Welcome to the Cake Decorators Q&A

I recently made a shopping bag cake; 4″ wide 8″ long and 7″ high; while the client was transporting it; it split in the middle. I had two layers of cake; straws for support and cardboard; and then another two layers on top.
I had dowel rods going through the whole cake. I can’t figure out what I did wrong; please help.

Thank you

The only thing I can think of was the board you put it on did not have enough support and allowed the cake to bend and thus split. Did you use a cake drum rather than a cake card? You could always glue 2 cake drums together if necessary to provide extra support. One slightly bigger than the other is quite attractive (buts add to cost).

Did the client say the cake actually split in the middle or just the icing? You might have needed a more substantial icing (or just add some gum tragacanth to your normal sugarpaste). I covered quite a tall cake with Karen Davies marshmallow paste and it didn’t split.

Hope this may help.

Jx

Thank you for your insight; I frosted the shopping bag in buttercream; which is common in Central WI, US.
It did split in the middle. I had the cake on a very solid board; wrapped in colored foil.
I am still stumped.

Hi LovingTraditions

Did you see the cake? Was it split along the 8″ length or the 4″ width? I too cannot think of much without seeing it but this may help someone else to come to your assistance. Might the customer have ‘bounced it around’ a bit while transporting.

I realise US use buttercream a lot, can we get you to experiment with sugarpaste :-)?

Jx

The cake split in the middle of the 4″ width. I am wondering if my base should have been wider?

I do use sugarpaste; but alot of the times the customer does not want to pay for the additional cost.

Thank you so much,
Debbie

I am baffled! I wouldn’t think it had anything to do with the base. The only reason I could see was the board but you said that was strong enough. Excuse me treating you like an idiot but are you absolutely sure there was no way the board could bend? Apart from that I am sorry but I can’t think of anything else.

Jx