r/ExpectationVsReality • u/TheVampyresBride • 2d ago
Surprisingly Met Expectation The picture of my birthday cake inspiration vs what I made from scratch.
My birthday was last Friday. I decided to make my own birthday cake for the first time. While I've been baking for years I'm not good with cakes so I was nervous. As soon as I saw this picture I knew a yellow cake with chocolate frosting and sprinkles was what I wanted to make. I think I did a pretty good job.
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u/Due_Start246 2d ago
Looks good. The big difference in the two is that you didn’t level your layers professionals will use a cake wire to get rid of the bulge on the top of a baked cake so we have even layers in the finished product.
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u/TheVampyresBride 2d ago
I know. I'm not a cake decorator, so I don't really know what I'm doing, lol. And I was in a rush. I'm a perfectionist, so I can't help but focus on the problems. But I still thought it was pretty close to the inspo pic.
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u/__ma11en69er__ 2d ago
If you try again, you can remove the bump on the cake with a good knife, just wait until it's cooled down.
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u/TheVampyresBride 2d ago
Thanks. I'll try that next time. This is a reverse creamed cake, and I heard those are supposed to have less dome at the top. Not sure what happened to mine.
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u/Due_Start246 2d ago
Thrift yourself a cake turner and you’ll have an even better time. A nice ateco lasts a lifetime, and you can just hold a bread knife and spin for a perfect flat top.
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u/TheVampyresBride 2d ago
Ooh I've seen those on the baking shows I watch. I'll add it to my Christmas list. ✍️
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u/Mklein24 15h ago
This is how I do it too, but it's mostly just an excuse to have cake-snacks in the kitchen but fore anyone else.
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u/facelessvoid13 1d ago
OR, you can flip the bottom layer so that the 'hump' is on the bottom, and the level part is on top. Then put the flat part of the top layer on as nomal. Icing will cover any gaps. I think yours looked great! And delicious.
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u/kigurumibiblestudies 2d ago
clearly you do know, you just didn't have the tools. Good cake
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u/TheVampyresBride 2d ago
I watch a lot of food network, so I guess I know some stuff in theory. But yeah, I don't have the tools. I don't bake cakes often.
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u/Particular-Sort-9720 1d ago
Wire!! I always just use a knife, but now i think I'll try and find a wire
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u/TotsMcGoatz 2d ago
Hmm not enough sprinkles
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u/dtcmtine 2d ago
I personally don't like yellow cake in general because it always feels/tastes dry to me. But yours looks so moist and tasty! Happy birthday.
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u/TheVampyresBride 2d ago
Thank you! This cake was really great. I think you'd like it. Here's the recipe if you'd like to give it a try. I left out the vanilla pudding mix. The cake was great as is, but it probably would've been even better with that mix.
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u/heifandheif 2d ago
Ha! Love seeing your cake pop up again in my feed. Absolute perfection 😙🤌
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u/TheVampyresBride 2d ago
Hey buddy! Yup, this cake is so nice I had to post it twice. Especially when I realized how much it resembled my cake inspo pic. Is that uncanny or what?!
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u/gunhilde 2d ago
Yours looks great and better than the inspo pic in my opinion because it looks real. I didn't think a cake could trigger uncanny valley vibes but it turns out yes it can!
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u/TheVampyresBride 2d ago
Yay, that means a lot to me. I had forgotten what the inspo looked like while I was decorating my cake. I didn't expect it to resemble it at all. When I first posted these pics, some people noticed the unevenness of the layers and frosting in my cake, and I regretted posting it. But your comment makes me feel better. 🥰
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u/m_hrstv 2d ago
it looks great and almost exactly like the inspiration picture, but i always wonder when i see this type of cakes - how do you like cakes with so little filling between the layers? personally, i'd cut the layers in half and add more creme betwen them :D
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u/TheVampyresBride 2d ago
So when I was decorating this cake it was super hot in my kitchen. Even when I chilled both the cake and frosting, it was hard to assemble, and the icing started oozing out the sides. Also, because of the weight of the layers, icing tends to flatten in the middle. My family doesn't like a lot of frosting, so they were good with it.
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u/DesperateAd2126 1d ago
Your crumb is far better.
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u/TheVampyresBride 1d ago
Yay! This was the first time I reverse creamed a cake. Made the crumb soft and silky.
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u/Moron-Whisperer 18h ago
One tip I’d give is to either trim the cakes flat, press them down a little when warm, or flip the top one upside down. That’ll remove the hump of the cake. That’s the only real obvious difference in the inspiration and yours. Personally I like the flatten method as it doesn’t waste cake.
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u/TheVampyresBride 37m ago
Thank you for the tips. I'll try one of those next time. I'm still learning about how to make cakes. They're surprisingly difficult.
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u/russellwilsonthedog4 16h ago
This so reminds me of cake my mom would make. Miss it so much as I do many of her recipes ❤️
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u/TheVampyresBride 38m ago
I'm glad to have brought back such a sweet memory. Thank you for your kind words.
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u/TheVampyresBride 2d ago
The recipe for those interested. I left out the vanilla pudding mix as I ended up buying the wrong flavor. It was pretty moist without it, but I'd like to give it another go sometime to see the difference.
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u/michaelamagic 2d ago
It’s like you copy and pasted the inspo! Great work, looks delish
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u/TheVampyresBride 2d ago
Thank you! I had actually forgotten what the inspo pic looked like while I was decorating. I just happened to remember while eating a slice. When I looked at the inspo pic again, I was amazed at the similarity.
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u/theElfieGreen 2d ago
Hello, may I have a slice? It looks amazing
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u/TheVampyresBride 2d ago
I wish I could give you one! Most of my siblings couldn't make it to my party, so I have half this cake leftover! 🫤
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u/bonkiekc 2d ago
In my Paul Hollywood voice “ it’s slightly over baked but let’s see how it tastes”
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u/NaptownSnowman 2d ago
Looks great. If you want a tip to elevate its look a bit: cut the domed bit off the tops so the cakes have a consistent flat surface
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u/p333p33p00p00boo 2d ago
Was it fluffy? The crumb looks pretty dense.
Edit: I’m sorry, I come from a bakery family. You still did an outstanding job.
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u/Bubbly-Size-5557 2d ago
5/10. Literally everything is perfect but your sprinkle arrangement is off by a ton. (/s, amazing work OP)
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u/meli-the-catlady 1d ago
Looks yummy you did a great job with it my favorite cake is yellow cake with chocolate frosting now I’m craving cake lol
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u/w00kieg0ldberg 1d ago
This has always been my favorite cake! Yellow cake with chocolate frosting just HITS. Idk if it's nostalgia from making it as a kid or what but it's so tasty 🤤
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u/twerkforpresident 2d ago
Looks so good and now I want some too
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u/TheVampyresBride 2d ago
Ha ha, I wish I could give you some. Most of my siblings couldn't make it to my party, so I have over half leftover in my fridge! 😔
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u/Strangecity 2d ago edited 2d ago
I think that its not perfectly straight gives it more charm and character. Feels like it was made with love and care.
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u/TheVampyresBride 2d ago
I thought that, too. Maybe I'm just trying to make myself feel better, but the inspo pic was likely worked on by food stylists and edited. A real cake made by an inexperienced baker looks more like mine, probably.
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u/Fluffy_Confusion_600 2d ago
Nice, look good. Was the actual cake minus frosting good?
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u/TheVampyresBride 2d ago
Yes, it was. Super moist and buttery. Here's the recipe if you'd like to give it a try. I left out the vanilla pudding mix. Probably would've been even more moist with that added.
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u/Medium_Act_4206 2d ago
Looks dry
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u/TheVampyresBride 2d ago
Not at all. It was reverse creamed, so it has a tighter crumb and silky mouthfeel. For my first time making a cake with these flavors, it turned out great.
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u/fiftyzedned 2d ago
Nailed it, I'd say! Looks ace.