Take 1


Next Thursday I have my largest order ever.  (Bet you can't guess how big!?!?!?)


Six full sheet cakes and 270 cupcakes to be exact. Ya know, just in case you missed it.


I thought I'd let you come along for the journey.  More for my sake than for yours.  Someone to go through the ups and downs, share in my successes and failures set backs.  


Last Tuesday I started baking the sheet cakes.  


(There's no way I could bake all the cakes and frost them and decorate them and transport them in a short amount of time.  So, I decided to bake everything ahead of time and freeze it.)  


I started out excited to start the journey, especially to use my new baking stuff!


Then came the first blip.


My first cake turned out great, but because I had only purchased ONE large cooling rack, when I tried to flip the cake using two smaller cooling racks, the cake fell apart. Major thumbs down.


I managed to save the cake, but it didn't exactly spur me on to greatness.


My second cake turned out great.  However, my third and fourth cake were anything but great. 


I couldn't figure out what was wrong; the cakes weren't rising and they were really sponge-y.  Then I tasted them.  Bleh, no sugar.  After retracing my steps, I figured out that I forgot to double the sugar in each of my last cakes.  


Second blip.


You would think that these blips might have occurred due to a lack of caffeine...


Then I went back to look at my first and second cake, only to realize that the cakes were too short, less than an inch high. 


Third blip.  


Before I poured batter into the cake pans, I took out two cups of batter to start making cupcakes.  By taking out this small huge amount of batter, my cakes were too short.


At this point, I have no cakes whatsoever to use.  I called my husband and asked him what I should do.  We decided that I should call it a day and he would show up with reinforcements to start again tomorrow.


And by reinforcements I mean two more large cooling racks and two more hands to help.  


The next day we baked four half sheet cakes, or two full sheet cakes.  


Lesson learned:
Always check to make sure you have doubled your sugar!

3 comments

1. Amy on May 26, 2011 at 1:41 PM

   Ugh, sorry that had to happen! But I have to say it's nice to know I'm not the only one that makes those kind of mistakes.

    
2. The Rolly Chair on May 30, 2011 at 9:01 PM

   A: I can't help but notice that this blog entry ended with a lesson learned! The writing teacher in me loves it!
   B: I love catching up and reading your entries!
   C: How sweet that Aaron is so helpful and encouraging!
   D: I love that you are pursuing your dream! AND... that our paths crossed!

    
3. Kristin =) on June 2, 2011 at 11:41 PM

   Ames: Yeah I know! Misery loves company:)
   Ashley: I'm gonna miss you;(