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What's a Wreck?

A Cake Wreck is any cake that is unintentionally sad, silly, creepy, inappropriate - you name it. A Wreck is not necessarily a poorly-made cake; it's simply one I find funny, for any of a number of reasons. Anyone who has ever smeared frosting on a baked good has made a Wreck at one time or another, so I'm not here to vilify decorators: Cake Wrecks is just about finding the funny in unexpected, sugar-filled places.

Now, don't you have a photo you want to send me? ;)

- Jen
Monday
May202013

Five Years, Baby!!

Remember this?

And these?

How about this one?

Or this story?

Five years ago today I started a goofy little cake blog, just for fun. I never intended for anyone other than a few close friends to read it, and I was terrified the first time a stranger found it and commented.

Within two months, though, my goofy little cake blog went viral, garnering about 50,000 visitors in a single day.

It's been a wild ride since then. I realized my life-long dream of becoming a published author not once, but twice, and Cake Wrecks even landed on the New York Times Best Sellers List. John and I got to travel across the U.S. and Canada meeting thousands of you readers, sampling dozens of your bakeries, and only almost-dying that one time.

I was invited on more TV shows than I can remember, including David Letterman, Rachael Ray, and I think even Martha Stewart - and one of my proudest achievements in life is that I turned them all down. I've also turned away TV producers, web content "gurus," and website conglomerates offering a pretty penny to purchase Cake Wrecks and turn it into something else - something less personal, something not ours.

Cake Wrecks has been a labor of love from the beginning, and I've fought - and will fight - to always keep it that way. It's not a vehicle to make me famous, or a stepping stone to get me to where I *really* want to be in my career, because I'm already here. True, it has become my job - John's, too -  and like every job it causes heartache and frustration and burnout sometimes. But at the end of the day, I get to check my e-mail, find a cake that makes me giggle, and share it with all of you. That's pretty frickin' awesome.

Five years ago I never would have dreamed my goofy little cake blog would last this long, or that it would amass such a devoted readership. I mean, this blog was supposed to fizzle out four and a half years ago, and yet here you all are! I always told John I'd quit when the readers left, but it turns out you guys are more stubbornly loyal than I anticipated. Curse you.

So here's to us, my dear wreckies, five years, 1,800+ posts, and roughly 8,000 cakes later.

And if all that doesn't deserve cake, then I don't know what does.

So here's Brent Spiner trying on a Carrot Jockey necklace:

Let's be honest: it was all downhill from here. :D

 

Oh, and I have to give a million thanks to John for getting me through these past five years - and also for not dying that one time - as well as to Lindsey, who writes more than half of our Sweets posts these days, and to Sharyn, who helps me write to the wrecks. You guys are awesome, and get a lifetime pass for extra sprinkles.

« All Hail The Pink King! | Main | Sunday Sweets: Game On! »

Reader Comments (278)

Congratulations on 5 years of outstanding wreck commentating...wreck-entating?....wreckentary? Whatever, it's your wit and joy that make this site so fantastic - the cakes just kind of give you a target. Like someone above said, you could write a blog called Toothpaste Terrors and it would be hilarious. Thank you so much for five years! We all look forward to it every day!

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterAron

Congrats! I am so happy for you guys, and for all of us who are lucky enough to read your wonderful labor of love. I still clearly remember my best friend and I finding Cake Wrecks our freshman year of college, and staying up waaaaay too late in her dorm laughing hysterically. And then making our own "Sorry about your herpes" cake as a gag gift for another friend! It's been a great ride, and I'm so happy your goofy little blog has done so well, because it's brought tons of joy to my life :)

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterJulia

Congratulations on 5 years Jen and John. I enjoyed seeing you in person on your book tours and will never forget that one time I absentmindedly opened your blog page before answering the phone at work...

Thanks for not selling out. It's tremendously refreshing. I hope we can continue to be a good audience for years to come.

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterAnne

Congratulations, you guys and thanks for my daily giggle. Long live Cake Wrecks!

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterBrooke

Happy 5th Blogiversary! May all your Sweets be sweeter, and all your wrecks be even wreckier!

Oh, and my computer screen says "p*** off* for all the times I've sprayed it with coffee while reading your blog. Can't please everyone, I guess... ;)

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterJade

Happy anniversary!! I'm so glad you enjoy what you do, because I enjoy reading it all!! Keep up the good...no, GREAT work!!!

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterAnnette

After all this time, just thinking the words "perverted vegetable rodeo" make me chuckle.

Congrats on 5 years. I really love Cake Wrecks!

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterThat Deborah Girl

Congrats on 5 years!! (And can I just say - can't wait for you to celebrate the same milestone with Epbot?!) Long live the wreck-reporters! And many, MANY thanks for the various giggles and snorts through these past 5 years ;) And FYI - just praying none of my cakes EVER make it on the blog...unless it's for a Sunday Sweets edition!!

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterBecky

Thank you for giving us something to laugh about every day. I hope you and Cake Wrecks keep going for years to come. I'ts a where I go every time I need a good laugh. And let's face it, you will never run out of material.

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterMaggie

Congrats! And thanks for all the laughter you've provided. I remember first learning about Cake Wrecks when I picked up your book at a B&N store. I remember hiding in the stacks (from the disapproving looks of "serious" readers) as I snorted and laughed with tears pouring down my face because I was trying to be silent.

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterKarla T

Congratulations on 5 amazing years!

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterClodia

I laugh till I cry sometimes when I see some of these pictures of cakes! I have been a cake decorator for over 30 years and have decided to always work on improving my craft to make sure none of my cakes ever show up on your site! lol. Keep up the good work and congratulations on 5 years!!

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterRini

Congradulations! With extra sprinkles!!

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterDorieke

Thanks for all the tears of laughter you have provided through the years. I wish you all continued success!

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterEric

Happy 5th Anniversary!!

Thank you for the laughs. :D

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterTrich13

Happy Anniversary!! Love seeing all the cakes you post. Every time I go into a store with a bakery, I always go over hoping to find a Wreck so I can send it in. I really like the good ones you post on Sundays, for all the ones that make me angry, because they are just so ugly & the bakers don't seem to care, the cakes on Sunday's really make up for the bad ones.

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterMelissa

You know what? I wonder if you hadn't started Cake Wrecks, would you have started Epbot? Let me tell you, I recently went to "catch up" on Epbot after not checking in for a couple of weeks, and every single post made me teary - there were several in a row about geeky girls, acceptance, etc. I mean, one was the non-violent games post, and I was SO MOVED at how the community stepped in with joy, to share their ideas, and that you even thought the subject deserved a post, was just... teary-making. In a good way. I don't mind violent games at all, but the respect shown to the person that asked... {sigh}. Such a good thing. So. many. places. on the web are full of snark, judgment, shaming, and belittling - the oases that you've created here and at Epbot are gifts. I know I've mentioned before, after going through a hard time, a little time spent on Cake Wrecks just boosted me right up, and gave me a reason to smile. That is no laughing matter! Oh, wait - it IS a laughing matter, but not insignificant at ALL. Very, very meaningful. You are doing good stuff in the world. I love Cake Wrecks, and if this is all there was, it would be good - great, even! The thought that writing this led you to creating Epbot is further reason to celebrate! Thanks so much for doing what you do, and congratulations on five years!!

Thaks very much for being you!

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterCaren

*Swoon!* Brent Spiner! That's what I love about Cakewrecks...it's so close to my own life, it's not funny. Thank you so much for all the laughs over the years. (The first time I found you I sat on my laptop for about six hours straight) I laughed so hard at some of them that I ....erhm....had to change undergarments. And from you I learned that I am a Geeky Girl. After all these years, I've found my niche.

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterRebekah

Congrats to all the Cake Wrecks crew! My husband and I have been regular readers for at least 3 years and he frequently comes home after work to me saying, "Did you SEE Cakewrecks.com today???" or "Did you look at Epbot today??" We love and appreciate what you guys do every day and always support you! (even when some people get their tempers flared unnecessarily)

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterKayla

Happy Wreckaversary! Can I just second what mel said? Cake Wrecks has delivered me plenty of mirth, but is is the people behind it who make it the wonderful addition to life that it is. I know that you get the "I'm not a stalker, I don't really know you but I feel like I do and I love you" kind of comments a lot and there is a reason for that. You, Jen, John and the whole team, exude your sweet kindness even through the snarky hilarity. You have poured yourself into this blog (and EPBOT) for us to enjoy and we appreciate it! I don't comment as often as I used to, but I read every day. I could go on and on, but I will simply end by telling you that you have literally changed my life, strange as that may sound. Thank you.

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered Commenterzoomom

5 years? Wow! Congratulations, Jen, that's exciting!

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterTotalFluffster

Thank you for making it possible for me to continue being employed and thereby support my family. Without the humor I regularly find on CW, I could NOT tolerate the stress and I would quit my job or be fired for excessive snark. And my mother doesn't HAVE a basement, so what would we do? Now, I just sit in management meetings and think of Cake Wrecks and smile.

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterNanalettie

Awesome! I love this blog and read it every day. Congrats!

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterMellissa Rose

I couldn't believe it has been a little less than 5 years since I found Cake Wrecks. But then I thought about it and realized that for all that time, you have made me laugh almost every day. Sometimes on Sunday, I don't laugh, I just say Awwww a lot. And, let's face it, sometimes I don't laugh, I just say Ewwwwww. Thanks for all the laughs, the Awwwws and even the Ewwwwws.

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterMary Jean

O.M.G. Brent Spiner + carrot jockey necklace... Awesome overload!

Happy anniversary!

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterJFTD

Congratulations on 5 years and I know we all hope for many, many more, although I am horrified that there are actually 8000 cakes that have been wrecks . . . even more that there are countless others who never make this site.

Thanks for the daily giggles, snorts and very frequent I'm-laughing-so-hard-I-almost-peed-my-pants belly laughs! :-)

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterMajksmom

Happy 5th anniversary! I'm so glad you have stayed true to yourselves and your fans, although I would not mind seeing you and John on Dave Letterman or Jay Leno. Hey, when will we see another Carrot Jockey necklace:giveaway? I've been missing those little guys!

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered Commenterjune7

Happy Wreckiversary! Thank you so much for never, ever selling out! Cakewrecks is like that great local mom-and-pop place...we'd all just cry if it got bought out by a chain!

Waiting for a "Congrtaulions on you're five ears!" cake. And also, more great years of fantastic posts. :)

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterCat

Thank you to Jen and John for the most awesome blog that ever existed! And just for being all around awesome people who i like to think of as friends even though we've never met. I love your inside jokes and your humor. You always make me laugh =) Please keep up the good (and geeky) work!

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterChristina

That first cake actually reads "underneat" that. Very neat.

Congratulations! I love the blog and the books :)

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterTabby

Cake Wrecks truly does make the world a better place because you make people laugh everyday. And it's impossible to be sad/angry/upset when you're laughing. Thanks for all the laughs and Wreck On!

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterBrenda

I'm very happy that you've been slapping cake at us for as long as you have. May it continue for many many, many many many..... Well, lots of manies. I would not live without the giggles, snorts, and guffaws.

Congratulations on 5 years, and sticking to your guns to keep it yours. Long live the wreckers!

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterDi F

Congratualations on 5 years. My husband likes to tease me because I refer to you as Jen and John, like you're our neighbors that live up the street. I love that you created these communities for us to come together, not just here but over at epbot as well. (Oh, I also love the Men in Tights comments. Can't have too much of that in my book.) Congradualations! (Yes, they are spelled wrong)

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterTia

Happy 5rd Annevisery!

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterMichelaine

I love Cake Wrecks!! You never cease to give me a smile and a snicker!!! LOL Thanks for the creation!!

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterPam

Congrats!
I Love it! Keep 'em coming

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered Commenterlawnajo

Thank you for sticking with it for all this time!! I love nothing more than coming here and just collapsing in laughter whenever I need a break or am feeling overwhelmed. I appreciate your efforts so much!! Long may you wreck...

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterLori

Thanks for the belly laughs! Happy Anniversary

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterRobin

A few years ago I was researching a cake design for my son's birthday cake. At the time, I didn't feel like baking, creating, or even celebrating. It had been a tremendously difficult couple of years, full of heartache and grief. During my late night researching, I happened upon Cake Wrecks and spent the next few hours laughing so hard I was crying - fist pounding, snot snorting, literally roll on the floor laughing (you are welcome for the visual). It was the first time in two years I had laughed that hard. For that, I will always be a "stubbornly loyal viewer."

Fast forward several years and a new heartache. My beautiful, wonderful, talented son was diagnosed with anxiety and panic attacks. I spent several sleepless nights scouring the internet for tips, solutions, and success stories, and I found Epbot and your journey through the rabbit hole that is anxiety. Your practical, humorous, optomistic approach to anxiety has influenced my own approach to my son's. So in some weird, non-stalkery way, I feel like it was kismet to find your website so long ago. Thank you for the laughs, the honesty, and the integrity. Wreck on, Jen (and the gang). Wreck on.

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterFirebird

Brent Spiner trying on a Carrot Jockey necklace! You made that happen and because of that, you have justified your existence for all time!

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered Commenterpikkewyntjie

Just to add to the numbers -- congratulations! I just found this blog in the last year, and it's a daily read. I even randomly go back to see past posts. My favorites are the instructions that are so misunderstand and the Sunday posts that are so beautiful. But the best is the writing -- so witty and fun to read!

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterBookworm

Congratulations!! I laugh till I cry with each post. Please don't ever stop!!

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterEmily

I've been a fan since almost-the-very-beginning. STILL my all-time favourite blog!!!
Underneat that: You ROCK with *sprinkles* :-) H.

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterHali

Yours is one of the few blogs I still follow; you make me laugh every single time I read it. Congratulations on 5 years - you Wreckers Wrock! xx

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterKim Anderson

*Congratumalations* on this prodigious accomplishment (see, can *so* spell!) - your blog is one of my daily bright spots - and I have had some dark days, the past year or so. But I could count on you and John (THoJ) to give me that little lift every day - well, on Saturdays, I hie myself off to Epbot - and it's made a big difference. And I found out there are a LOT more GeekGirls out there than I thought; when I was in high school, mumblety-ump years ago, I thought I was the only one extant!

I sometimes feel we're friends, although we've never met; and I'm sure most of your readers feel just the same. So thanks for the memories, the smiles, the laughs, and the stuff I've had to wipe off the screen. If you ever have a moment's doubt that you've made a significant contribution to the world, remember that - and then multiply it by thousands. Thanks, Jen. Thanks, John. And I shan't forget all your cakey comrades, either!

Congrats!

I read your Blog every day over lunch at my desk. It is a fun diversion from the work-a-day emails.

Keep up the great work! Love Epbot too!

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterDee, just Dee

Thank you for the five years of fun and hilarity! I am also grateful for your honing my taste in cakes - I will never look at a bakery shelf the same way again. You all rock and I must let you know I am a stubborn and loyal reader...good luck getting rid of me - you're in this for the long haul. Congradulashuns.

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered Commenterkyapiphi

Man, I wish I had discovered your blog five years ago. The giggles, snorts, gasps, confusion, heartache (those poor brides), horror, actual pain, head shaking....oh well, you get the picture, have only been making my day for the past year. Thanks for letting CW take over your lives. I needed that!

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterLisa

Thanks so much for making me laugh every day! And for giving me a place to go when I need to feel better about my own cakes. My cousin showed me this site about four years ago and I have not missed a post since. Keep posting wrecks with hilarious commentary and I will keep reading them. Thanks again, Jen and John!

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterOxyJenAndTonic

Congratulations on five years!! I found you about two years ago. Thanks to you I can't enter a grocery store without heading right to the bakery showcase. I can't thank you enough for all of the laughs, and also for making me realize that it's ok to be a proud geek girl. Coincidentally, it's my thirteenth wedding anniversary today. On our honeymoon we were presented with a lovely cake that read Happy Anniversary. I have a picture of it, but since only my husband and I know its a wreck there's no point in sending it in. It still makes me smile though. :)

May 20, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterKaren

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