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You found the right ingredients in your cupboard. You’ve followed the recipe step by painstaking step. But somehow, somewhere, you messed up the baking recipe and your cake looks absolutely nothing like what it’s supposed to. (On the plus side, it might scary enough for Halloween!) One of the best places to see some unexpected fails is the ‘Expectation Vs. Reality’ subreddit, home to 709k people who just love sharing that the Universe sometimes has a pretty good sense of humor. We’ve collected some of the best cake fails they’ve featured for you to enjoy, dear Pandas. So scroll on down, and upvote the best worst cakes.
Your cake might come out bad because of a dozen different reasons. You might have mixed up Celsius and Fahrenheit on the oven or accidentally used stale ingredients without checking the expiration date. Whoops! But fear not, brave baking adventurers, for all is not lost.
Bored Panda reached out to talented baker and pie artist Jessica Clark-Bojin to talk about when we should follow recipes to the letter and when we should experiment with our baking. Scroll down for our interview with her and with Canadian baker and cake designer Darci.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Belle Cake
WILLIAM FAULK 5 years ago
Mom: "honey, you look perfect..." cake: "no I don't, Im a fat fugly b**ch!" *starts sobbing*
RELATED:
#2
From A Kids Party To A Bachelorette Sorry Real Quick
Lee The Thespian 5 years ago
Child........we all know Ariel's got more than that.....
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#3
My Darth Maul Birthday Cake Ate Too Much Cake
Jumilicious 5 years ago
The proportions are a bit off, but other than that it's surprisingly well done.
Pie artist Jessica told us that tinkering with baking recipes can be a bit tricky. We ought to learn how to walk before running; however, sometimes, experimentation can pay off if we've got the right attitude.
"There are certain chemical reactions that need to happen for pastry to become pastry, for cake to become cake, and if you alter certain variables (heat, time, acidity, etc.) you may get a result you aren’t thrilled with... That said, you may be pleasantly surprised!" she said.
#4
Tried A Mirror Glaze
Jenna Contreras 5 years ago
I don't even want to know.... it looks like cat food.. devastation
Leo Domitrix 5 years ago
Oh, I hate trying a mirror glaze. This is why pro bakers charge so much and they need to be notified three days in advance...
Chris Creighton 5 years ago
I'm so glad to see that. I tried this too and my dream was crushed by a shiny but muddy looking frosting. Still tasted good
#5
Daughter Wanted A Homemade “Little Mermaid” Cake. I Tried Really Hard
Jane Doe 5 years ago
It's very good for homemade. the piped hair and dress would have been much more like the picture if the person had used refrigerator cold icing. Even if it had been store bought betty crocker. Once it gets warm, it is will not hold the shape.
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Amy Watkins 5 years ago
She looks like an Aardman Animations version of The Little Mermaid. She would seriously be right at home with Wallace and Gromit.
Kerless Wispa 5 years ago
Looks like you were trying for miss Piggy then remembered your brief was Ariel
#6
Merry Christmas Everyone!
JD Belohorec 3 years ago
its honestly disturbing taking santa apart at eating him. if you do your a naughty boy
"And what better way to learn, 'Oh! That’s what an egg does in this recipe' or, 'Oh! That’s why they say to chill the dough overnight first' than by jumping in and trying it? If you’ve got the time, and are cool with learning from failure (something I do all the time) tinker away!" Jessica suggested that the best way to get in-depth knowledge about baking is to get stuck in.
However, if you're short on time and ingredients (and most importantly patience), it's best to stick to baking recipes without deviating from them. "Or take a few hours to research the chemistry involved in your recipe and what the correct ratios for substitutions are," the baking expert said. "There are lots of great books on baking chemistry out there—if you’re a tinkerer like me I highly recommend you check ‘em out!"
#7
Well I Tried
Truth Monster 5 years ago
I give them points for the green frosting texture. My guess is the one on the right made the fondue Simpson and laid him on the cake and then made the shrubbery around him. the one on the left appears to have tried to draw him on the cake and the icing was either too much glaze, or it was too warm. Its a miracle that its not a Homer Soup, and not just a deformed Homer.
LOGAN HUNTER 5 years ago
Homer after too many donuts, but there is no true too many when I comes to donuts
#8
I Was In Rehab For Hard Drugs At 21, And This Is Still By Far The Biggest Failure Of My Life
Morgan Olson 5 years ago
uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuum... *tries to find something nice to say about this cake* *gives up*
#9
My Wife Made A Dragon Cake For Her Mother's Birthday...
Cake maker and designer Darci from Canada, founder of Kake by Darci, told Bored Panda that if you understand why you're breaking the rules and if you get what each item does in a recipe, it's easier to start creating your own delicious concoctions.
"Baking is a science. Every ingredient has a purpose," Darci said. "Leaveners provide lift. Gluten/flours provide structure. Eggs [act as] binders. Liquid / oils [provide] moisture. Sugars [give] tenderness and sweetness."
#10
Elsa Cake
Aria Whitaker 5 years ago
It looks like that cat-looking lady that had wayyyy too much plastic surgery....
#11
This Attempt At A Rainbow Crepe Cake
#12
Nailed It!
Jonathan Armstrong 5 years ago
I shouldn't have laughed at this as hard as I did.
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andate him 5 years ago
Looks like something out of "Don't Hug Me I'm Scared" Look it up on youtube
*sigh*, The Yellow Teletubby 5 years ago
he might not have gotten that warm hug but he sure did get something...
Previously, Darci told Bored Panda more about baking cakes and the major mistakes that people tend to make with Darci as well. Now, according to Darci, some of the most common mistakes that people tend to make are related to adding the ingredients in the wrong order. You might have heard that baking is an art, but Darci reiterates that it’s a science and you should be careful and precise while making your cakes.
You should also take care to weigh your ingredients properly and make sure not to over- or under-mix them. “All of these small factors can make or break the cake!” the Canadian baker said.
Most of us can immediately tell when a cake looks good or bad. That line becomes blurred if you add too many unnecessary details. “I prefer simple designs and simple details. I feel like you can have a beautiful cake and go overboard with too much—flowers, candy, colors, textures. It can be a fine line between too much and not enough,” Darci told Bored Panda about the importance of simplicity.
#13
There Was An Attempt By My Dad To Make My Brother A Patrick Star Birthday Cake
#14
Elmo / Elmer
Daria B 5 years ago
I believe that's the number "1", as in "1st birthday", actually... ^^"
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WILLIAM FAULK 5 years ago
So, they put the frosting on, and put him in the oven? his eyes got freaking balloned!
#15
Minnie Gained Some Weight
So remember, dear Pandas, when in doubt: keep things simple, follow the recipe to the letter, and only start experimenting with baking when you’ve got a dozen cakes under your belt! Otherwise, your cake might just end up on the ‘Expectation Vs. Reality’ subreddit.
#16
I Way Over-Estimated My Abilities
CrunChewy McSandybutt 5 years ago
If you let it cool all the way it would have been a better outcome.
#17
My Sister Attempted To Make A Red Velvet Christmas Tree Cake
#18
Tried My Best To Make A Roach Cake For My 8 Yo
mia rose waddington 4 years ago
i prefer the second one, the first one would already be drowned in bug exterminator
#19
Friends Parents Tried To Re-Do A Chewbacca Cake They Found On The Internet For His Birthday...
François Carré 5 years ago
The first one already looks more like a South Park version of Chewbacca.
#20
Ordered Cake On Left, Received Cake On Right
Amy Pattie 5 years ago
Hey, that’s actually A good attempt! ... wait... you paid money for that? Ok that’s false advertisement...
#21
Grooms Cake Disaster, What We Wanted vs. What We Got
Truth Monster 5 years ago
I think this is another case of someone going into a Walmart-like bakery and expecting artistry.
Saara . 5 years ago
The bakery knows what they can and can't do. Shame on them for not being honest.
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Jonathan Armstrong 5 years ago
Why are people calling the original cake ugly? It's for their wedding not yours. Mind your own business.
Bacony Cakes 5 years ago
I think it's funny. The revenge of the 1:18 Scale Action Figures!
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Pansexual (In theory) 5 years ago
I'm more concerned on what's going on on the first cake... Did Professor Trelawney predict the outcome of the wedding?
#22
My Aunt Tried To Make A Cake Of Dolly Parton For A Friend
Miss Milinky 5 years ago (edited)
The same cake - Just after a really good night out on the town.
Dorothy Parker 5 years ago
Fondant vs buttercream. Buttercream tastes better but fondant is better for sculpting.
#23
I Tried Making Japanese Cotton Sponge Cake...
Wendy Graham-Cyrette 5 years ago
Wowww not even in the ballpark! Epic fail on the baking. Can't blame this mess on weak decorating skills 🙄
#24
A Spoderman Cake
#25
Peacock Cake Of Dreams
Truth Monster 5 years ago
i think a lot of this is caused by cheap food coloring. the supermarket stuff fades in some mediums
Pansexual (In theory) 5 years ago
All I could suddenly think of was 'pea' and 'c**k' and I'm sorry I just
GSMountainWolf 4 years ago
The first one I was like THATS SO COOL the second one I was like HEKK THAT IS STILL SOOO COOL
#26
The Wedding Cake We Ordered vs. The Cake We Picked Up
EA 5 years ago
These businesses should be ashamed of themselves. It’s one thing screwing up a cake for a party but for a WEDDING? Clearly they know they make shite cakes so should not be showing fake pictures to potential clients. It’s like fraud
Verena Heisenberg 5 years ago
yeah sure.. but "could've been worse" just can't be the answer when designing a WEDDING CAKE! Just imagine this would be for your wedding?! :''-(
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Cherubi Batzel 5 years ago
ordered an 80$ cake and got a itty bitty s**t cake, i could do better and did i ended up putting decorations on it myself so spend more too
#27
Snow White Cake
Truth Monster 5 years ago
This is what i see everytime i see a BP article with the headline "I Draw Disney Princesses"
John Laurens/Gay Turtle 5 years ago
Pretty sure everyone on BP can relate to this XD
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neonn_pieee 5 years ago
Her body doesn't look like it fits very well in that circle on the second cake.
#28
I Tried To Make My Girlfriend A Galaxy Mirror Cake
Your Local Lizard 5 years ago
Some blended and crushed sand cookies and its will look like a beautiful seashore
chaitu cherry 5 years ago
bt ended up like this...still your girlfriend likes you for your adorable efforts
#29
Yup. My Wedding Cake
doggo-is-fren 5 years ago
yeah... looks roughly smoothed not piped Or it melted
Load More Replies... AzKhaleesi 5 years ago
I don't believe in being a "karen" or a "Bridezilla" but let me clarify that if on the day of my wedding my cake showed up looking like this.... Hell hath no fury like a Karen-bride-zilla let me tell you.....
#30
Ordered The Cake On The Left, Got The One On The Right
Truth Monster 5 years ago (edited)
Fondant vs whipped frosting. My guess is that you wanted a artist cake but ordered it at Walmart and are now disappointed. Edit: Replaced Fondue for Fondant. The commenters are not all delusional about fondue.:)
Sally Brown 5 years ago
There must be an awful lorf of amateur bakes out there tring to pass off their work as professional. They need to try something else.
#31
What I Ordered vs. What Was Delivered. I Paid $135 For This Mess...
LOGAN HUNTER 5 years ago
It was probably up front and then pick up and that’s what they got
Load More Replies... Raine Soo 5 years ago
That second cake is a complete disaster. It's tilted. The second layer is cracked in half. There is cardboard sticking out all over the place. The frosting is uneven. The sugar flowers are scattered ramdomly as an after thought. Whoever made this should hang her/his head in shame.
DforDorothy 5 years ago
The original one looks like half ready. I know this is a new 'thing', but still, new doesn't mean good :/
LOGAN HUNTER 5 years ago
Companies really need to hold themselves to the standards they present
#32
My Sisters Attempt At A Sponge Cake. Forgot To Add Sugar And Instead We Feasted On A Massive Scone
#33
Now, At The Wonder Woman Theme Party I Am Attending
#34
Batman Cake From A Facebook Cake Page
#35
Stampy Cat Cake
aw man i'm all outta cash 5 years ago
Oh, come on, that's not even that bad. I could never do that. :)
WILLIAM FAULK 5 years ago
not bad, but I used to watch stampy cat, he anoyed the s**t out of me...
#36
Chocolate Lava Cake Lmao
#37
Paint Splatter Cake
Truth Monster 5 years ago
Should have waited for cake to completely cool in pans, then completely refrigerate cake. the level top is most easily achieved by putting the cake pan-side up. Then you need to level the frosting on the cake with this flat tool until its the shape you want. The stringed icing effect is made when the color icing is warmed and then strung over the cake quickly. And if you're really interested in cake decorating, there are dyes specifically for bakers that do not fade or water down your icing like the cheap sets you find in the supermarket. They aren't cheap, but they make really vibrant colors.
NoodleBear 5 years ago
Yes yes yes, simple solutions for all these problems if they could just look up or ask about what they were doing. As a cake decorator this whole post was making me cringe, no offense to the people. I just realized that there were some easy fixes
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What do you think ?
Rose the Cook 5 years ago
Better luck next time with the homemade cakes but I would refuse to accept the disasters that were ordered from so called professional bakers,
Loretta 5 years ago
I just don't understand how so many people overestimate their abilities by far. I know I couldn't make an Elsa cake that looks great, so I try something much easier. It's not that hard.
Daria B 5 years ago
I don't think it's overestimating oneself, it's more like taking the challenge to try something new, or simply the will to practice. They may have learnt from their mistakes and make better looking Elsas next times.
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StardustRainO8 5 years ago
But, you have to understand that not everybody is born with the art of decorating cakes. Its great you tried, and if you keep practing, you may get better. I know people who make mistakes when baking. Its not a big deal. Hopefully it tastes good, and it becomes a funny joke in the future. But, if you ordered it from someplace... maybe don't go back...?
K Witmer 5 years ago
Out of all the cakes I bought my daughter growing up she remembers the little cakes I would make for her birthday princess tea party her and I would have the morning of her bday every year. She's 18 and we still do it ever since she was 1.i made these little princess icing dresses w a little Barbie in it like she had a fancy dress they were far from perfect but cute and I got better at it every year and she adores them. Lol
Cori 5 years ago
This is why I don't bake. Baking is a chore for me rather than a joy and I'm not even remotely good at it.
natie marie 5 years ago
the home disasters; love them more than the expectation! if a friends made me bad homer in the bush cake.. id love that more than if it was bought perfect! ..although ..store bought advertising what they cant produce..shame on you shops!
Leo Domitrix 5 years ago
I've been trying to do "fancy" cake decorating since I was 10. Note: I said *trying*.... To each their own. Some can sing and dance. Some can decorate a cake like it's gonna be in the Louvre. And some of us are better left ot handle stitching wounds and embroidering pillows...
Rose the Cook 5 years ago
Better luck next time with the homemade cakes but I would refuse to accept the disasters that were ordered from so called professional bakers,
Loretta 5 years ago
I just don't understand how so many people overestimate their abilities by far. I know I couldn't make an Elsa cake that looks great, so I try something much easier. It's not that hard.
Daria B 5 years ago
I don't think it's overestimating oneself, it's more like taking the challenge to try something new, or simply the will to practice. They may have learnt from their mistakes and make better looking Elsas next times.
Load More Replies... StardustRainO8 5 years ago
But, you have to understand that not everybody is born with the art of decorating cakes. Its great you tried, and if you keep practing, you may get better. I know people who make mistakes when baking. Its not a big deal. Hopefully it tastes good, and it becomes a funny joke in the future. But, if you ordered it from someplace... maybe don't go back...?
K Witmer 5 years ago
Out of all the cakes I bought my daughter growing up she remembers the little cakes I would make for her birthday princess tea party her and I would have the morning of her bday every year. She's 18 and we still do it ever since she was 1.i made these little princess icing dresses w a little Barbie in it like she had a fancy dress they were far from perfect but cute and I got better at it every year and she adores them. Lol
Cori 5 years ago
This is why I don't bake. Baking is a chore for me rather than a joy and I'm not even remotely good at it.
natie marie 5 years ago
the home disasters; love them more than the expectation! if a friends made me bad homer in the bush cake.. id love that more than if it was bought perfect! ..although ..store bought advertising what they cant produce..shame on you shops!
Leo Domitrix 5 years ago
I've been trying to do "fancy" cake decorating since I was 10. Note: I said *trying*.... To each their own. Some can sing and dance. Some can decorate a cake like it's gonna be in the Louvre. And some of us are better left ot handle stitching wounds and embroidering pillows...
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