Thats what I am...a TOTAL FAILURE...I just realized I cant do cakes...I dont have the talent nor the creativity to do such a beautiful work.

I finished a cake a little while ago, and everytime I look to the table I realized that im not as talented as I want to be or as talented as I want the people to believe I am.

Im so dissapointed, im so ashamed...Im supposed to be the only one of my moms kids that shared the same talent as she does, and right now I just dont know if im good enough.

I used to have this passion for cakes, for decorating...A passion that made me try to learn more and more, but right now im so down!!!

Don't let a couple of imperfect results, tell you your future. Baking is a science. Start with a basic cake, no frills, and bake it several times until it is perfect.

Take a cake dummy and decorate it, using plain white buttercream that you can use and re-use.

Practice the simple techniques until they are familiar.

Much of the extraordinary work on this site isn't created the first time out. some of these decorators have been working years to perfect the art.

Don't give up, and don't take it so hard. It is only CAKE.

Thank you, Im thinking about give it one more try for my birthday cake, im just so tired of doing messed up cakes!!!!

I agree. Don't be so hard on yourself. It can be depressing some times and I too wanted to trash some cakes. Just keep at it. The pleasure of making cakes and decorating them is so big that I can't stop. People just enjoy have a lovely cake. Try not to pressure yourself and remember that even if the icing is not always perfect the cake usually (mostly) taste just GREAT - so the family always have a nice treat! Keep it up - you'll get there!

Well, where to start. Reading your post sounds so familiar, like reading my own thoughts. Every time there is a cake to be made, I freak out. Not to even talk about working on it...My family is band from even peeking in the kitchen, even walking by. When everything is done, I am so critical of my work that my mom once told me that I will have a heart attack if I do not stop. Just as you do, I look at other people's cakes and I think - how do they do such wonderful work and mine is so plain and not close to being perfect. Then I hear people talking about my cakes, and they ask me the same questions I ask myself about other's cakes - how do you do it so perfect. In my opinion, practice makes perfect. We are all evolving in this "line of work". Maybe today we feel like a failure, but deep down we love to bake and decorate again and again. Looking at the smiling faces of kids when they see their cakes, having family and friends proud of us...Chin up!!! You are doing GREAT!!!

Just hang in there! I don't know how long you've been at it, but each technique takes so much practice, and if you're a busy mom, then it's really hard to get that time it. Many people on this site are PROFESSIONAL decorators or have had years of experience. In no way should you be ashamed. We've all done cakes we weren't happy with, but as you go on, it's neat to see where the improvements are. May I suggest tackling one new technique for each cake so that you don't feel overwhelmed. That's a good way to focus and keep building on what you've already learned. Just don't give up! I really liked your cakes in your pictures -- I think you should be proud of them.

S.

I would say that by your couple of pics in your gallery that you will do well. You just be having one of those days and it won't be indicative of how creative you really are. I'm not real good and haven't had someone show me but this site is so inspirational that I see your fruit sponge cake is a favourite of sooo many and is just about to become mine in a second as it is awsome.
Stick to it.

Thank you guys!!!
Ive been decorating since I remember, well I was helping my mom. Today was hard, my daughter was running all over me, I was trying to use for the first time royal icing, i went to bed yesterday at 4am baking a WASC cake that by the way i think i messed up the cake! So im just frustrated, my husband was really excited about how the cake turn out, but im just not happy!!!

I also find that any cake looks better after a good night's sleep. I'm sure your husband is spot on with his assessment. Go take a nap if you can and look at it again. It will seem better after ...

Im new at cake decorating too. My cakes look shotty compaired to the majority at Cake central. I post my cakes anyway because it is the best I can do right now. Hopefully by watching what others are doing, taking advise and practice someday I wont be one of the low men on the totem pole. If it's the best you can do right now...its the best you can do. Dont take the fun out of it by comparing yourself to the other decorators. It is a really fun hobby....it is a hobby if we dont do it for a living. Take pictures of your finished cakes and you will be able to see your self improve as you practice. Best wishes and keep cake decorating a fun challenging hobby!

PRcakes...don't be so hard on yourself! Look at the photo I've attached below...looks pretty doesn't it? I almost stopped decorating cakes after this one! The side that is photographed looks great, but the side you can't see is the horrible side! I made this cake for my boss's friend's baby shower...wanted to impress of course...but on the way to bring it to it's destination, it started to slide and tumble because of the heat, and my lack of knowledge of creating a stable tiered cake. Thank goodness she was able to hide the back side of the cake (which by this point looked like a 3 year old had been playing in it!!!) No one at the baby shower except my boss had any idea that the back side was so ugly! I kept going, even though the next cake order I had scared me to death, and I'm glad I did! "If at first you don't succeed, try try again!" This art form, just like any other, takes time and effort to perfect. Don't give up! Hang in there! Think of this as a nice horror story you can share with someone (just like I'm doing) way down the cake making road!

Suzian
www.suzianscakes.com

Thank you for your support~~~!! btw suzi your cake is beautiful, you cant even imagine that the back is a dissaster.

You guys dont know what meant to me all your support!!!!

Im going to post my pic cake this weekend...

THANK YOU!!!!!I LOVE YOU GUYS!!

Everytime I do a cake I say it's my last one because I just suck and can't put myself through it anymore. But I always come back to do it again. Keep it up and don't give up. Think of it this way--the best painters ever of the world all started out at the same place and had to learn through practice. Don't quit, you'll regret it down the road later.

Reading your responses gives me hope. You all are so supportive of the OP.

Keep your chin up.

We all have days when we feel we're not qualified to decorate a latrine! This stuff takes patience and practice. I'm sure your cake is great!! Can't wait to see it!

Gosh I hope you have a chance to visit the "post your WORST cake" thread. Not just because it's hilarious, but it's also quite enlightening to see some of the original cakes of some CC decorators...then you go into their galleries and say WOW they are so amazing now. These are people for whom you would not believe they ever made a bad cake, if it wasn't right there in front of you. Yes, they went through a learning period too!

mkolmar writes: "Think of it this way--the best painters ever of the world all started out at the same place and had to learn through practice."

I think that is HUGE advice, I had to take the same advice when I was a frustrated Graphic Artist, not realizing that through painstaking learning and work, I could do it. It is HARD when it doesn't come naturally to you (it surely didn't for me) - I always think that all of these artists are total naturals from birth. NOT! You should see the techniques some of these great artists used to learn their craft, and how many years they spent apprenticing, practicing, practicing... OMG I should post a pic of an early sketch done by Picasso, he was an adult but it looked like a 5-year-old did it (and no, that wasn't the look he was going for; he just hadn't learned how to draw yet).

It is not as much fun when you have to "pay your dues" by starting out making cakes that are not up to your own standards, but you WILL get there. Cut yourself some slack, allow yourself the opportunity to make mistakes as you learn, and you WILL learn. Your day sounds awful, you were NOT in an environment conducive to learning, and sheesh it was your first experience with RI?? I haven't even tried the stuff yet, I do not have high hopes for a successful first (or second, or third) attempt. Carve out some quality time and take it slow, and there will be a day when you realize "Hey, this is WORKING"!

We all probably went through the same tthing. At least I did!
I even took classes and one time I was frustrated doing some flowers that before the teacher could tell me what I was doing wrong and broke them all! and then started to cry!!. After that it was a story for everybody to share in class and laugh at me (to in a bad way). Then I continue and was fine with everything that came my way. When I started doing cakes my husband would get upset and say
"if you're going to get a heart attack over a cake then forget about it_) because I just to get so uptight when doing my first cakes, now the more I do, the more relaxed I have become. Don't give up and continue, Remember "SUCCESS is failure turned inside out". Maybe u were having a rough day to start with, the baby etc. Sometimes I get like that too! I'm sure you are very talented, keep working and don't give up.

is this a joke...your joking right?
i've just looked at your cakes and i can't believe this is for real. i had to go get me something to eat after i saw your ladyfinger cake...it is scrumptuos to look at. you know that old saying..."your your worst critic"?..well, it's true!! i don't have the guts to post my first cake on c.c...too scared. if you saw that cake, you'd fall down laughing...it was sooo ugly...and that was 12 years ago. some people are born with raw talent and some have to work at it. don't beat yourself up. keep on keeping on! the more you know, the more you grow!!! back then, i knew just a few skills and did what i could with them...now i have a few more skills and am using them. as years go by, i'll learn even more skills and will use them as well. if you don't use your skills you will lose them. remember..."God helps he who helps himself!"
Don't ever give up on yourself or your God-given talent!..o.k?

I was looking to the picture as well and I find they are perfect.
I want to let you know never give up on something you like to do we all make mistake and we all learn from it and we all are not perfect.
If you see my cake picture that is bad so please be encourage ad never give up!!!

Im dont know how to put an attachment with the picture so im going to put it on my photos, is the basketwave cake!!!!!

Thanks you all, for looking!!and for all of your support!!!

There are so many factors in decorating that can affect the outcome. Sometimes I think we have to go back to the basics, even to the simple steps. Whether we are in a hurry, have distractions, icing not right, humidity, whatever, we just have to step back, use your basic knowledge and skills and correct whatever problem we may have. We have all encouraged you to continue, perhaps you are allowing too much to get in your way while doing your cakes. Distractions can cause us to forget some very important things that can be a nightmare, again, back to the basics. Don't give up, and above all we are not perfect, any of us.

I haven't read all the posts on this topic but I can tell you this much, it's OK to hate a cake, it's OK to want to do better, BUT it's not ok to call yourself a failure and it's NOT ok to quit because of anything!!! It takes time to do anything in life (I know because it takes me like FOREVER to learn something new and to get the hang of it) But if it weren't for the people here at cc I would of quit a long time ago. Try having a MIL telling you constantly that you suck at something....and constantly wanting you to cry and quit at something. My cakes are by NO means good BUT I love it...it's a release for me...it's something to accomplish in my life. I WILL GET BETTER...I tell myself all the time...Example, I am doing a bow as we speak, I thought by the comments that it would be easy...YEAH maybe but not for me!!!! Mine is going to look like horse pooo pooo BUT I will get better....it might take forever and a day...but I will conquer!!! Look the other way...finish your cake, then your next and then your next and then watch your accomplishments grow and your talent get even better then it already is. I want to be 90 doing this. I might go broke doing it but I am happy. Give me a kitchen, a oven a cake and some buttercream and I am in 7th Heaven!!! Good luck hun and please don't ever give up on anything you do in life!!! And if you don't mind I am sending you a big ole Kentuckyfied hug! (((((Hugs))))))