Amanda's Wedding Cake and Cupcakes

Here's a fun flashback to when I did my sister-in-law Amanda's wedding cake. They decided to only have a top tier to cut and then do a tower of cupcakes underneath it. I found this idea for a cupcake stand online and thought it was stunning! After gathering the materials for it, my father-in-law made it so I could focus on the baking.

So, this is actually a funny story that was slightly less funny as it was playing out. I had made lots of cakes before but never one meant for a wedding. "How hard could it be?" I thought.

And then I remembered that Amanda is gluten free. "So I'll make a one tier gluten free cake. Easy."

And then they asked for cream cheese frosting. "I can do that."

When the day came to make the cake, everything wrong was happening. The cake was alright but once I started icing it, it started falling apart. Like, literally... The icing was falling off the sides and taking clumps of cake with it...

It wasn't until later that I realized I had somehow mixed up the proportions and added twice as much cream cheese as it needed... I have no idea how that even happened.

Luckily, there was just enough cake batter left that I was able to make a new cake with one layer that was gluten free and a top layer that wasn't. I worked all that evening and even came back home in between the actual wedding and the reception to try and get it done in time. I finally had it ready and left for the luncheon with my sister holding it on her lap.

After the hour drive to get there, I checked on the cake and the icing was melting off... It wasn't completely horrible, but I wouldn't call it presentable.

For some reason I hadn't thought the car would get hot enough and left the metal lid over the cake... Bad idea.

After cooling it down again in the fridge and some last minute re-icing at the reception hall, I was able to put the ribbon around it and get it all done on time.

Although the cake was a nightmare to get there, the cupcakes looked great! And now, I definitely know what not to do next time I have to make a cake that's not just going to be sitting on my table or eaten at a random family dinner. Not to mention, it makes for a great story! :)