is NOT the time to play catch, tag or keep away in the kitchen!!

Eggs--why does everybody want scrambled eggs, omlettes & boiled eggs when it's baking day ?? I always have to triple check to make sure I have enough
As magnificent as I am, I CANNOT cook dinner, check homework AND have meaningful conversations all while baking!!

I second that last one! Why is it when you just sit down to decorate someone comes along wanting or needing something and no one else in the entire house can help lol. My daughter never asks her daddy first unless she knows he'll say no to something lol if she needs help it's always mommy first no matter how busy mommy is and daddy is just sitting there watching tv lol.

Debbie and Jules from MD?! WOW! 3 in one thread!!!! I'm from Talbot County over on the Eastern shore

wanted to add a little something and to bump this thread back up...


always check your food coloring covers before closing them- when you have more than one open or next time you need brown you may end up with black and have to start all over again!!!!