This last Saturday I baked/decorated a wedding cake for a dear friend as a gift to her and her new groom. It was to be stacked, I had never done more than a 2 layer stack before and this was to be a 6 layer, I thinks, no biggie, have had good results with just about every other wedding cake Ive done.

I ice the cakes separately 16-14-12-10-8-6 and trasport them 2 hours to St Louis separately, took my mom with me and it survived the transport with minimal damage. The trouble comes when I dowel the 16 inch but didnt use big enough dowels (used enough, just not big enough) when I get the 3rd layer on, the dowels on the bottom collapse sideways and the bottom layer implodes under the weight of the other 2. You should have seen me dancing around the reception hall shrieking and *^$##%^*(.

Thank God for my mama, who helped me keep a shred of sanity. I didnt feel the bottom layer could be salvaged, it desinigrated even more after this pix. We could of taken it back to the kitchen and gotten alot of servings off of it still, but my mother in her haste, trashed the whole thing. ( There was JUST) enough, I was sweating it). A trip to Ben Franklins for LARGE dowels and a separator plate for support on the next tier and 4 hours later to repair ALOT of damage, here it is, the new bottom tier has a mean sag in the back. However the bride was not fussy and loved it anyhow. I got home at 9 and promptly passed out. Im going to lay off cakes for a few weeks and recover.

OHHHHH!!!! That must have been so nerve wrecking!!! The end product looks wonderful for what you went through! I hear you on taking a cake break, sometimes you just gotta do it!

Your cake turned out beautiful. I would have been crying like a baby if that had happened to me. Thank God for not having a Bridezilla. At least you got a good laugh out of it. MC

Wow! If you had not posted the 'before' pic I don't think anyone would have guessed the ordeal you had to go through. Your cake is beautiful! Good job on the recovery!

I am so sorry that happened to you. I bet you were pulling your hair out. But the good news is the cake turned out just beautiful and the bride was happy. Good for you and your mom for a beautiful save. Only the best can do this.

Did I mention I cried to?? I never cry, my mom was worried for a minute. Im not to the laughing point yet

Oh, get this, the paper on the board tore when we trashed the 16 inch layer, there was NOTHING to be found and another trip was out of the question. Found a LARGE white paper napking/table cover thingie, and then put a clear TRASHBAG over it, not terribly pretty, but any port in a storm.

Think I'll got to the Cake Central store and buy something to make me feel better!

Oh my goodness I think I would have had a nervous break down then and there. In the end I think the cake looked wonderful, good job.

Wow... I'm so sorry! That must have been terrible!!! Your cake turned out beautifully! Your story is the very reason I use the stress free support system. With every experience there are lessons learned. Congrats on a great cake!

Nice recovery!!!! I bet you were a wreck!! I agree a break will do you good but you need to get back on the horse!! You have alot of talent!! I'm glad it all worked out for you and you had your Mama there to calm you!!! Thank the Lord for our Mamas!!!

~Luraleigh~

A stress free support system wil be my next purchase, I wont do this type of cake without one again. Lesson learned. Hope to buy all sorts of goodies at ICES convention next week, we are going on vacation to the Mississippi coast and I found out the convention just happened to be an hour away Told family they will have to eat macaroni all week on vacation so I have $$$$ to spend at the convention

Have lots of fun!!! I haven't regretted buying my support system one second!!!! I love it and I know you will too!

Wow, like the others I would not have believed you looking at the pic of the final product. It turned out beautiful. Make sure you give your Momma a big hug for being there to support you.

I delivered a three tier cake this weekend and I and the cake was falling apart in front of 30 people while I tried to set it up and save it. I will post that later with a picture.

Your cake turned out beautiful.

bj

Good save! All's well that ends well! It turned out beautifully!

Debbie

I think you deserve a big CC pat on the back, the cake is just beautiful, and after all we beat ourselves up enough when something goes wrong, so I'm glad the bride was happy.

Your cake looks great! I have a 5 layer stacked wedding cake to do in September, and I'm a little nervous. What support system are you talking about? I don't think I have ever seen one of them.

Heather...you are the queen of the cake save! It looks wonderful. Sorry things didn't go more smoothly. The CC store and convention will cheer you up. Shopping for cake stuff always makes me feel better.

I think the cake looks gorgeous! I am glad the bride was a good friend of yours! I would have never known anything was ever wrong with it...it looks great!!!
traci

Beautiful cake! I never would've imagined it would explode like that! But it turned out beautiful!

Nice job recovering, it is beautiful.

Wow!!! What a save!!! Great job on your decorating. You should have nerves of steel now!! Carol