Yes, this happened. Purple Cake = EPIC FAIL.
Last weekend was my adorable niece’s 2nd birthday party. She told me she wanted a ‘purrple caake’. I had visions of the most perfect purple cake. It was cute {just like her}, involved an edible image, and didn’t look anything like this cake disaster.
Yes, this is my beautiful purple cake. Doesn’t exactly make you think beautiful or perfect, does it?
I will forever refer to this cake as the 'Purple Cake Disaster of 2014'. {Dramatic, I know.}
I can share and laugh about this cake disaster now, but at the time I was less than thrilled about it. It was a serious WTF moment. I snapped a few pictures, chuckled, got angry, and then cried a few frustrated tears.
Yes, I was being a little too emotional over a cake. I was disappointed that my vision wasn’t going to happen. I didn’t have the ingredients or the time to bake another cake. I was disappointed that I was now cakeless. I was disappointed that this never would have happened if I was baking a cake just because.
Eventually I got over it.
Baking misadventures happen. Even epic cake disasters like the ‘Purple Cake Disaster of 2014’. 😉
So I put my big girl pants on, thought happy thoughts, and decided the purple cupcakes I had already baked would have to suffice.
The purple cupcakes were delicious and turned out super cute. I decorated them with cute purple owls, purple flowers, and other purple decorations. I made sure to frost them generously because isn’t that all a 2-year-old really wants? My niece blew out two candles on her two birthday cupcakes, and then proceeded to lick ALL the frosting off. We didn't need a perfect purple cake. We had perfect purple birthday cupcakes.
So, you might be asking yourself, “What on earth happened to this cake?”
I’ll tell you. I was overwhelmed and stressing. That is when baking misadventures happen.
The baking science reason is the cake was baking too fast for the amount of batter that was in the pan. The cake on the top and bottom was done, but the center was still liquid. The longer I baked the cake to compensate for the liquid center, the more brown the top got, and subsequently cracked open. I eventually gave up and pulled it out, poked around on it, and the emotional roller coaster previously described ensued.
So the moral of this cake disaster...
When you’re overwhelmed and stressing you cut corners and don’t bake a two layer cake. When you don’t bake a two layer cake you use too much batter. When you use too much batter and don’t bake at a lower temperature your cake bakes on the top/bottom, but the center remains liquid. When the center remains liquid you bake it longer. When you bake it longer you burn the top and the cake splits open. When you burn the top and the cake splits open, you end up with a ‘Purple Cake Disaster of 2014’. Don’t end up with a ‘Purple Cake Disaster of 2014’. Bake cakes when you aren’t overwhelmed and stressing. 😉
Have you had a baking misadventures you’d like to share? Make me feel better, share!
Kimberly.Ann says
P.S. The purple cupcakes look perfect! 🙂
Sarah says
Thank you! 🙂 I was really happy with how they turned out. After the cake I felt like nothing I baked that day was going to work. Thankfully that was not the case.
Kimberly.Ann says
My first attempt at s'mores cupcakes ended with my oven flaming at 3am. Don't bake when stressed and tired. I didn't get my marshmallow stiff enough so it melted when I tried to toast it under the broiler and caught fire on th bottom heating elements. Awesome.
Sarah says
Aah, marshmallows. Good times. 🙂 And there it is again...stressed. My prob too.
Thanks for your sharing your baking misadventure. Live and Learn. Oh, and that make good stories...now.