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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.

#1

Belle Cake

Belle Cake

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F.S
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love this one. Beauty and the Beast alright.

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WILLIAM FAULK
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Mom: "honey, you look perfect..." cake: "no I don't, Im a fat fugly b**ch!" *starts sobbing*

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Nadine
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The face on the right looks like she's from Sesame Street. And that's a good thing!

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Suzanne Clark
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It seems like you'd have to work really hard to botch up a cake that badly.

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Jane Doe
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is a bummer. But it was doomed from the start. You can't do this type of decoration with ready made icing and a knife. You need cold butter cream and icing bags and tips.

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#3

My Darth Maul Birthday Cake Ate Too Much Cake

My Darth Maul Birthday Cake Ate Too Much Cake

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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

Tried A Mirror Glaze

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#5

Daughter Wanted A Homemade “Little Mermaid” Cake. I Tried Really Hard

Daughter Wanted A Homemade “Little Mermaid” Cake. I Tried Really Hard

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"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.

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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!"

#8

I Was In Rehab For Hard Drugs At 21, And This Is Still By Far The Biggest Failure Of My Life

I Was In Rehab For Hard Drugs At 21, And This Is Still By Far The Biggest Failure Of My Life

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#9

My Wife Made A Dragon Cake For Her Mother's Birthday...

My Wife Made A Dragon Cake For Her Mother's Birthday...

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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."

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#11

This Attempt At A Rainbow Crepe Cake

This Attempt At A Rainbow Crepe Cake

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#12

Nailed It!

Nailed It!

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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

There Was An Attempt By My Dad To Make My Brother A Patrick Star Birthday Cake

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#14

Elmo / Elmer

Elmo / Elmer

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Brigs
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3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am more concerned about what is in front of the first cake...

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#15

Minnie Gained Some Weight

Minnie Gained Some Weight

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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.

#17

My Sister Attempted To Make A Red Velvet Christmas Tree Cake

My Sister Attempted To Make A Red Velvet Christmas Tree Cake

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#19

Friends Parents Tried To Re-Do A Chewbacca Cake They Found On The Internet For His Birthday...

Friends Parents Tried To Re-Do A Chewbacca Cake They Found On The Internet For His Birthday...

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#20

Ordered Cake On Left, Received Cake On Right

Ordered Cake On Left, Received Cake On Right

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Ripley
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's kinda funny if you've given it a red-hot go, but you're not really a cake decorator. If you've handed over money to someone who has promised results it's not so funny.

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#21

Grooms Cake Disaster, What We Wanted vs. What We Got

Grooms Cake Disaster, What We Wanted vs. What We Got

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Truth Monster
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think this is another case of someone going into a Walmart-like bakery and expecting artistry.

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#22

My Aunt Tried To Make A Cake Of Dolly Parton For A Friend

My Aunt Tried To Make A Cake Of Dolly Parton For A Friend

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#23

I Tried Making Japanese Cotton Sponge Cake...

I Tried Making Japanese Cotton Sponge Cake...

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#24

A Spoderman Cake

A Spoderman Cake

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#26

The Wedding Cake We Ordered vs. The Cake We Picked Up

The Wedding Cake We Ordered vs. The Cake We Picked Up

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EA
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

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

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#27

Snow White Cake

Snow White Cake

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Truth Monster
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is what i see everytime i see a BP article with the headline "I Draw Disney Princesses"

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#28

I Tried To Make My Girlfriend A Galaxy Mirror Cake

I Tried To Make My Girlfriend A Galaxy Mirror Cake

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Your Local Lizard
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Some blended and crushed sand cookies and its will look like a beautiful seashore

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#30

Ordered The Cake On The Left, Got The One On The Right

Ordered The Cake On The Left, Got The One On The Right

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Truth Monster
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3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

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.:)

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Note: this post originally had 37 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.

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