Bakery Blues

I had a snappier title while I was laboring over a cake this morning but I think I sweated it out. I've been decorating cakes this week because Sandy's been out on a family emergency. I think I'm getting pretty good and if I could figure out how to get the picture of the carrot cake I decorated from my phone to my computer I could post it. I'm not, by any stretch of the imagination a professional but I'm passable.

We usually get in sheet cakes from a supplier but they weren't ordered so Tammy baked a cake in a large pan. I was to cut it in fourths and do a three layer because it was so thin. Sounds reasonable. I don't know what happened; I'll take some responsibility for my fledgling cake decorating skills but that cake was either not done or I don't know the reason. I tried to cut it in the desired rectangles but it was cracking and turning into paste so I did the best to frost it. I'd say frosting can cover up a multitude of sins but even the devil isn't that bad! Basically I ended up with frosted crumbs. I gave the cake the benefit of the doubt and decided to give up for the day and come in early the following morning. Before I left work I decided that my reputation as well as the bakery's was on the line and I couldn't in good conscious sell that cake so I decided to go to the grocery store, get cake mix and pans to re-do the cake.

I left at 6 a.m. the next morning and planned on being at the bakery for maybe an hour. Frosting the cake was somewhat troublesome since the layers weren't quite even but I managed to make it look a lot better than last night's fiasco. The cake was for a piano recital so I decided to make it musical. Well the black was like glue; or too thick; or I don't know and I had the darndest time trying to write with that pastry bag. I kept squeezing and squeezing trying to get an even black line to come out. There was black frosting everywhere! I ended up looking like little black Sambo. Finally I decided if I fooled with it anymore it would be overkill and moved on to the "flowers"; or you could say my impression of the flora. I was at least satisfied with my efforts and yesterday's pile of crumbs is a distant memory.

I enjoy decorating cakes and as I do more and more of them I'm learning a few tricks to success.