Cake-tastrophy

So I had my first colossal cake-tastrophy yesterday. I worked on a three tiered Citadel graduation cake for the son of one of my pilot co-workers for 2 weeks. Make molds of uniform buttons and a large bulldog topper. The cake also had a gum paste barrack that lined the front of the cake. It was beautiful and extremely labor intensive. It has either been in the fridge or my airconditioned kitchen the past few days. Well, needless to say it is a thousand degrees outside so it went directly into my SUV which had been running for 15 minutes with the ac on full blast for the trek an hour away to the party. We arrived and opened the back to find the cake completely toppled over. it was dowed and supported but I guess not good enough. Thank God it was for a friend because I had a mini meltdown in their driveway, cried like a small child then sucked it up, tried my best to scrape up my dignity and the cake and took it inside for repair. I only had bagged royal icing and black buttercream. We did our best to repair but the checked floor, the draped sash around the middle, the back side brick walls, the tassels, and the back of the top dress uniform jacket were unrepairable....needless to say, lesson learned about buttercream icing, Texas heat, and transporting a kinda top heavy cake. I will now do a little more research about tranporting tiered cakes....I wish I would have put the top on once we arrived. I am still a little sick about it. :(

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Permalink Reply by Kathy Kmonk on July 10, 2011 at 11:01am

{{Hugs}} :*(

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Permalink Reply by Jen Howard on July 10, 2011 at 11:19am

You poor thing! I don't have any sage words of advice, just wanted to offer some sympathy. I'm just starting and havent had such a big cake to do. Makes me want to just put cakes together at the event instead of trying to haul them in one piece. I wonder the disadvantages and advantages to that? Chin up!

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Permalink Reply by Val on July 10, 2011 at 1:15pm

ouch...sorry.

I made my first wedding cake last weekend. It was 4 tiers. I used smbc and it was hot, but not Texas hot. I used Wilton's round, separator plates between tiers...except for the top, 6 inch tier, I didn't have one. A friend and experienced wedding cake designer had suggested using them. I used wooden dowels and then pushed the legs of the plates into the top of each cake. This helped prevent sliding. The cake was delivered an hour away via winding, bumpy, back roads. I put the fresh flowers on top, when I got there. We took the middle seat out of the van and I sat there with it, just in case, until I got sick. I watched it sway a little, but never shift. I think the separator plates really helped.

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Permalink Reply by Stampinsher on July 12, 2011 at 1:11am

Big Hugs and so sorry. I really appreciate you sharing your experience with us so we can learn. Again, I'm sorry. I bet it tasted great and everyone was happy because everyone understands.

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Permalink Reply by Micha Griffith on July 12, 2011 at 9:43am

I know what you are talking about 3 months ago, I did a Cat in the Hat cake, which was the hat of Cat in the Hat. I stacked all of the cakes together thought I had it supported enough, delivered it and it shifted in the process of the delivery, it was a mess, I tried to salvage it but there was no doing. The lady was a real good friend of mine, and she understood but I think I cried that whole day. I learned a very vaulable lesson, to put cakes together when I get there. I think it has happened to alot of people, so your not alone.

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Permalink Reply by Dawn Becker on July 12, 2011 at 10:12am

Oh, poor girl. I know, first hand, how horrible this is. I wouldn't wish it on anyone. You can travel with stacked cakes, but there are lots of precautions to take. I know I probably over do it now; but this is one of those occurrences that you only allow to happen once in your life.

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Permalink Reply by June Kowalczyk on July 12, 2011 at 3:58pm

Don't feel bad, it can happen to anyone. Cake deliveries are ALWAYS a nightmare. I always take a picture of the cake when I am done.....Just in case. And call me anal, but I have NEVER traveled with a 2 or 3 tired cake together. I have always gone early to the venue and set it up. I did transport my last baby shower cake assembled cause I was SOooo late leaving. But I only had to drive about 20 km.

But with heat & humidity, still, sometimes it is a battle. There is a lady from Georgia on this site who gave me her recipe for buttercream that withstands heat & humidity. I know it isn'y as hot here in Ontario, Canada as Texas, but we do have wicked. humidity.

Again, don't beat yourself up. I am sure your friends knew just how badly you felt.

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Permalink Reply by jeri c on July 12, 2011 at 9:08pm

I am so sorry this happened to you. I can not imagine having this happen. I used to always travel with cakes unassembled and assemble them on site. If I have to go out of town I usually still do that. I have gotten braver in my old age and do assemble some now to transport but always run the dowl through the middle and make sure it goes into the base so it is solid. You will look at this and laugh in a few years!!!

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Zurek on July 12, 2011 at 11:36pm

From one Zurek cake decorator to another' keep your chin up and chalk it up as an expierience you won't want to repeat. Good luck on the next one it will turn out fine!!!

Lisa Zurek
Upsate
New york

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Zurek on July 12, 2011 at 11:37pm

Lisa Zurek said:

From one Zurek cake decorator, keep your chin up and chalk it up as an expierience you won't want to repeat. Good luck on the next one it will turn out fine!!!

Lisa Zurek
Upsate
New york

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Permalink Reply by Bonnie Amanda Fuller on July 12, 2011 at 11:58pm

Really sorry I know that had to been horrible. Make your whole body turn to jello when you saw the cake.

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Permalink Reply by Elizabeth Borres on July 13, 2011 at 7:45am

So sorry, but thank you very much for sharing. I am a newbie and I have learned a lot from this forum. Take care and looking forward to your next posting!

Cake-tastrophy

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