My First Disaster, I'm Devastated!
Decorating By The_Sugar_Fairy Updated 29 Sep 2009 , 12:49pm by Loucinda
I had my first cake disaster today. I used the Wilton Castle kit with all the towers. It said to attach the towers to the cake board with candy melts so I did. I spent hours and hours on this cake making edible gems etc. etc. Then when I went to move it into the garage fridge, the towers started falling off and I started grabbing for them and dropped the cake. I don't have a business yet, but I was making the cake for a co-worker and she was giving me some money. I called and told her - still gave her the cookies I made at no charge and will do her another cake at no charge - but I could tell she was angry. I have small kids at home (that I ignored all week) and I have to work tomorrow (as a desk clerk at a hospital - not making cakes) so I have no more time to make another. I feel like complete crap and want to give up making cakes. I HATE that castle kit - I should have known that those towers wouldn't stay on with candy melts (I really don't know what I could've used though - i think they would've fallen over no matter what). The towers that were put into the cake fell over too. They said to candy melt a dowel to the bottom of each tower and put it into the cake - did not work. Ahhh!
Sorry to hear about your experience with the castle kit.I used piping gel to attach towers when I worked on this cake.I beleive it worked.
Just do not give up on cakes.
I am so sorry! I have not tried the wilton castle cake set yet but now I know to stay away from it. I know it is hard to juggle sometime and I know you feel down but don't. I have those days too, we all do. It was an accident, use it as a lesson learned ( I have them all the time) and move forward.
That sounds awful!!! You really shouldn't feel like you need to make her a cake at no cost. Unless you made a business deal with her don't sweat it. If you were doing this as a favor you shouldn't feel bad. I hate all wilton kits. I can never really rely on wilton except for tips and other small tools. Their fondant sucks, their mixes suck, and their cake boards suck. Don't feel bad. Next time go with your gut and do what you fell would be a better way. There are some really cute castle cakes that you can do. Look in the galleries here for a princess castle cake and PM the decorator. I'm sure they will sympathize with you. Good luck and please don't beat yourself up over spilled milk, I mean cake
I'm sorry that happened--what a tremendous disappointment.
...I spent hours and hours on this cake...
...but I was making the cake for a co-worker and she was giving me some money. I called and told her - still gave her the cookies I made at no charge and will do her another cake at no charge - but I could tell she was angry.
I just wanna ask why work for free now just because the cake got crapped out. Does that absolve our sin of being human and accidents happening.
Why why why why why work for free?
You are doing extra work now.
You're not getting paid for the one that fell apart you're not gonna get paid for the extra you're gonna do. Stick a fork in me I'd be done if I were you.
Awww that's rough! Your cakes are beautiful though, don't you dare quit!
The lady may be disappointed but she should not be *angry* because she won't be out any money. Things happen! She can just go buy a princess castle or some other thing at another bakery and enjoy your good cookies. Hopefully after she sleeps on it, she'll be more understanding.
Turrets are really hard to make sturdy. I haven't used that kit but I have made my own out of ice cream cones and its difficult on a buttercream cake. I try to put lots of buttercream between the turrets and the cake, plus royal icing or candy melts under the turrets to attach to the board. THEN I refrigerate to make it nice and solid before its transported.
I don't care for castle cakes (doing them, that is.)
Keep on caking! Your work is GREAT.
Why don't you get pissed at her for being an ass about it.
And charge her but good for this! At least as much as you were gonna get.
"O-oh no-o I gave my wo-ord." some have said in the past.
Didja not give yer word in the first place to do it for forty bucks or whatever?
You dropped it so what.
Freaking get paid.
You owe this chick nothing.
I'd probably do the same thing as the poster...give the cookies for free....BUT I would not do a second cake if I could not do it. Especially if I did not have a business. (Might try myself, since I'm licensed and running a business).
The lady however should be satisfied with free cookies...she is better off than when she started...so...she should NOT be angry. Unless she is one of those "I'm entitled" sort of people.
Another thought... I noticed that the Wilton cake base I was using wasn't very strong. I'm going to be making a wedding cake next year that's three tiers - will this base support it well enough (because this castle cake was only two tiers)? It was a base - not a board. What do you guys use? I really don't want to do cakes anymore - other than wedding cakes - I always feel like I'm working for free! Everyone always wants a deal. Everyone seems to think I can just "whip up a cake" in a couple hours or something. It takes hours and hours. Sometimes I feel so used and abused. I think I need to jack up my prices so I acutally get paid for doing these cakes. And as someone here said, I shouldn't have committed to making her next cake for free. Anyways, just wanted to say I love you guys. I know everyone has disasters, mine was today. Thanks everyone.
For three tiers you could buy a wooden base...or actually I make my own "cake drums" sometimes by stacking between 3 and 5 cake boards...turning them so the ridges are at 90 degree angles for strength...then tape them real well with masking tape and then wrap with colored foil.
4 boards taped together should be plenty strong for 3 tiers...if the base of the three tiers is larger than 12" though you may want to go with a wooden board.
As far as party cakes...just jack up the prices. That will weed out the "junk" and leave you with people who value you enough to pay for your time. I charge just as much for party cakes as wedding cakes (more per serving actually, the cakes are fewer servings though). I still wish I got more weddings, but at least I'm being paid fairly for the party cakes.
Good luck!
for the castle kit (which i LOATHE), i had my DH drill a hole into the bottom of each tower. I shove a dowel/skewer in it & use that to put it in the cake.
it needs to be a TIGHT fit & i put plenty of that dowel into the cake. I don't do the towers on the cake board itself, but i guess you could if you had a thick cake drum and cut the skewers short....
i then pipe icing around the base of the towers.
honestly-- this kit is one that you only do for free for your OWN kids or grandkids, lol.. kids you SERIOUSLY LOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE. everyone else gets charged a PREMIUM!!! the castles are a PAIN.. and chances are yours wouldn't have made the car ride, really....
not being snarky.. but even well assembled with every trick in the book, these are crazy to transport and will lean like no one's business!! (oh, & heaven forbid you were going to let the mom take it to the party after dropping it off to her-- trust me-- you wouldn't sleep that night! )
I'm sorry about your cake . I made one a year ago and it was just a small 2 tier and it took all day and half the night! Looked really good but a lot of work!! What I did with the turrets was to drill a hole in the top and bottom big enough for a skewer to go through. Once you put the turrets in place the skewers can get hammered down into the cardboard base. I left the skewers long so when I put the tops on turrets they were basically resting on skewers and wouldn't fall off.
Hope this helps for your next one!
Wanda
Also, thank you mrs. briggs. I didn't see your post there until now. You guys are awesome!
I go to Home Depot and get a sheet of 1/2 inch plywood and ask them to cut it up into 14x14 0r 16 by 16 squares I get about 10-12 a sheet which comes out to like 1.00 each I can't get the styrofaom drums that cheap . I cover those with foil and no giving of the boards and I have done a 4 tier 12-10-8-6 Sturdy as can be. I've used even larger 18 inch square for a 16 up to a 6" 6 tiered cake. Good luck don't give up.
Hey, girl!
This really sucks! So sorry that it happened. I haven't had to do such a large cake (yet) but am both dreading and looking forward to doing one. My DD originally wanted the castle for her b'day in a couple of weeks, but luckily she's changed it to Princess Peach (Wonder Mold!).
If you need some nice, thick cake drums, try McCalls (www.mccalls-cakes.com). They're in Mississauga/Toronto - not far! I've used their hexagon ones for a show cake, and they're nice and sturdy. If you go to the show at CSG on Sunday, you'll see my B/W cake with them.
{HUGS} and don't you dare give up! If we all quit after one catastrophe, there'd be no cake in the world ... and THAT would be a sin!
I'll PM you as well.
Don't give up caking - your cakes are beautiful. I have never used it but I know there's a huge post on the Wilton forum where one person was so angry about the castle kit she asked all the people on the forum for their opinion on it and to email Wilton on any criticism on it. I think most of the people who responded also said the castle kit totally sucked - it isn't you it's the castle kit
Thanks! You've all made me feel so much better, especially lovesmysmoother. I'm glad I'm not the only one that's had trouble with this kit! I'll keep cakin' but I'm going to "jack up my prices" as someone here said, because right now I'm not making anything on these party cakes!
Sorry about your diasater, I dropped a grooms cake I made back in August. The groom wanted a stacked book and an open book cake with a picture of him and his bride. Very large and heavy cakes, Well on my way to deliver the cakes as I picked it up off my counter and turned to walk out of my kitchen they just dropped, went up in the air flipped, and then came crashing down on my floor in a big buttercream mess. I was sick. Nothing I could do and since I was playing the piano in the wedding I did not have time to go to a grocery store to by a sheet cake as a replacement. Luckily the groom was cool about it and was not a jerk like your co-worker seems to be. Hang in there. I just had my second disaster today and I totally feel like saying forget all this cake crap, But I wont(smile)
No Home Depot or no where else that I know does cut circles, that's my delima also. I just use the squares for all my shapes. I do have a large circle someone cut for me so when they insist on a round I use the styrofoam and put my board underneath then slide it off at the venue.
I have used that same kit with success but i took all the towers and drilled holes in the bottom so that I could insert a dowel in it. That way you have the support from that. I transported from my house to the local swimming pool with no problems but it definately needed those dowels for support. But dont' give up and dont let one mean person ruin your hobby.
Use 1/2" foam core - you can cut it into any shape you want with an exacto knife - works like a charm, and they are extremely sturdy.
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