Why am I so shit at making cakes?

[LadyRachetine]

I am so frustrated!

It’s my mums 60th this weekend and I thought it would be nice to make her a rose flavoured cake, as she loves rose. I bake a bit, make good cookies, brownies etc, but somehow my cakes always look a bit... crap. Anyway. I decided to keep it simple, just plain buttercream with some Turkish delight on top.

It looks so shit! I’m gutted! It’s a very unattractive shade of pink and the Turkish delight looks like squares of jelly. I don’t feel like I can possibly give it to her! She would be so nice about it, and my husband said it looks fine, but it just looks awful.

Is there a secret to making good cakes? What am I doing wrong???

Oh well that’s not nearly as bad as you made out!

Have you got chocolate? A whole of chocolate twirls/curls/sprinkles/gratings/whatever in the empty bit on the top would tone down the colour a bit.

I think it looks lovely. I get what you’re saying about the colour but it’s not that bad.

It looks fine. Its a lot neater than i would manage. It has a 70s vibe.

I wonder if something to contrast the pink would give it an edge? Some chocolate lines?

Thanks everyone. It really does look like a cake you’d give a small child. I would feel so embarrassed if she put a photo of it online or anything.

I like the idea of rose petals, maybe I’ll have a nose at the shops tomorrow and see if they have any. I wonder if some dried strawberries would jazz it up a bit?

I did actually use gel colour, evidently a bit too much! I wish I’d stopped at a nice soft pink.

It looks brilliant!

Just seen your photo - it’s fine! Miles better than anything I could produce!

I like the idea of chocolate. Maybe some white chocolate shavings? I’ll go to the shop tomorrow. I’m giving it to her on Wednesday so I have one more day to make it better.

Currently googling cake decorating classes near me! I watched three YouTube videos and it looked so easy

That cake looks really nice tbh I was expecting a right sight.

Morrison’s sells the rose petals, in the spice section with all the fancy ingredients. I’m sure all the big supermarkets would. And as I said previously some dark chocolate curls or even chips like the kind you get for baking would make it look a bit more grown up too (or normal chocolate if your mum doesn’t like dark) plus chocolate goes very well with rose.

Oh yes white chocolate would work nicely too!

Shavings! That’s the word I was looking for!

What about taking off the top swirls and Turkish delight and add a chocolate drip then decorate with the Turkish delight. It looks fab as it is though!

No Morrison’s near me sadly, I have a Sainsbury’s, a Waitrose and a mini Tesco.

Do we think the icing is salvageable with a few extra bits? Or shall I scrape it off and have another go tomorrow?

Looks nice! I'm quite good at baking but am rubbish at decorating.

If it went lumpy when you added the egg it sounds like your eggs curdled? Add a bit of egg, then a bit of flour, etc to avoid that.

Mix the egg & flour very carefully to help the cake rise.

I think the icing is salvageable, personally.

Would a chocolate drip work over buttercream? That’s an idea if so- maybe I could drop white chocolate then make a kind of fancy stack of Turkish delight instead? I’ve seen some mini meringues in Waitrose, I suppose I could add them?

Still so grumpy about it. The kitchen is a state too!

I'd leave the icing and add the shavings or petals or whatever you decide. I just think it needs a not pink element

It looks better than expected, but it is very Fanny Craddock in style (which isn't necessarily a bad thing, depends what look you are after).

I would get rid of the piping and then do a more informal topping with the Turkish delight, chocolate shavings and some crystallised rose petals.

Sprinkle some icing sugar over the Turkish Delight - the real stuff always comes in icing sugar.

Well that's a million times better than what I can do , I think it looks brilliant . I can make lemon /banana loafs , muffins , brownies but cakes nope. I made one so bad a few weeks ago everyone really did laugh at it , but yours is good you should be proud .

It's fine! It's a bit retro but who doesn't love a nostalgic cake?

I just googled fanny Craddock and it does look like her cakes certainly wasn’t the goal! It was meant to look like this. I just overshot the pink.

I could scrape the top, add a white chocolate drip (seems tricky???) and then add some random decorations maybe?

And good shout on the icing sugar, I’ll add that. I should have bought some real Turkish delight but I bought the Cadbury one and chopped the chocolate off! No wonder it’s so rubbish! Aaahh

it is a bit pink but it looks super. Like a decent homemade birthday cake.

No one really wants all that fondant goo layered up, embossed and sparkle dusted into whatever the latest fad is. We all want well made cake, buttercream and chocolate shavings on a nice plate. :o

If you are worried about the pink then maybe stick it in the fridge so that it gets more solid, like a hefty crumbcoat and then go over with some plain butter cream and try and swirl that over the pink to tone it down a bit, swirly marble effect??? iyswim

But honestly...I'd leave it....just say you were a bit heavy handed with the colouring, there's not a baker alive who hasn't done that!

I’d love a slice op. From your description I was expecting a disaster, yours isn’t at all. I think your mum is very lucky. Possibly just add some white chocolate shavings or one of the other brilliant suggestions you have been given. Hope you have a lovely time with your mum.

It looks luscious - and like it's been made with love. I'd be delighted with a cake like that.

If you're really not happy with it, though, do you have enough time to bake and ice another cake?

I think it’s lovely but it’s the icing at the same colour that maybe can be perked up.
I would maybe pipe on some chocolate buttercream swirls or a lighter pink to break up the pink.
Otherwise a few more decs on will brighten it. I’m sure it will be delicious