Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Erring on the Side of Caution...Is Still Erring

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

I admit it: this may partially be my fault.

[wicked grin]

See, Wreckerators now have the following dilemma:

1. Actual cake "decorating" could land them here on Cake Wrecks, but

2. they still have to put something on their cakes, so...

3.

Bada bing, bada boom.

"Yes sir, there's NO WAY this groom's cake will end up on Cake Wrecks now. Hah! Take THAT, Jen!"


Ah, thank goodness for technology. Who needs airbrushes, poo swirls, and plastic flotsam now?

FYI, Wreckerators: spell check is not missing-word check.

This bakery is covering all the bases:

Mmm. Papery.

Just don't try this at home, folks. Remember, these people are what we call "professionals."


"Is it edible? Well, sure, I suppose... Uh, do you need extra fiber?"


Sue P., Christine B., Liana E., & Beth E., Congratulation Your
Accomplishments!

- Related Wreckage: Cake Wreckin' Under-Achievers, Unite!

Brynwood Needleworks said...

Great images as always!
"Contragulations", Jen on making today's (10/13/09) online issue of the Daily Mail UK. Here's the link for you - just in case you haven't seen it:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1220009/Half-baked-Catastrophic-cake-decorating-disasters-revealed.html

Always looking forward to the next wreck!
xoxo
Donna

Melinda said...

Completely unappetizing. At least most other wrecks are in delicious, delicious icing.

Taylor@MyOlderBrothers said...

These remind me of the old school McDonald's birthday cakes.

Remember when you could have your birthday party at McDonald's? When I try to do that now people just call me a fatty.

HorribleLicensePlates said...

mmm paper!

Karen Valinda said...

The scroll cake had me sliding sideways off my chair (exercise ball)
Centering may be over-rated but I was sure there must be a trail left by the sliding scroll...

WV: pingbo?!

Kat said...

They do have rice paper edible images....and what about that photo paper edible stuff??

Still...ugh

Alli said...

I'm guessing on that last one they asked the baker, "Can you put this on it?" (showing the piece of paper with the design) and the baker said "sure! we can do that it will be easy!"

MFonvielle said...

I'm not a professional cake decorator but I'll admit that every time I slather frosting on a birthday cake or consider breaking out the piping bag I wonder "would Jen approve?"

Jesstootall said...

Hey Jen, Did that top cake (groom's cake) come from Las Vegas by chance?

VeggieT said...

I love paper, and I enjoy eating fortune cookies whole! These cakes must be for me...

Gary said...

Hmm. I used to wonder how they got cakes into the computer printer for those photo-cakes.
Now I see you don't need to-- just print something out on regular paper (proofreading is for wussies, by the way), and slap the page on top of a cake. Saves you lots of time.

Anonymous said...

I'm glad someone is raising awareness of my "don't even make me think of paper being in my food or you'll be very, very sorry" disorder. We're not alone.

Alina said...

Hehehe....Snicker, Snort. Paper on a cake.

jonas_cg said...

I loved the "hum, papery"!
Oh, and by the way, poor interns, even in their congratulations cakes they don't receive respect.

Miranda said...

Wow, what copouts! And still they wreck onwards. Hurr Durr we don't have to decorate now! Just slap a piece of printer paper on there! Not that "sugar paper" is much better. Blecch!

And they expect people to pay for that? >:P

Trevor said...

I understand doing edibile images for photographs. I mean, that only makes sense. But these? These? UGH!

Commoner1 said...

@Amanda, you are right! Why should I pay for them to print a computer-generated decoration?! I can do that much! I also hate when they stick little plastic whatevers all over it and call it decorated. If I am paying for it I expect something I can't do.

with_apostrophe said...

Congratulations on making the third page of the Metro newspaper here in England!

I was thrilled to see a huge spread about one of my top blogs featured.

Why no post here about it? Be proud! Shout it loud!

If you need a copy, a copy can be sent....

Deray said...

Do you peel off the paper before you start cutting into the cake or give your guests slices of cakes with paper on them? o_0

Bek said...

Maybe wreckerators are just trying to help fight obesity. Add in some fiber with your sugar and carb laden cake, and voila! Instant health food.

Gross.

Heather said...

At least they didn't pipe a frosting frame around the paper. You know that's next.

joyce said...

paper: fiber from a naturally occuring wood source.

actually read the fiber part on a bag of bread, Roman meal, years ago before they knew we were bored and reading labels!

WV: ashngsts: I am against ash in my cake, too

Leah said...

Nice article!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1220009/Half-baked-Catastrophic-cake-decorating-disasters-revealed.html

Christy D said...

The intern cake is the best. Nothing says "You're not real employees" or "We don't pay you" like a paper printout on top of a cake. Note the crease from the person assigned to print it folding it and stuffing it in folder.

Lisa said...

Fabulous. Truly.

Adnoxious said...

Ah, the fabulous life of an intern. They probably got sent to go pick up their own crappy cake.

adnoxious.blogspot.com

Kelsey.Giesler said...

Awesome pictures it's nice to know that certain disasters can be enjoyed by the masses. We don't laugh at them, we laugh with them.

A Peach said...

Dear Marketing Staff:

"Congratulation" on illustrating our point that yes, even you really do need editors.

Love,
Editorial

Angie McCullagh said...

Next we're just going to have people projecting images onto cakes as if they're giant movie screens.

lisadh said...

Aside from the slacker effort put forth into these, just the idea of a cake like these is BORING! If I'm ordering a cake, I want some serious frosting, nice decor, and SPRINKLES. There are no sprinkles to be found. How sad.

Katie said...

Not just the Daily Mail! Also printed in the Metro (a free UK daily paper, available at public transport stations and on buses)

http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?Catastrophic_cake_decorations_revealed&in_article_id=751251&in_page_id=34

:D

Lucille Ball Jr. said...

edible paper! mmmmmmm!!!!!!! ;)

Little Lovables said...

in this poor economy, perhaps these are the "deal of the week cakes"

save 15% for paper instead of frosting!! please recycle... in the TOILET!

Anonymous said...

Even the "edible" photo transfers taste like ass. At least if it's actual paper on top of the cake, no one will make the mistake of trying to eat it!

Heather said...

I was looking at the second picture trying to determine what was wrong with it, all I saw were pretty cakes.
Until.....I saw the rainbow one on the left WITH THE CURLING PAPER!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lindsey@pickyeatings said...

Wait, they actually put paper on the cake instead of actually decorating it? And people PAY for it? What am I doing wrong here?

msyendor said...

Well, at least it can be said the wreckerators were paper trained.

Miss Lizzy said...

Alli said...
I'm guessing on that last one they asked the baker, "Can you put this on it?" (showing the piece of paper with the design) and the baker said "sure! we can do that it will be easy!"

-that's exactly what I was thinking!

Unknown said...

Is it just me, or is the scroll cake slipping to the right?

Just move that scroll over a bit, it seems to have moved while we drove the cake home! Yeh, just like that. Bad idea? Just leave it there then, don't make a mess. Damnit, the word "on" must have fallen off too. Just set the cake down and let's go!

Silhouette said...

Next I suppose the tattoo industry will take hold of this idea.

Why bother actually drawing the complex design on a person when you can just tape on a piece of paper?

But use surgical tape so they know it's quality work.

Silhouette said...

Plastic surgeons will just tape a picture of a better nose over yours.

Silhouette said...

Personal trainers will just tape a picture of a skinny women with toned muscle over your whole body. (With a lot of border space.)

Courtney C. said...

Nothing says "we care about you guys enough to get you a cake" like a big giant white cake with nothing on it but a piece of paper! bet they just couldn't even grasp all of the appreciation being show.... (facepalm!)

leihei said...

Is that a crease down the center of the "interns" paper? Did someone pull this out of their pocket, unfold it, and slap it on the cake? Could they be reusing the same piece of paper for interns all year? What happens next year? IS THIS GOOD FOR THE COMPANY?

wv: hupri: wreckerator mangling of "hip hip hooray"

Andrea said...

I love paper, and I enjoy eating fortune cookies whole! These cakes must be for me.

Unknown said...

Paper?! Really?!! Come the (explitive) on!

Zoomage said...

Mmmm papery is right!
Who doesn't want EXTRA fibre in their diet?
I'm sure with all that sugar that's on the cake they'll need to get it somewhere.
It kinda makes the cake a balanced diet. Like sticking fruit on. But instead of fruit... It's paper...
Okay, okay. I have NO idea why they would stick paper on it then send it out.
And congrats on a page 3 spread in the Metro paper in the UK.
You're now an official page 3 girl here :P

Ostrakos said...

Wow, you made the New York Times in addition to all those British papers. Congratulations, and thanks for all the laughs.

emily michelle said...

Hey, I can frost cakes, and I have a printer! I too can be a cake decorator!

Lulubelle B said...

Woo-Hoo!! You made the NY Times today, in the Dining & Wine section - truly all the news that's fit to print:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/14/dining/14cake.html?hpw

Brooke said...

Who needs airbrushes poo swirls and punctuation Not me Thats for sure

Anonymous said...

OMG! Lead story on the NYTimes webpage!!!

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/14/dining/14cake.html?hp

B! said...

Hilariously unappetizing.

Also --
CONGRATULATIONS on being the front-and-center story on the New York Times website! You've made it big!

Mallomary said...

Wow! Cakewrecks on the front page of the New York Times website! Way to go!

Anonymous said...

Just saw you on the NY Times as well.
"Contralulation’s"

Teena in Toronto said...

Nice mention in today’s Toronto Star:

http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/709116–it-s-like-your-favourite-blog-but-on-paper

Jess said...

Nah, the personal trainers just have to hand out those t-shirts they sell at the beach.

EG said...

Omg! the NYT! Front and center online! CONTRAGULATIONS!

madrobins70 said...

Hey, Jen--you do know you made it to the New York Times today, don't you?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/14/dining/14cake.html?hpw

Round my neck of the woods that classifies as "the big time..."

GreatBlue said...

You're in the New York Times!
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/14/dining/14cake.html?ref=technology

Karen

Kaylee said...

I'm sure you already know, but congrats on the NYTimes article!
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/14/dining/14cake.html?em
I read your blog EVERYDAY!

Joanne said...

hey gary,

this is the website i was talking about sugar art products.
www.sunflowersugarartusa.com

by the way congrats on the nytimes article!

Jules said...

Paper?! I think i like the idea. =D

Summer
A Writers Den
Brown Mestizo

Redd said...

So, on the third picture...did anyone else spot the one that was decorated styrafoam?

That made me laugh as much as anything else.

belle said...

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/14/dining/14cake.html?_r=2&hp


new york times!!

Louise said...

congratulations on your review in the NYTimes- absolutely incredible!

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/14/dining/14cake.html?_r=1

Carolyn Mustopa said...

Congrats on making the NY Times today! How exciting!

Anonymous said...

The only problem I had with my cake decorator for my wedding is that she wouldn't even just outline-and-fill on the coat-of-arms sugar-paper print we had. I mean, how hard is that? Seriously. Tracing and filling so it doesn't look like a sugar-paper print can't possibly be that out-there, can it? 'Cuz she was adamant about not doing so.

(Otherwise, everything tasted and looked fantastic. It was just that one tiny thing that really bothered.)

Melissa (& Billy) said...

Gee whiz, and the last one isn't even spelled right! Blargh.

I know people are feeling the economy crunch but seriously, being frugal doesn't necessarily mean one has to be tacky.

Although I can design a mean flyer in Publisher. Maybe there's a job for me as a wreckorator! XD

Melissa (& Billy) said...

Re: NYT--I cracked up when I read that Mary Alice from Ace of Cakes reads CW to make sure their cakes don't end up here...That's so cool. (well, a few have, but in a good way...although there was the Star Trek flap but that was still a Sunday Sweet!)

Jen & John, you have officially arrived. Wreck on! =D

lorileelott said...

Well, I am a professional decorator, at least I get paid for doing it. Although I have made many thousands of cakes over the years, lots of flowers, lots of figure piping, transferring pictures to cakes has always been something people want. While I have never understood the appeal of putting someone's face on a cake and then eating it, people are willing to pay for it, and it pays our wages. Some days 50% of our orders are photo cakes. In the olden days we had a "KopyKake" projector that would project pictures down onto the cake and we had to outline around the picture with black piping gel, then fill it in with colored gel or airbrush the colors in. It seldom looks very good...faces were difficult. The cakes we make with the Photoocake process is much more rewarding, and turns out much better. Pictures on cakes are a product people want, and are willing to pay for. The "paper" we use to print on is edible, some of it is even fondant sheets. The only cake I have a problem with in today's post is the scroll one; poorly done. A border around the pictures on the other two cakes would have taken away the "piece of paper on a cake" look. A customer obviously brought in the pictures and asked the bakery to put it on a cake for them. The bakery got paid to do it, and Jen is getting paid for making fun of them I guess.

The Photocake computer, scanner and printer is expensive, the edible ink and edible sheets are expensive, and replacing the print heads every few months is expensive, and that is why those cakes cost more.

Also, I am almost certain that the cakes in the "bakery covering all the bases" are dummy cakes. Probably have too much display space available for the amount of business they do.

End of rant,

Lori

Chrissy said...

Oh God I hate all that air brushed junk! Blah!

I'm not wild about those edible ink wafers they put on those cakes either. They look freakish.

Anonymous said...

youre featured on yahoo!!! http://www.yahoo.com/ quoting your ny times article!! yayyyyyyyyy

Anonymous said...

Hahah! and congrats on making the NY Times dining & wine section online!
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/14/dining/14cake.html?no_interstitial

Sara H said...

Just saw that the article about you on NY Times is currently the most emailed article on the site! Way to go!

BethC said...

congrats on the yahoo front page story!!

Anonymous said...

Congrats on the NY Times article! I hope the second leg of the book tour goes well!

Laura

Amy said...

"Congradlashuns" on the "article" in the "NY Times"!!!! Hear's too many more wrecks to come!!!!

(Oo, I like the double meaning there - haha)

WV: Kinab - what happens when a criminal has a cold.

frigglesnitz said...

Congratulations on your continued success. I read the article on Yahoo and giggles that Mary Alice would check to see if their work would end up here.

Well, if it were a Sunday, it would.

WV-bearmoon - What happens before the bear you-know-whats in the woods.

Katrina Stonoff said...

NOO! You took down the anti-nazi cake?

Come on! The cake was ugly whether or not those ninja stars were swastikas. And the ninja stars weren't even remotely subtle. It was still a wreck. Nothing like the gorgeous cakes on their website, and I doubt the experienced baker did the piping.

And obviously the baker is using heavy-handed tactics if she shut down both you and Yelp. Come on! If she'd apologize, explain why the less skilled decorator did the cake, and refund the woman's money, this would just be a story to laugh at instead of a kerfluffle.

So, so sad you've set a precedent of removing entries when the baker complains. That's a very slippery slope to start down with a blog like this.

Keeley said...

Congratulations on your NYTimes article! =)

Amanda said...

oh my goodness jen, you were featured on Yahoo! woohoo congrats! and this is hilarious, as always :D i love your blog!

The Religious Pícaro said...

I like those little Japanese candies that come wrapped in rice paper - the ones you pop into your mouth wrapping and all. But these look like just regular copy paper. Ugh.

Shannon said...

I just read the article about you and the site in the New York Times. Way to go! My sister told me about your blog and I check it every morning.

The Kopers said...

I've been a follower for about a year and was so excited to see the New York Time article on the Yahoo! homepage. Congrats and keep up the great work. It makes me smile every day!

Jan said...

Late to the party today, but super huge congrats on your appearance in the NY Times! Glad you and John are back up to speed after the tour mishap/illnesses over the past couple weeks. Ummm, that's all I had to say really - great blog, love ya, keep up the awesome wreckiness! :)

john (the hubby of Jen) said...

Katrina Stonoff,

We've actually taken down 7 posts in the past year and a half due to sad or irate bakers. It takes a lot for it to happen but it's almost always with good reason.

The baker of today's cake was receiving racist hate mail and that is where we draw the line. That's when it stops being funny.

Sorry we took it down but we did. Tomorrow is a new day and a new wreck.

Best,

john

ps. It could be worse...we could be like PoW or AFP. They take down posts by the hour.

Meghan's Musings said...

Oh my gosh, The NY Times???? How sweet is that??

little ej said...

congrats jen! you made the New York Times! here's the link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/14/dining/14cake.html?no_interstitial
yay!

best wishes,
elizabeth

Katrina Stonoff said...

Well, I certainly don't support racist hate mail especially since it was obvious that the baker didn't intend offense.

However I'm disappointed to hear that you'll take down photos if the bakers ask. You lose credibility, IMO, by that tactic. I start to wonder how many of those beautifully executed wrecks were specifically created in the hopes of getting a little free Cakewreck publicity.

I also think the baker deserves the bad publicity. Regardless of racist undertones, which I absolutely understand was not intended, the cake didn't come close to the quality of the ones on her site. It was not professional at all, and from many of the comments on Yelp, this isn't the first time it's happened.

Still, I'm sorry about your very rough day, especially since you are supposed to be recuperating, and Jen should be flying high on the success of her book and tour.

john (the hubby of Jen) said...

Katrina,

If we lose credibility by taking down a post when the baker is truly saddened or, like today, frightened, than so be it. It's not worth it.

john

Unknown said...

I think you folks did the right thing in removing today's post at the baker's request.

Wreck-y cake or not, she's still a human being who shouldn't have to deal with hate messages. I'd be very sad if any of those came from regular, everyday Wrecktators.

I turned my husband on to this site and when we got our copy of the book, we spent an evening reading it out loud together and laughing 'til our sides ached. (Our personal, wetting-our-pants-laughing favorite is still the fireman...you know which one I'm talking about...) I visit the site everyday for the laughs.

McBangle said...

It's really disappointing - though sadly not as surprising as it should be, even the internets - that the baker received racist hate mail. I think you guys made the right call pulling the last post based on that.

Raquel said...

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/14/dining/14cake.html?no_interstitial


The link above is to the New York Times' website and. more specifacally, the artiicle they did on- you guesed it- CakWrecks! Yes, you probably saw this already, maybe even talked with the writer, but just in case- there it is! CONGRATULASHUNS; JEN 4 BEING RECOGNIZED BY THE NY TIMES IN BIG LETTERS

Katrina Stonoff said...

Fair enough.

And I agree with Just a Girl: I'd like to think none of the hate mail came from regular readers. We all understand this is just for fun (I say this as someone who learned long ago to laugh at her own mistakes).

Thanks for posting my comment. I didn't think you would (though I knew you'd read it, and I was writing more for you than the public anyway).

MrsScrapDiva said...

Congratulations on the NY Times news article. I just saw it as a Featured story on my Yahoo News! Great Job!

sendingtheclowns said...

Heavens Above~~How I Hate It When Every Word In A Sentence Is Capitalized....

(...and just *maybe* the "Aspirations" cake didn't know how to do a capital "O" that wouldn't come out just looking like another fancy squiggle.)
(who thehell nose?)
=^??^=

Anonymous said...

Hey just seen you guys on yahoo.com. too cool

Anonymous said...

I usually read your lj feed, but you hit the times and I was curious if there was baker wank yet.

There was. Classy.

sendingtheclowns said...

Hey, quick question (or 2 or 3 or 5) for ya:
That "covering all the bases" cake...
Why is it so dark in that store? Do they dim the lights so that people (as in, "potential customers") can't see the cakes well enough to really appreciate the (clears throat) artwork?
OR, if the store is actually closed, why do they need light at all? Will the cakes get nightmares about themselves without a nightlight?
OR, maybe the light is to attract thieves who are looking for a late-night snack, and the cakes are sitting on an alarm wired to the P.D.?
So many questions....
so little interest in the answers.
>^~-^<

Dawn0fTime said...

Just saw the article about your site in the NYT (hilighted on Yahoo, by the way)! Just wanted to stop by and say congratulations!

RememberMe said...

Pretty bad luck for the anti-nazi cake baker to be posted on the day CakeWrecks makes the front page of the Times and the Yahoo homepage. Great exposure for CakeWrecks, not so great for Wreckerator.

Leslie said...

Congrats, Jen and John! :) I was so happy to see CW on Yahoo! and the NY Times webpage!

Nokomis Snape said...

Congrats!!! You made it to Yahoo!

WV: garmatie - grats from a pirate :P

Twirly McSwirl said...

So, where are you guys now? Are you back home? Is John still all staphy?

Melanie said...

The "swastika/shuriken" cake lady has posted her side of the story on Yelp.com, and according to her, she was given, by the family, a page of throwing star designs that included every one of the designs she put on there. No, she didn't put them in the lace pattern as requested, but the particular design in question was included in the examples so it wasn't entirely her fault. Just look for Yelp.com and the name of the business and you'll find it easily enough.

Erica said...

I must admit that I was saddened to return home from my super busy day and find no cake wreck at which to laugh. Alas. So, I comes to the comments to see what's amiss. I am sorry to hear that the baker was getting racist hate mail. Lame.

I look forward to my barrel of laughs tomorrow.

Sharon said...

SOOO excited to see that others have found out what we already know - how fabulous this site is! "CONGRALULASHUNS" four you're articl in the new Yorke times,

And I, too support the removal of the "Nazi cake" because as you've said before, this site is for fun, and when a particular article stops being fun, and starts being harmful to someone, it's time to take that article down. Very wise. Now, on to the Austin pics! Hee hee!

Commenter Abbi said...

Sorry to rain on people's wreck parade, but aren't the first three pics made of those printout icing pics that are made with edible sugar paper? (the last one is definitely paper) Like this: http://www.birthday-cake-central.com/birthday-cake-printout.html

I'm sorry to admit that I buy these for my daughters in the Barbie Fairy flavor. They really love them.

Jane said...

Hi Jen I live in Perth Western Australia & heard you talking LIVE! on 720 ABC with Bernadette (who I can't stand BTW). How excited was I - I nearly ran off the road! Unfortunately I had to get out of my car so I missed the end of the interview. But congrats! I've nearly fallen off my seat laughing at some of the stupidity you've posted. Thank goodness there's so many dumb ppl out there or, as you put it so nicely, "people who have brain snaps" (or something like that). Congrats on the success of the book. I hope John is on the mend, too. Cheers Jane

Anonymous said...

Interestingly, here in New Zealand, I never got to see the controversial post - all I knew was that all day Thursday (we're 22 hours ahead of LA!) there didn't seem to be any post at all for Wednesday 15th Oct, and I was getting a bit worried about John and Jen's ongoing health...

Is it possible to post a placeholder comment, on the rare occasions that such a thing might happen? Just so we know that all is well in Wrecky world?

I recall previous 'removals', which also generated some heat. I support your attitude and gumption, Jen and John - Hippocrates said it as "First, do no harm".

Regards

MC from NZ

ruth's mom said...

Congratulations on the NY Times article...you start my mornings with a smile...or at least a gasp of horrified glee.
Martine

Lollipop said...

What happened to Wednesday?

RememberMe said...

The ninja cake lady posted a picture of the ninja stars that were provided to her on yelp, and all were included on the cake. However, the cake is still nowhere near the quality of the ones shown on their website, and there's no lace to be seen.

Haiku Joy said...

"I'm sorry to admit that I buy these for my daughters in the Barbie Fairy flavor. They really love them."


Barbie Fairy flavor?
When Mattel christens your cake,
expect bright pink poo.

Jenni said...

I LOVE the un-decorated corner on the top row of the bakery display. How un-professional can a professional get. I actually KNOW someone who decorates like this!