Good to hear from you again PJ! Thanks for posting the Fails! Such a fun event every year reminding us that even the Pros experience FAILS! Being between apartments for a bit over a year i was only able to start baking again this past January, in our new apt. Of course it was a paid order... Cakes came out beautifully! (White; two layers, half sheet); filled (Vanillla Swiss Merengue Buttercream; Coconut; Pecans); crumb coated. Persnickety as i am (to a fault at times) i had the cake on it's board, the board on parchment and that on my rectangular decorating stand, so as not to dirty-up the stand too much w/buttercream. Ready to chill the crumb coat i pondered taking the whole ensemble, decorating table and all to it's chilling space (very chilly enclosed porch (Midwest)); however i thought i would eschew the decorating table, place the rest of it, parchment on bottom, on a cake rack and take that out (instead of just the board on the rack). Two steps to the door, transferring this ensemble to my right arm, hand, readying to open the door with my left, (not even next to the door yet, duh!) the parchment slid off the rack to my right, taking cake and board with it. It all fell down to the floor, however the board stayed under the cake and landed right-side up; a portion of the left side of the cake bounced up into the air and landed on a clean baking equipment tote, upside down! None of the cake ever touched the floor!!!!!!!! Truly amazing, but it was broken up and no longer could be served as a layer cake. I just stood there in shock wondering how it happened and oh'' --'it!" what am i gonna do now???!! cake is due tomorrow evening!!!!!!" Well, i did some pondering for a few minutes, "Trifle? Molded Cake??....What?? aha! I had Treat Cups on hand so i made mini trifles, cakelettes if you will, as the fillings now were all interspersed throughout the cake as i salvaged it and put it into a gigantic bowl. I spooned the cake into these 50 treat cups, put them in fridge to mold the cakes, then frosted the tops, decorated the tops and served them as "Deconstructed Cakelettes". They were delicious...but this was the first time a beautiful bake ended up on the floor, albeit protected by its board. Lucky ...We all learn by mistakes. Subsequently i have experienced a few bake fails (flat brioche/un-risen rye bread/oily carrot cake/flat as pancakes yellow cake) from which i have learned. Irregardless, it is refreshing to commiserate, laugh and share baking war stories and know that Pros and Passionate Home Bakers have their own less than perfect bake stories!!!!! Thanks everyone for sharing!! Love ya PJ!!!

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