Taking the Cake

Years ago, my mother and I took it upon ourselves
to learn fancy cake decorating. We took two classes;
one being festive cakes, the other one wedding cakes.

Knowing how to make really cool cakes was a great way
to impress your friends and co-workers. It's also a
good way to get roped into providing such treats for every
so-and-so who happens to have a birthday, christening,
bar mitzvah, baby shower, bridal party or retirement.

It isn't a cheap hobby to take up. Cake pans are not only
expensive, they are also easily dented - and thus ruined.
A dent in the pan equals a divot in the cake...a big pain in the
butt when it comes time for icing.

Then of course, there are the icing tools. Tips, bags,
colours, spindles, pegs, columns, ad infinitum.

The icing in and of itself is often a royal pain. One smidge
too much liquid and the icing won't hold. Add more sugar,
you end up with candy. It is a delicate balance - and this
is still when it is uncoloured! The addition of colour is
always a gamble. Sometimes it's perfect - and sometimes
you get a colour that nature never intended to exist.

Most cakes take anywhere from 3 to 9 hours to ice
properly (well, if you want it to look good anyway).

So imagine my shock and horror when I saw this:


Yes, that IS a cake. To perfect scale, too.

I can only imagine the time, effort and tears that
went into the smoothing of that fondant icing.

Somewhere, a cake decorator is still weeping and
massaging his/her aching hands.

Long after that enormous cake has become so many
crumbs on the hardwood, the creator of said delight
will have nightmares of it.

A feat of culinary genius it is - but it is doubtful that
little Tommy or whoever appreciated the effort behind it
- or the price tag it came with!
($360.00 - pittance, really)

I no longer do fancy cakes, except for very special people.

After seeing this, I am happy to be retired.

Read the article here.