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2 tier cake collapsed

post #1 of 63
6/28/10 at 7:38am
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I am not sure what happened. I made a 2 tier fondant baby cake I used straws and 1 wooden dowel down the center for support. It fell that same night at the customer's house. She said she thought it might have been bc it was too hot. Any suggestions on how to have prevented this from happening? This is the first time this has happened that I am aware of.
LL
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post #2 of 63
6/28/10 at 7:57am
So sorry that happened! I know you must feel sick over it.

Did you use drinking straws or Bubble Tea straws? I just don't think drinking straws are strong enough to support much of anything. As well, how many did you use? If it was only four, then I'd say you have your answer right there. The weight of the fondant just won't be supported by something as light as a regular drinking straw. Some people use a drinking straw and then insert a wooded dowel into that. Others use the Bubble Tea straws... many still use the wooden dowels by themselves. I like the large plastic dowels that Wilton carries. They are a bit harder to cut, but are pretty close to fail proof.

Heat could have played into the variable in the sense that if things were not terribly stable to start with, you were on the losing end of the spectrum when heat was added in.

Again, so sorry it happened to you!
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1 Chronicles 23:29
They were in charge of the bread set out on the table, the flour for the grain offerings, the unleavened wafers, the baking and the mixing, and all measurements of quantity and size.
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post #3 of 63
6/28/10 at 7:59am
And she's sure no one *touched* it? A pet or child, or curious hubby who didn't think that could happen? When you say straws do you mean bubble tea straws or plastic drinking straws? How hot was it in her house? The bottom tier looks to have too much pressure on it, that's what would cause that sort of breakage. Straws could be too short and heat too high.
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Melvira: Mistress of the dark... chocolate!

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post #4 of 63
6/28/10 at 8:05am
Sorry to hear that icon_sad.gif

Did you have a cake board under your top teir? Maybe your straws were too short causing the top teir to be putting pressure on the cake below.
Matt
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Matt
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post #5 of 63
6/28/10 at 8:12am
I use wood dowels or the large plastic rods, I wouldn't dare use a straw of any kind with fondant. Sorry it happened, but you'll learn from it. I've gotten many lessons believe me.
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post #6 of 63
6/28/10 at 8:16am
This is the very same cake as the most recent one in your photos, right?

In the collapsed picture, where is the name? The frogs? If it just collapsed spontaneously, why are they missing? Were they really firmly attached to begin with? It's very curious that they're gone... Was there an explanation provided for their absence? detective.gif

It seems to me that removing them might have been enough to cause a collapse under the circumstances. Unless there's some other reason they're gone, that is...
Sherri

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Sherri

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post #7 of 63
6/28/10 at 8:25am
That cake looks like it was dropped.
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Debbie - US Army (Retired) --aka "The Cake Sarge"

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post #8 of 63
6/28/10 at 8:29am
Sadly, you'll probably never find out what they actually did with/to the cake. You obviously know how to stack and support your other tiered cakes that look just fine, so I wouldn't worry about it too much--looks like there's nothing you could have done once it was out of your control.
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post #9 of 63
6/28/10 at 8:31am
Quote:
Originally Posted by SugarFiend

This is the very same cake as the most recent one in your photos, right?

In the collapsed picture, where is the name? The frogs? If it just collapsed spontaneously, why are they missing? Were they really firmly attached to begin with? It's very curious that they're gone... Was there an explanation provided for their absence? detective.gif

It seems to me that removing them might have been enough to cause a collapse under the circumstances. Unless there's some other reason they're gone, that is...



It looks like the back of the cake. If you look carefully at the left edge of the bottom tier you can just see a frog leg poking out.
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I have Flying Monkeys and I'm not afraid to use them. - Elphaba.
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post #10 of 63
6/28/10 at 8:33am
It looks to me like the frogs would be on the other side of the cake. This is the back. My question is... It is obviously in the fridge. Was it in the fridge when it collapsed? did something get pushed against it as it was going in the fridge? If it was put in the fridge and then taken out maybe the condensation was too much for the straws to handle. I'm not sure but I think its weird that it would just collapse on its own.
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post #11 of 63
6/28/10 at 8:36am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Herekittykitty

It looks like the back of the cake. If you look carefully at the left edge of the bottom tier you can just see a frog leg poking out.



Then they must have twisted the top tier around, because the baby is still facing in the original position.
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post #12 of 63
6/28/10 at 8:41am
Quote:
Originally Posted by CWR41

Quote:
Originally Posted by Herekittykitty

It looks like the back of the cake. If you look carefully at the left edge of the bottom tier you can just see a frog leg poking out.



Then they must have twisted the top tier around, because the baby is still facing in the original position.




CWR41...you are right. If you open the pic to a larger size you can see the baby's face. This cake was totally dropped and the top tier just placed back on top!!!!!! I can't believe they are trying to pass this off as the cake "collapsing" jmho
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post #13 of 63
6/28/10 at 8:43am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Herekittykitty

Quote:
Originally Posted by SugarFiend

This is the very same cake as the most recent one in your photos, right?

In the collapsed picture, where is the name? The frogs? If it just collapsed spontaneously, why are they missing? Were they really firmly attached to begin with? It's very curious that they're gone... Was there an explanation provided for their absence? detective.gif

It seems to me that removing them might have been enough to cause a collapse under the circumstances. Unless there's some other reason they're gone, that is...



It looks like the back of the cake. If you look carefully at the left edge of the bottom tier you can just see a frog leg poking out.



I have to respectfully disagree about it being the back of the cake. I have the before and after pics up side-by-side on my screen, and the baby's head is situated more or less to the right in both pics. If it was the back of the cake, the baby's head would be on the left.

Unless of course, the theory that it was dropped holds true. Then it *could* be the front of the top tier and the back of the bottom tier, reassembled but the wrong way.

I'm still suspecting some sort of foul play!
Sherri

Any excuse to make a cake!
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Sherri

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post #14 of 63
6/28/10 at 8:43am
this cake was most def dropped
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post #15 of 63
6/28/10 at 8:46am
Wow. I agree. Something seems sketchy here. If it had just collapsed the baby should be facing the other direction.
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