Becky vs. the cake

Way back when...when we only had four kids, I thought it would be fun to take a cake decorating class. Figured, that way, I could make some really cool birthday cakes for our four boys.

I took the first couple of classes and really enjoyed myself. Our instructor was amazing and uber talented. Someday, if I ever grow up I want to decorate cakes just like her.

She was very encouraging to me personally and told me that I had a "knack" for decorating cakes. Apparently, she would get contacted frequently from bakeries looking for decorators and she wanted to know if I wanted a job. Although it was a boost to my cake decorating ego that she would recommend me for a job, I didn't want a job. I already was employed as a mom.

With her encouragement, I entered a large wedding cake in the local county fair. And I won a blue ribbon. Good times...good times...

Some people saw my cake at the fair and asked me to do their wedding cake. I accepted the job and so my wedding cake career was born. My first clients were two women exchanging vows. Not my lifestyle obviously but to each his own, know what I mean? They were super fun to work with and since it was going to be a very large affair they needed a very large cake, actually my biggest to date. I had nightmares the night before the big event, with all these awful scenarios wreaking havoc with my mind. Thankfully, the cake was beautiful and the bride and groomette were very pleased. I was grateful for the positive feedback.

Fast forward a number of years...I was still doing cakes, word of mouth only, but was finding that my growing family made it more challenging to get it all done. So, as I started down the road of having the last litter batch of kids, I decided to go into semi-retirement. Meaning, that I needed a break from cake decorating.

Now that I'm done having kids can we have a big HOORAY!!! here I thought it would be kind of nice to decorate cakes again. Of course, the shoe money is nice but, that aside, I really enjoy doing a wedding cake. Like baking pies, it's like therapy. And we all know that I need lots of that.

This last weekend, I had my first wedding cake after coming out of hibernation retirement. Not a hard cake, pretty simple really, but the bride wanted some specific things. What can I say, I aim to please. She wanted pudding mixes added to the cake batter so the cake would be extra moist. The cake was to be stacked (no separator plates and pillars) and she wanted it frosted in cream cheese frosting. With the weather being so warm, I was a little hesitant about a stacked extra moist cake with cream cheese frosting but I plowed on ahead, taking extra precautions. I beefed up the frosting with stabilizer and added a lot of wooden dowels to hold it all together.

It was perfect. As I finished the last of the border, I stepped back and....admired. Big sigh of relief...

Because I was nervous about the heat, I decided to move the cake out to the pie cooler to firm it up a bit before leaving. Especially since it had so many factors stacked against it get it, stacked against it...isn't that funny? No? Ok, guess you had to be there.

As I carried the cake out the door, into the heat, the frosting gave way and the top part of the bottom layer ripped through the wooden dowels and slid over an entire inch. I now had a massively lopsided cake.

After my heart restarted, we brought the cake back inside for me to survey the damage. I thought through my options. After Corey talked me down off the ledge option #1, I reached down deep inside and found my inner adult crazy to think she has been there all along. I strapped on my bakers hat and went to work. I literally scooped all the frosting back off the cake (think handful after handful of beautifully placed frosting) and started over, with only 1/2 hour to get it all done. Freaking out? ya think? Yep, it was bad Of course not, I was as cool as a cucumber. When I was all done I pushed up my sleeves and went all commando on the cake, hammering (with an actual hammer) three long wooden dowels through the entire height of the cake. while shouting "Take that, cake!" loud enough for the neighbors to hear.

In the end, the perfectionist in me was crying but the kids came in (they didn't know about the little mishap) and were oohing and awing over the cake and how beautiful it was. Still, I think it took 10 years off my life.

It think I may go back into retirement after all...