Cake Exam and Mid Terms

We had our cake exam and mid terms yesterday.  I did well in the test but it did no go on without drama.  We were required to make a cake based on a diagram we submit, type of cake was determined via a lottery.  As I was researching and thinking about the theme for my cake, I noticed that most cakes out there are pretty, feminine and cute - either for children or women.  So I decided to make something for the men out there, something classy.

cake diagram

I started my practical test by first baking the cake as the cake has to cool before anything else can be done.   Half an hour went by and my cake turned out fantastic.  I unmolded the cake and while I was leaving the tray(with the cake on it) on the speed rack (a multi tier rack used in commercial kitchens) the pan fell and the cake was on the floor.  Damn!  Now I had to make the cake again and setting me half an hour behind my planned schedule.  The rest of the test was mostly playing catchup from time lost at the beginning.  Nonetheless, I finished just on time...  The cake wasn't as cleanly finished as I would have liked but considering the unfortunate event, I think I did alright.

Black Tie Cake