My Cake Disaster -- Any Tips And Advice Are Welcome

Decorating By Rylan Updated 6 Jul 2009 , 9:02pm by JanH

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Rylan Posted 6 Jul 2009 , 12:36am
post #1 of 33

Here is a video of the cake disaster I had yesterday. That is the actual color of the purple and no, it is not cornstach on the purple. It's supposed to look dusty for the wintery effect. It was not a mistake. The wavy ribbons are not supposed to be there but I had to cover the imperfect seams between teirs. I just wish I could have used black.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJqA5b7aHwc&feature=channel_page

The cake is also the last picture in my photos.

I have other videos as well.

32 replies
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kakeladi Posted 6 Jul 2009 , 12:46am
post #2 of 33

Please, PLEASE will you STOP with the 'disaster' bit!!!! LOL
You made one terrific, beautiful, wonderful cake.

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Rylan Posted 6 Jul 2009 , 12:50am
post #3 of 33

Kakeladi, remember what you said earlier? It's hard to be happy when you use colors that you are forced to use. I just felt like this is a total disaster. It is very saddening you know.

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Doug Posted 6 Jul 2009 , 12:53am
post #4 of 33

LALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALLALALA (oops sorry about the broken mirror and why is the dog howling???)

(now where is that travel agent when I need her!?)

Give it up! -- that cake is wonderful

ok, you HATE purple...

remember -- the CUSTOMER is always right even when you hate what they want.

Bask in the glory of knowing your technique and eye for design is exquisite!

This too shall pass! (thinking of the double entendre that is!)

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Rylan Posted 6 Jul 2009 , 12:57am
post #5 of 33

Doug, the thing is that she is not a customer. This cake was only a gift and I felt like I shouldn't have let her likings take over me (I know it is selfish).

Come to Vegas =]

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PinkLisa Posted 6 Jul 2009 , 12:57am
post #6 of 33

Have you delivered this cake yet? Did the girl LOVE it? I'm sure she did. You are just learning so you have to put it in perspective. Look at it as a learning experience. I don't know if you have clients yet, but the client decides the design and I'm sure that not every decorator loves each design they do.

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bourbs Posted 6 Jul 2009 , 12:57am
post #7 of 33

This cake is beautiful? There is no way this could be called a total disaster?
You have to know this is a beautiful cake? It's lovely! icon_smile.gif

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-K8memphis Posted 6 Jul 2009 , 1:01am
post #8 of 33

My advice to you is to learn to develop your mind's eye. It would seem you are limiting your vision and prohibiting yourself from appreciating and enjoying this beautiful cake.

Why do you have yourself painted in a corner?

I mean maybe you should not take orders from people because taking orders from customers means making something with thier ideas rather than your own. It has a crippling effect that I recommend you work your way out of.

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MLand Posted 6 Jul 2009 , 1:04am
post #9 of 33

Don't know what cake YOU are looking at, but the one I see is gorgeous!

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Doug Posted 6 Jul 2009 , 1:11am
post #10 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by RylanTy

Doug, the thing is that she is not a customer. This cake was only a gift and I felt like I shouldn't have let her likings take over me (I know it is selfish).

Come to Vegas =]




Doug will now show how much of an old fashioned old fart he is.

YES, she IS a customer.

all you need is an agreement -- no money.

you said you would make it.

she accepted with her little request.

now obliged to fulfill as requested.

---

just like so many social contracts where we offer help, it's accepted and then we do our best in the way the person accept will most appreciate it.

-----

If you must whine -- whine about ....

taxes

the weather....

those stupid (fill in name of sports team that is driving you to distraction!)

no inspiration/ideas/recipient for next cake.

-----

ya dun gud. now move one to cake 6 so we can all turn even greener with jealousy!

----

PS -- wonders how much glass was shattered by the girl's screams of delight on receiving the cake

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Niquie Posted 6 Jul 2009 , 1:17am
post #11 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by Doug

Quote:
Originally Posted by RylanTy

Doug, the thing is that she is not a customer. This cake was only a gift and I felt like I shouldn't have let her likings take over me (I know it is selfish).

Come to Vegas =]



Doug will now show how much of an old fashioned old fart he is.

YES, she IS a customer.

all you need is an agreement -- no money.

you said you would make it.

she accepted with her little request.

now obliged to fulfill as requested.

---

just like so many social contracts where we offer help, it's accepted and then we do our best in the way the person accept will most appreciate it.

-----

If you must whine -- whine about ....

taxes

the weather....

those stupid (fill in name of sports team that is driving you to distraction!)

no inspiration/ideas/recipient for next cake.

-----

ya dun gud. now move one to cake 6 so we can all turn even greener with jealousy!






I totally agree with Doug, and everyone else. I know I'm jealous!!!! I can't even make a decent batch of fondant, let alone cover a cake as good as this and lets not even talk about the piping!!! You should be very proud of this cake. Now, if your cakes sucked as much as mine do, then you could complain, LOL!!! That cake is gorgeous, and I'm sure the girl loved it.

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__Jamie__ Posted 6 Jul 2009 , 1:18am
post #12 of 33

Ok, now I really am convinced you are just fishing for compliments. There, I was polite as I could be until this little thread. And you got plenty of them. As was mentioned by a previous poster....you're gonna have a very difficult time accepting cake orders for designs/colors/styles you don't like. What's really going on? Cuz, really, you have no basis for complaining about your cakes. They have been scrutinized by many many experts at this point. icon_biggrin.gif

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__Jamie__ Posted 6 Jul 2009 , 1:20am
post #13 of 33

There is always the complaining because "we" know what went wrong with "our" own cakes.....but you take it to a different level. Really...something else is going on, no? icon_biggrin.gif Can we help?

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OhMyGanache Posted 6 Jul 2009 , 1:21am
post #14 of 33

GAH.

If you're fishing for compliments, you're going to have to use some more convincing bait. The cake looks great, and this is the second time I've seen you post a thread exactly like this (different cake though).

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Babarooskie Posted 6 Jul 2009 , 1:23am
post #15 of 33

UUUMMMMM.......THERE ARE 2 THINGS I SEE WRONG WITH THIS CAKE:

1) I could have never made anything so freakishly awesome as that
2) I wasn't the one who got that cake

booya!

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burgderb Posted 6 Jul 2009 , 1:28am
post #16 of 33

This is a cake disaster, dropping the tray of cupcakes I was delivering this morning to accompany a cake I made for a bridal shower. Not adapting a ribbon to help with seams

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kelleym Posted 6 Jul 2009 , 1:34am
post #17 of 33

Again? Is it Groundhog Day?

http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-639994.html

Fool me once, shame on you...fool me twice...you know the rest. icon_rolleyes.gif

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Lenette Posted 6 Jul 2009 , 1:43am
post #18 of 33

Okay, I think I am starting to get it. I saw your post yesterday but didn't respond (at least I don't think I did, pain meds... icon_biggrin.gif ).

But from what I am reading, and maybe reading too much into it, you are looking at this as your art, your creation. You want to create things in your style. This is why the color is bugging you so much.

Unfortunately, we create based to some degree on what the the person ordering the cake wants. THEIR requests, likes, dislikes, etc. It just doesn't work to make only the cakes that appeal to us. I think every decorator has their own style. For instance, Colette Peters, Sylvia Weinstock but even they generally work within the desires of the client.

Unless you are only going to create cakes for your pleasure and give them away you have to contend with the colors you don't like and styles etc. We all do, it's just part of the job so to speak.

I think for any artist, they have a vision but it has to meet somewhere with what other people want.

I hope all this rambling makes sense but it is the feel I am getting from your posts. Try to look at it from the workmanship and overall look. We all see the flaws and the things we don't like. Even if you hate it, every caker goes through it some time. Have a chocolate and let it go, ice cream is good this time of year too! icon_smile.gif

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jaybug Posted 6 Jul 2009 , 1:52am
post #19 of 33

Oh please! If only everyones cake disasters could look so good! Stunning! thumbs_up.gif

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hammer1 Posted 6 Jul 2009 , 1:58am
post #20 of 33

me thinks ryan is just trying to hit the magic 1200 plus views with his photos... I checks his out and they all have that magic number except this "disaster".....we read, we look, he gets lots of views....i would like to hit 200 views with my pictures, it is a game.....come on people go look at my pictures too.

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__Jamie__ Posted 6 Jul 2009 , 2:14am
post #21 of 33

Rylan is a dude? Dang it, sorry for calling you Miss. the other night. Whoops!

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DreamCakesOnline Posted 6 Jul 2009 , 2:29am
post #22 of 33

The cake looks fine. I love the shapes, the good fondant work, and the brush embroidery and I happen to love the color of the ribbon. We've all seen a LOT worse. We all have a list of things we wish we could have done better on every cake we do. You are your own worst critic. Yada, yada, yada. It won't be around to look at and pick apart in 100 years so let your friend eat it and feel good about how you indulged their request and made such a beautiful cake for them and stop dumping in the middle of their parade. If they hear you obsessing about how imperfect it is, they'll start to feel bad about you and the cake and never want you to make them another one. Not the desired outcome. The cake is about the receiver, not the designer. Move on. Please.

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__Jamie__ Posted 6 Jul 2009 , 2:39am
post #23 of 33

Oh oh oh.....ok, I'll play too. Will y'all please go look at my cool stripey cone top cake I did yesterday?? I want to get at least 1000 faves....just kidding. Rylan, not trying to poke fun. That was a funny theory though. Seriously, if you woulda left it alone we wouldn't be here! icon_wink.gif

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Rylan Posted 6 Jul 2009 , 2:54am
post #24 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by hammer1

me thinks ryan is just trying to hit the magic 1200 plus views with his photos... I checks his out and they all have that magic number except this "disaster".....we read, we look, he gets lots of views....i would like to hit 200 views with my pictures, it is a game.....come on people go look at my pictures too.





Excuse me, I am not trying to get "views". You DON'T know me. In our cake decorating community in Youtube, people know that I am so hard on on myself -- so if I call it a disaster, I personally think it is a disaster. I am just seeking for advice and tips.

As for the person who wonders if am fishing for compliments -- no I am not.

I posted another thread because I wanted to show the video of the cake. The video shows the true color of the cake. If you ask me why I didn't post it in the other thread, it's because it's harder to find the link if it is in the middle of the thread.

I think this thread should be locked before some judgemental person say something that is false/inaccurate.

Anyway, thanks to the people who gave input regarding about the cake.

Oh and btw, Rylan is my name not Ryan.

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__Jamie__ Posted 6 Jul 2009 , 3:07am
post #25 of 33

Hey, no disrespect, Rylan. It's just very odd to see someone who has so much talent complaining about every single cake they make, when it is so obvious to everyone that the cakes are gorgeous. Really, there is a bit too much smoke blowin' on some cakes in here, but yours truly are artistic and gorgeous.

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-K8memphis Posted 6 Jul 2009 , 4:43pm
post #26 of 33

My daughter has a phrase I think it's reverse pride or something like that--but yeah I mean a cake disaster is where icing falls off and dogs lick your cake or the band vibrated the top tier into the punch bowl or some kid takes a big fingerful of icing, or you slam on the brakes or...

I was glad that Jamie carefully said what she said...

I mean an artistic wrinkle is not a disaster

Purple schmurple whatever...or was it blue??

No offense but suck it up there a bit.

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-K8memphis Posted 6 Jul 2009 , 4:46pm
post #27 of 33

If you want the post locked PM a mod.

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__Jamie__ Posted 6 Jul 2009 , 4:48pm
post #28 of 33

icon_biggrin.gificon_biggrin.gificon_biggrin.gif

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pattiverde Posted 6 Jul 2009 , 5:01pm
post #29 of 33

Hi Rylan,

I think your cakes are stunning. Truly stunning. When you mention the flaws, I can't even find them in the pictures.

That said, I do think it's worrisome that you get so fixated on the flaws, and even consider them disastrous. I recognize a prior version of myself in your posts, a Patti who was so set on everything being just so, whether in cake or in life, and the smallest flaws (in cake or in life) felt disastrous to me. And then real disaster came and put it all in perspective. Life is so very short. Enjoy this hobby or this business or this art, whatever it means to you, and expect some imperfection instead of being surprised by it. Certainly strive to improve your cake art in the ways you want to, but if you can, try not to let it upset you so much. Life will deliver enough upset without us looking for it in our cake seams.

I write this as much for myself as for you. Keep it all in perspective. Its just cake. (Art, yes; delicious, yes. But still, just cake.)

icon_smile.gif patti

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hammer1 Posted 6 Jul 2009 , 5:38pm
post #30 of 33

well said patti. icon_smile.gificon_smile.gificon_smile.gif

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