Hi guys,


I feel like such a fool right now. I made a cake for one of my cleints and it came out lopsided. I have attached a picture. It wasnt dreadful but she absolutely hated it. I really cant figure out why the cake was lopsided. I have made stacked cakes in the past and never had a probem like this. It didnt help that the hotel porter didnt carry the cake properly. He crushed it against his chest. I feel really bad because i generally i pride myself with being a fantastic cake decorator but this time around i really cant figure out what went wrong. So i am throwing the question out to you what causes a lopsided cake. Also i made a ime and coconut cake for a client and when they came for the cake tasting i didnt drizzle any syrup on the cake but when i made the actual wedding cake it was a bit dry ( because it was really big) and i decided to drizzle it with some syrup. They havent said anythiny it but i sincerely hope they liked it. I am really not sure i want to be a cake decorator anymore.

Maybe it's the picture, but I don't think it looks that bad, actually. A little "unlevel" on the top, but that's the only place I sort of see it. The pearls on the side are absolutely gorgeous!!!! I think you did a good job!

Don't be so hard on yourself! (And some brides are just impossible to please! When she hears from friends and family what a beautiful and delicious cake she had, she'll change her tune!)

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Your cake looks great! Don't let the bride get to you. She probably had a million things on her mind and wasn't being nice to anyone that day.

your wedding cake looks great. So what if it is a tiny bit lopsided-it is homemade and an original. The bride should not be upset with you, but with the hotel porter for not transporting it correctly. Do not stop being a cake decorator!

Great cake! Maybe your only mistake was letting a 'non-cake minded' person carry the cake. Most people do not understand the imperative to keep a cake level.

I read a post quite some time ago (not sure if on this forum) where a father came in to pick up up a cake for his daughter's birthday and just picked it up and put the box under his arm, so that it was vertical!! (ie at 90 degree angle)

Personally I think the cake looks great, and that's not just to make you feel better. Yeah the top is a tad off, but I agree overall this is a great cake. Don't stop decorating it's one instance it'll pass.

It appears as if you don't have enough support to hold the upper tiers level.

I'm sorry your bride was upset but I can understand that she wanted her wedding cake to be perfect.

If you are going to give up after one disaster you may not be cut out for the stress of working with a medium that can give you fits at times. You learn from your mistakes....turn this experience into a positive..learn how to fully support your tiers...NEVER let anyone carry a cake that has no clue just how to handle it...if your cakes are too heavy for you to carry learn how to assemble them onsite and finalize your decorations.

I disagree...if delivery is part of the cake deal you are responsible for getting it to the venue and properly setting it up. Allowing someone else to carry your creation does not let you off the hook if any damage occurs. The bride contracts with you for her cake. Once I get a cake set up,and complete I take a photo of the finished product and have the venue check it and sign off on it as finished. If someone else comes along and moves it or damages it, then it is on someone else. If I allow someone else to help me assemble or have them carry it any damage is on me.

I once delivered a wedding cake to a venue and was unhappy with the table they had supplied. It wasn't sturdy enough, in my opinion. I went round and round with the venue and they finally changed the table. When they went to pick the old table up one of the legs fell off of it. If I had placed the cake on that table it may have ended up on the floor. It was my responsibility to make sure the table the cake was going on could support it.

All brides want is a perfect cake...they don't much care who carried it or who placed it on a table that wasn't sturdy. They aren't interested in the blame game, they want their cake!!

Thanks so much for all your replies. I guess i did not have enough supports for the cake. But i do feel a lot better reading your posts. I guess the picture only showed the very nice side but thanks soooooooooooooooo much for your comments.

Hi, I'm not good at english but i'll try. You're cake looks great, I'm gonna tell you the same words that a friend of mine told me one day, you know the imperfections on the cake, but no one knows. You can see the imperfections on your cake because you are working with it and maybe some one who knows about cakes, but regular people not, don't worry about it sometimes i feel bad with my cakes but sometimes no, so keep going, you did a good job.
And i agree with IHATEFONDANT about the delivery.

Please don't be so hard on yourself! I just had a wedding cake nightmare myself this past weekend! (read the Wedding Cake Disaster thread here)
Anyway...I am learning that these things happen and we just have to learn from our mistakes to make us better at what we do!
Also, I NEVER let anyone carry my cakes except me or my husband!
I am offering my bride a complete 100% refund, but my situation is completely different. You might want to consider a partial refund to remain professional about the situation! Good luck with everything and hang in there! There are some really nice people here on CC who are so helpful and supportive!

I think your cake is great I think it needs a topper to be honest other than that the cake is fine

Also, I NEVER let anyone carry my cakes except me

I have to agree with that statement! I never let anyone carry my cakes.
If I am delivering to a house and they are transporting I make sure they understand how important it is to carry flat and supported from underneath. It becomes thier responsabilty after I deliver.
good luck and dont be so hard on yourself your cake is very nice! So its off a little I have seen much worse!

I agree, don't let anyone besides those whom you have approved (i.e. your assistants, those you have educated on how to carry a cake.)carry them things.
It does look like the cake slid when it was carried. Gravity is a nasty thing, (just look at what it does to our butts).
I agree with IHATEFONDANT, it is up to us as the contractors to make sure that the final product is delivered, set up and displayed per our contracts. Once they have been signed off then it's their cake.

Don't give up!! I delivered a wedding cake once and the manger of the country club went on and on about how ugly the cake was...right to my face. Said it looked horrible!!! I cried, wanted to throw in the towel for good, and enjoyed a couple of margaritas with a friend to take my mind off of it. Ends up the bride LOVED it....the guests went on and on about how beautiful it was and the taste. You can not give up over one person or one cake.....we learn from our mistakes and move on. I think your cake is beautiful. An all white cake with very little decorations ( such as fresh flowers) is the Hardest cake to do.....simply no room for error to cover up with a flower or fondant piece. I'm rambling but please don't give up...you are great!

I have my first wedding cake booked for july 14th I am a little nervous about what can happen. it is great advice about takeing the picture and having it signed off before leaving. you have opened my eyes to something that could go very wrong.

I think your cake looks great but if it's not what the bride was expecting I can see why she was upset. Maybe even for the leaning cake as well. I'm sorry you had such a bad experience and are doubting your desire to continue. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

I think your cake is beautiful. Granted, the top is crooked. I have looked at a TON on cakes (especially wedding cakes) because I love them. I have seen professional bakery cakes not perfectly smooth and I've seen crooked ons. These are professionals! It happens. Please don't give up on cakes.