And I’m going to try to add some of the stories with each picture. Some cakes were quick and easy, others were long, drawn out, and somewhat painful.
Take this one for instance.
I had read that a frozen cake was easier to frost than a room temperature one. My mom was on vacation for Mother’s Day (2007) so I thought it would be the perfect opportunity. The idea behind this decoration was actually from my jammies and I went through how it would all come together; vines, beautiful two-tone roses on the top and sides, my mom would be floored!
The day she came home I took the cake layers out of the freezer and got to work. I noticed right away that my frosting wasn’t crusting over like it had before. I checked at 15 minutes, 20, 45….I was about to pull my hair out! I did the best I could but there were still patches where the frosting stuck to paper towel. The side that I took a picture of was the best side so you can’t really see it.
While I was waiting for it to crust I made up my little roses on bits of waxed paper and popped them in the freezer so they’d be easier to handle. I gave up on perfect smoothness and began decorating, noticing as I turned the cake that part of the frosting was pulling away (far upper right). I gently smushed the frosting back into place but it refused to stay. I tried putting the roses on only to watch them slowly slide back off again.
At this point there were multiple trouble areas and I was ready to throw in the towel. I finished as best as I could, most of the roses I planned for the side ended up on top. I quickly took a picture before anything else fell off (more roses jumped to their doom) and was thankful that this was for my mom. Who loves me. Regardless of how her cake turns out.
I did try to do a remake after I’d learned to pipe roses directly on my cake but what I now know is that it’s very hard for me to duplicate one of my ideas.
This was for a friend’s daughter and I’m happy with how it turned out, lol, and thankful for the lesson I learned on the other cake.
I tried icing a frozen cake once…never again. They said it would be easier…it was not! I found that my icing hardened as soon as it hit the cake so I was unable to smooth it. Then, just like your cake it started to bulge and pull away from the side. Big headache! Never again will I try to ice a frozen cake.
I agree, I was so frustrated I just wanted to throw it into the trash! I cringe when I see people suggest that
Our cakes crack at my store when they are decorated frozen. Which we HATE because we have customers come in and want cakes done right then and there, and we don’t always have time to thaw the cakes first.
They turned out beautiful though! Great job as always!
So frustrating! Are you at a retail chain?
Yes. And we don’t bake the cakes there, they come in baked and frozen. And if we don’t let them thaw out completely they crack no matter what. >:(
Ah yes, icing frozen cake can be a headache. Unless you’re icing with whipped topping, then it’s alright. I find that icing is easiest with refrigerated cake, rather than frozen.