I have now had a sleep. 🤜🤛 Which is more than I can say for the night before!
Hands up all those who have pulled an all-nighter just because of a silly old cake.
Here’s the thing…. I don’t set out to do all-nighters. My daughter says ‘Mum… why don’t you just start a little earlier and plan for this?’
I’m like ‘I DO!!!’
I THOUGHT I was starting early enough. I KNEW how long the basket would take!
I KNEW that I’d have bloody flowers growing out of my ears before I’d finish.
And yet STILL I find myself at 2am, 3am, 4am etc realising that sleep just isn’t on the cards for me.
So here’s the crux of it. There are 2 types of Caker. Those who spend 5 days on a cake and think ‘That’ll do’
And those who spend 5 days on a cake and think ‘Bloody hell, I’ve spent 5 days on a cake and that will be a complete waste if I don’t end up with the cake I wanted to create.’
That’s about the size of it for me. I could have finished earlier. I could have had some sleep. But I’m just not a ‘That’ll do’ Caker.
There’s nothing wrong with ‘That’ll do’ Cakers. ‘That’ll do’ Cakers get a lot of sleep. They make better business people and probably actually make money from their cakes.
OF COURSE I would LOVE to be a ‘That’ll do’ Caker. I bet they have a better social life than me.
Who am I kidding? I KNOW they have a better social life than me. And they probably don’t understand me at all. Just like my daughter doesn’t. Because it doesn’t matter how early I start a cake. I could always do something that would make it a little better. Always add something that would make it more impressive. Therefore there will never be enough time for me.
No time for St Basils. 
Kept awake by the dog. 
Big Ben nearly ran out of time.
Let’s not forget that we are dealing with cake that has a shelf-life. And often I am dealing with BIG cake. We are artists who have an extra time constraint and let’s face it, that’s part of the challenge.
We often get asked why? I don’t mean to be rude but bloody hell what a daft question!
OF COURSE we could make these creations out of clay…or plasticine or matchsticks or any other permanent medium. But where’s the drama in that? Where is the sense of coming together and sharing? Where’s the focal point, the magic moment at a party or function?
If you are not a ‘That’ll do’ Caker then you totally get it. You have gone the extra mile and spent the extra time because you want that big moment to be perfect. The moment that everyone will remember. The one that everyone takes photos of and videos of and shows people years later. So sometimes, yes, we lose a little sleep.
That’s my curse. And my daughter will never get it. Cos she’s a Muggle.
And I know she’s right. But I’m not gonna tell her. I’ll just keep asking her to make me coffee.
