I have have the first major cake disaster, I suppose it was going to happen one day. But after 5 years I thought that perhaps I was 'safe' and out of the disaster zone.

I fell on Thursday and cracked my elbow but with 2 weddings on Saturday to do, I just had to grin and bear it. so I have had 3 injections and can only feel a dull pain.

The first wedding cake went really well. Delivered it on time, no hiccups whatsoever. Got home at 2pm, had one chocolate 6 inch to quickly cover with fondant as delivery time was 9.30pm.

(note.. we are have thunder storms and lightening storms at the moment, very bad humidity)

Covered the chocolate in fondant and noticed, that that through the fondant you could see the brown, making the ivory fondant look a different colour By now I am huffing and puffing saying, its always the last cake that plays up... So I decide that this time I am going to have to put a double layer of fondant on it, so that it is the same colour. I do this... everything is perfect. I put the ribbon and lace on and then sugar blossoms and I'm ready to go.

All the cakes are ready to go by 7.30.

I get a call from the wedding planner saying that The cake will be placed in front of the bride and groom.

What!!!!!!

I have never had to walk in and set a cake down in front of the bride and groom.

At this stage I am covered in chocolate and icing, so quickly get changed and look presentable.

I was going to deliver the cake (4 tiers) in two pieces, but decide that I will deliver it as one four tier cake.

This is where the disaster happens.(8.15pm)

I lift the 8 and 6 onto the 2nd half of the cake (10 and 12)

As I do this the fondant on the 8 and 10 literally break open and become wet. What the...

By now I am having a nervous breakdown, tantrum, with all the words under the sky coming out of my mouth.

My DH (the calm one) calls the wedding planner, and says we are having a slight problem with the cake we'll be a little late.

Oh my god.

I just sat on the floor staring into space, thinking what the hell.

Gather my emotions together, and pick up the 8 inch, the worse one, the fondant has melted into the buttercream, so I decide the best solution is to ice over it, bearing in mind I have to leave the house in 20 minutes. The 10 inch is secure to the 12, so I rectify the cracks and then covered the cake with a large lace bow. At this stage I knew the cake was being cut at 10pm, so I knew that the bride wouldnt see this part.

The cake is now in 3 pieces (6) ( 8 ) and (10 and 12), arrive at the hotel at 10pm. and set up in the reception ( did I say that I had no time for support dowels now!!)

The wedding planner is fine, and says that the cake is beautiful, the bride loves it (she doesnt see the cracks on the 10 inch)

Then they ask us to stay for the cake cutting ceremony. This is the first time I have heard of an actual ceremony. The waiter picks up the cake on a table and bounds down a flight of stairs. I nearly had a heart attack, as the cake was not supported. and then the bride and groom are presented with a set of knives where they proceed to cut the cake. I did have to change the design slightly, so waiting to see if I receive a complaint...

It was a happy (ish) end to a bad 4 days.

Today I am staying in bed, with a dvd, chocolate, and wine.


One thing that the wedding planner said which I shall carry with me, is... 'Listen, you always strive for perfection, sometimes, you just can't reach it. Mistakes and accidents happen, they make us better professionals as without them how can we better ourselves'

wow, I am soooo sorry that you had a hard, and I mean HARD day...
bad enough to have cake issues, but the elbow on top of it!
rest up and relax, and hopefully the bride wont even notice.
Jodi

'Listen, you always strive for perfection, sometimes, you just can't reach it. Mistakes and accidents happen, they make us better professionals as without them how can we better ourselves'

hahaha, the quote came out the wrong way!! sorry, my noob-i-ness never ceases to amaze!!

Sorry to hear that. I was having a panic attack for you reading the story. This is what scares me about doing weddings. Rest up today and get better.

Sounds to me like you have truly deserved a day in bed doing absolutely nothing but eat chocolate and watch tv.
Put yesterday behind you and move on. Disasters have to happen at least once to everyone and now yours have, hoepfully never again.

Enjoy your lazy-day

thanks guys!!

I'll let you know what the bride says...

Oh goodness...have had similar instances in summer weather. And this past week I had an entire cupcake order go to waste after a late 'peel-a-thon' of 250 cupcakes overnight. OMG. I had to spend an entire day rectifying that issue, then donating the defective wrapperless cuppies tot he school and making another 250 for the original client, then do a wedding cake and 2 birthday cakes for Saturday.

But your story sounds worse. I agree, perfection is a tricky taskmaster in this industry

(((hugs))) Enjoy the pajama day.

enjoy your wine, your chocolate... you deserve them, and you also deserve a huge pat on the back.. better let hubby do that, dont want you to tweek the elbow any more than necessary.. hope it feels better soon.

but.. while you are having that wine ...make a toast to yourself, because you have proven yourself to be a real professional. It is damn hard to pull yourself off that floor when disaster hits, but YOU DID IT!! congratulations on that!

"The waiter picks up the cake on a table and bounds down a flight of stairs. I nearly had a heart attack, as the cake was not supported."

He WHAT???

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG!!!!

I can't decide if I would have lunged forward to stop him or cowered in a corner and covered up my head.

I haven't done nearly the amount of cakes that you all have done, I just do them for family and friends and the occasional friend of a friend, but my first cake delivery tipped over in my car and I had only 1 hour to fix it. Still hasn't stopped me, but am a little scared everytime I have a cake in the car now.

High five to you for doing a great job on a bad day. I need a break after reading the post let alone handling it, you deserve it.

OMG I started getting palpitations! Hope you feel better soon. I am so glad that you had a happy ending to a "I need a tranquilizer day".

woow i feel for you! nothing worse than a disaster on the delevery day... i remember my first topsy turvy cake i spent the whole weekend making it.. it was gonna be picked up on firday morning.. and "stupid me" i asspembeled it thuesday night.. friday morning it was allright.. only half an hour befor it was suppose to be picked up the bottom layer fell apart!! i actually spent the rest of the day remaking it again and offered to deliever it to compensate! it gets tough!

A happy ending...

Wedding planner has recommended me to three other brides and the mob emailed to say it tasted great and looked great, and that her only complaint was that she had very greedy guests so there was nothing left over! phew!!

Wedding planner is sending some pictures over as I didnt get any good ones, I will post when I receive them!

Thanks for all your comments

x

Phew!

So glad it all worked out for you!!
After my last wedding cake I'm seriously thinking of not doing anymore. Too nerve-wracking!!

loulou, its tough when we have a 'disobedient cake' but I suppose its part of the thrill!!