Most Labor-Intensive Cake?

Decorating By ajwonka Updated 29 Nov 2011 , 11:27pm by debbief

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ajwonka Posted 28 Nov 2011 , 1:18am
post #1 of 23

As I wrapped up my most labor-intensive cake to date with almost 12 hours invested, I started wondering how long those of you who make the INCREDIBLE cakes on CC spend on them! What's the longest you've spent making a cake (& I'd love to see it!)?

22 replies
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karateka Posted 28 Nov 2011 , 1:25am
post #2 of 23

Mine is this one:

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/2216735

18.5 hours not including baking, and I'm still seeing all the flaws. My tufted pillows weren't tufting very well, but I couldn't spare time to do that humongous tier over again. Maybe I rolled the fondant too thin....and I see marks all over the pink tier. icon_mad.gif

I'll think twice before I do this huge an order again, esp over a holiday.

Is yours in your photos? Which one is it?

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Price Posted 28 Nov 2011 , 1:45am
post #3 of 23

My 2 most labor intensive were the one's I did for competition. "Old Lady in the Shoe" and Toy Box.

The most labor intensive cake I've done to be eaten - would be for my Nephews wedding I modeled elements for that cake and they were very time consuming. I didn't really keep track of my time I can only say hours and hours!

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karukaru Posted 28 Nov 2011 , 2:10am
post #4 of 23

My cakes always take time because I am a hobby baker and i have two young boys (a 3 year old and a 1 year old.) I think the most labor intensive was a Lego cake for one of my best friends. My first wedding cake (made it a month ago) took a long time; not because of the details but because i didn't have the correct tools to work with. My rollin pin was too small for a 12" square cake (I have the regular wilton one) and i don't have enough smooth counter space so I had to get creative to roll the fondant! Hehehe. I still need to post the pictures though.

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ajwonka Posted 28 Nov 2011 , 2:14am
post #5 of 23

Sorry, I'm terrible about posting my pictures! Here was the cake that inspired me to post the question:

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/2217752

I can't wait to see the incredible creations people spend their talent time on!

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joycesdaughter111 Posted 28 Nov 2011 , 2:59am
post #6 of 23

Here is my most labor-intensive cake. Well worth it though...

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joycesdaughter111 Posted 28 Nov 2011 , 3:02am
post #7 of 23

Ooops, sorry. icon_redface.gif I don't know how to post a link, but it's the tool belt cake in my pics.

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Karen421 Posted 28 Nov 2011 , 3:04am
post #8 of 23

For me, it was really close, it took 19 + hours for each of these and I was very happy with the way they turned out!

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/2198345

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1993404

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ajwonka Posted 28 Nov 2011 , 4:20am
post #9 of 23

Wow, Karen, that square wedding cake is incredible! Well worth the many hours!

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Elcee Posted 28 Nov 2011 , 5:00am
post #10 of 23

My most labor intensive was definitely this one. I'm a hobby baker and a cake this size was way more than I could handle with a full time job and a home kitchen. It took 10 hours over the course of 2 days just to do the baking. Plus several hours for the flowers...making all that buttercream...it took 5-6 hours just to fill and crumb coat all the tiers and all day the day of the wedding to roll out all that fondant and cover the cake. Seriously, from about 6 am to the time I finished setting it up at the venue (6:30 ish). This isn't the best picture...it really wasn't leaning like that icon_redface.gif. http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1889392

This one is probably 2nd. While not difficult, I hadn't made ranunculus or lisianthus before, and piping all that hay took a solid 8 hours. http://cakecentral.com/gallery/2121521

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artmojo1975 Posted 28 Nov 2011 , 5:58am
post #11 of 23

My most labor intensive was this rose bouquet cake I made. It had 96 handmade gumpaste roses in four different colors and those strips or "stems" took a long time. Not to mention how cross-eyed they made me at 2am in the morning. Thank goodness I did these with the Jem strip cutter. Just before this cake I was doing everything with a rotary cutter and a metal ruler.

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/2170620

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artmojo1975 Posted 28 Nov 2011 , 6:00am
post #12 of 23

Oops, it was 16 hours in total.

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ajwonka Posted 29 Nov 2011 , 1:03am
post #13 of 23

Wow, Karen, that square wedding cake is incredible! Well worth the many hours!

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ajwonka Posted 29 Nov 2011 , 1:13am
post #14 of 23

Wow, Karen, that square wedding cake is incredible! Well worth the many hours!

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Ballymena Posted 29 Nov 2011 , 1:29am
post #15 of 23

Mine is the suitcase wedding cake on my photos. Didn't keep track but probably 16+ hours decorating, painting and fondant modelling.

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BeccaW40 Posted 29 Nov 2011 , 1:34am
post #16 of 23

I invested 18plus hours in a Rock&Roll themed Wedding cake....with the fondant, design and miniature guitars and bass drum....also did royal icing music notes and hand painted them silver. icon_redface.gif

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BeccaW40 Posted 29 Nov 2011 , 1:46am
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I havent kept track either....I get in the Yoda cake zone as I call it and work until I'm tired, then pick up again. If I were to guess it would be the Rock&Roll Wedding cake I made. Whoooo, boy was that fun!!! icon_surprised.gif

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FlourPots Posted 29 Nov 2011 , 1:47am
post #18 of 23

This was mine, definitely: http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1754452

The two sizes of braids took awhile...I don't know exactly how long since I'm a hobbyist and have the luxury of spreading out the work.

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Apti Posted 29 Nov 2011 , 2:55am
post #19 of 23

Like Elcee, my biggest projects took me forever. I recently made 4 cakes with gum paste hibiscus for my sister's mother-in-law. It was a 100th Birthday celebration. I spent 4 months of worry, obsessing, planning, thinking, dreaming, getting advice online or on the phone from cake friends around the USA. Panicked over my first gum paste flowers (hibiscus). Tried multiple recipes, made a 3 tier practice cake, tried multiple buttercream filling combinations, etc.

I figured I invested about 70 hours in the baking, cooling, torting, filling, freezing, crumb coating, final coating, borders, gum paste flowers, practice flower placement, etc. My best friend came over and washed and re-washed tools etc. as I put it all together and she invested about 15 hours in that and assisting with the set-up and plating at the event.

Orpha's 100th Birthday Celebration--14" cake, red velvet with cream cheese filling, 12" sour cream chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream filling, 10" lemon poppyseed cake with lemon curd filling, 8" sour cream white cake with raspberry filling. Gum Paste Hibiscus.

It was worth every minute!!!!

http://christinascakes.shutterfly.com/pictures/340

http://christinascakes.shutterfly.com/pictures/338#339

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Karen421 Posted 29 Nov 2011 , 1:07pm
post #20 of 23
Quote:
Originally Posted by ajwonka

Wow, Karen, that square wedding cake is incredible! Well worth the many hours!




Thanks! It was a labor of love, for my Daughter's wedding!

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debbief Posted 29 Nov 2011 , 8:17pm
post #21 of 23

I'm sad to say ALL of mine seem to take way too long. Maybe it's because I'm a hobby baker and I have to do things in "batches"... I suppose if I could get up in the morning and spend 8-10 hours working without interruptions, maybe I could say I spend less time. But as it is now, I'm affraid to even count. But I do enjoy it icon_biggrin.gif

If I had to choose, I think these two would have the most time involved...but not by much icon_lol.gif

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/2172286

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/2013537

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Apti Posted 29 Nov 2011 , 10:38pm
post #22 of 23
Quote:
Originally Posted by debbief

I'm sad to say ALL of mine seem to take way too long. Maybe it's because I'm a hobby baker and I have to do things in "batches"...




Debbie--that cake is AWESOME! That could be on a magazine. I can't even imagine how long that must have taken. It takes me forever because each new cake involves so many steps I'm doing for the first time and it takes SO long. If I did more cakes, I'm sure I could get the time down by a lot, but I'm slower than molasses on a cold day. I still have to make detailed lists of every, single tiny step so I don't forget.

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debbief Posted 29 Nov 2011 , 11:27pm
post #23 of 23
Quote:
Originally Posted by Apti

Quote:
Originally Posted by debbief

I'm sad to say ALL of mine seem to take way too long. Maybe it's because I'm a hobby baker and I have to do things in "batches"...



Debbie--that cake is AWESOME! That could be on a magazine. I can't even imagine how long that must have taken. It takes me forever because each new cake involves so many steps I'm doing for the first time and it takes SO long. If I did more cakes, I'm sure I could get the time down by a lot, but I'm slower than molasses on a cold day. I still have to make detailed lists of every, single tiny step so I don't forget.




Well thank you Apti. icon_biggrin.gif That may just be one of the nicest compliments Ive received!

When I think about all the time I spent brainstorming, making the roses, baking all the different flavors and making fillings and ganachewell I could go crazy trying to put an actual amount of hours to it. I really dont think I even want to know how long it took from start to finish. icon_redface.gif

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