WIBU to tell my friend that her decorated cakes are not THAT good?

[Lueji]

Says it all, pretty much.

She has just learnt cake decoration and has done a good job, for a beginner. But she is really smug and everyone is treating the cakes like the 8th wonders.

Am I too demanding (perfectionist) and unreasonable if I don't join the chorus of how good they are?
Or should I point out the defects?

Or are most people really useless at cake decorating and are really impressed with any decent effort?

She has just brought in a cake for another friend's daughter and some of the decorations are smudged but it seems that everyone is raving.
Also pointing out that my sis has made much better cakes.

Oh, who am I kidding? I won't tell her, obviously, just need to vent here my frustration over not telling her.

I read sherocks post. I'm sitting here quietly hoping it's true

Maybe she's not smug at all but just pleased that she has managed to produce something she is happy with.

Maybe she knows that everyone will say gosh what lovely cakes, because that's the nice thing to say when someone has made an effort, and she isn't taking all the compliments to heart but thinking, aw, how of nice of everyone not to point out that this bit is a little bit smooshed?

Did it ever occur to you that when other people compliment you on stuff, they were just being nice, and maybe they thought your stuff was shit, but were too polite/kind to think of mentioning it?

No, ifancyashandy.
I know Sherocks is not her. :-)

ifancyashandy too!

Sherocks I'm happy to sample your cakes if there's any spare!

Oh dear.

I get the feeling if sherocks is telling the truth it's going to all get very awkward rather quickly.

I'm on the edge of my seat, Sherocks

Spill ....the ingredients so we can fathom the method of this blindingly obvious fake thread.

She sounds a contender for the Cake Wreck site

I was about to start doing this:

!!

no, i read sherocks post too but dont believe it for a second.

If I'd ordered a cake and paid for it, I'd expect it to be really good, and if it had a fault I'd point it out, but I would hopeully be polite about it, and possibly even tactful I'm not good at tact, but I'd try If someone was just showing me something they'd made for whatever reason, and they'd spent time and effort on it, I'd find something pleasant to say, even if it was just "oooo cake, I love cake" - there's no need to upset someone just for the sake of it, especially not if you're supposed to be their friend.

Ime people ARE impressed with baking.

Don't say anything - it does;t actually matter if people like your friend's cakes, does it?

Its the same as when a friend has there hair cut.... it might look shit but you always tell them it looks great.
sherocks are you really ops friend?

I think it WB a bit U to say it but I don't think your BU to think it. Half of my friends seem to have decided they are cake decorators lately just because they have read a few magazines and watched the Great British Bake Off and while their stuff is OK, it's nothing special. It does annoy me a bit, although I know that's a mean and shallow attitude, but I have another friend who does this as a business and her cakes are stunning works of art which also taste amazing. She has worked very long and hard to achieve success and it seems a shame that everyone is now jumping on the cake bandwagon.

I want a round of applause if i manage to make rocky road

I want a round of applause if i manage to make rocky road

Are you like this with everyone? If your child brings home a painting do you say "no it's not going on the fridge, it's going in the bin because it looks nothing like a cat and it's SHIT!"?

All you need is shop bought (Waitrose or village shop, please), plain fairy cakes. A can of squirty icing and a selection of those decorations.

Voila la la la

She sounds a contender for the Cake Wreck site

No. :) She has made nice cakes. I'm not disputing that.
Just not THAT great.

As I mentioned in the OP, I am obviously not going to say anything and I'll probably rave too because everyone else does too.
That's how nice I am.

I am also very critical of what I do. I can't possibly do something and tell everyone how fantastic it is.

Yes, tell her. Perhaps the next time she makes a cake she will smash it in your face.

I'm like you OP.

But no-one likes me.

At least she hasn't made this one
www.cakewrecks.com/home/2008/7/22/the-first-censored-cake-wreck.html

WHY would you want to tell her though, apart from to make her feel shit?

I think we need pics so we can all judge whether YABU

Gets a large coke and grabs a handful of technoduck's popcorn.

Being proud of yourself is not cocky, is it? But no, if you are pleased with something you've done, there'll always be someone there waiting to bring you down a peg or two.

Pride is relative. For example, cakes. The first one I ever made was for my DD's 2nd birthday. It was a hedgehog, and very pretty shit, but I was so proud. And yes, everyone praised it. And laughed at it, a bit. A professional decorator would have self-flagellated and hidden it in the bin, but I was proud of it.

But I should have brought it out shyly, apologised for the shitness and got compliments that way, because false modesty is politer than shining with pride?