Baking Fail-4th of July

I wouldn't call myself a baker or a cook. Though I think that I do an okay job at both. But when I try something I really expect it to work. Unfortunately this last attempt really failed. It all started when I saw this cake on the blog, 17 and baking:

How cool is that?

Unfortunately, mine turned out like this:

I make no attempt to hide the damage people. Feast your eyes on this hot mess. Like a train wreck, it's hard to look away.

Now, learn from my mistakes (see how uplifting and educational I can be-even in the wake of my own patheticness?).

I won't go into all the tedious details of how to construct this cake as the original blogger did a great job explaining it (with video even) in the link above. Plus, do you really wanna take advice from me when mine turned out like it did? Of course not.

But I will give you pointers on where I believe the train derailed.

1) Be patient.
2) If possible make this in 2 days rather than 1 evening.
3) Be patient.
4) Let the cakes cool completely, and if you've read my number 2 rule, freeze them over night.
5) Be patient.
6) Cut the cake after its frozen which minimizes crumbs and allows the form to remain intact.
7) If you haven't read rule, 1, 3, and 5, read them again.
8) Buy 4 cans of icing (3 for the cake and 1 more just in case the cake is a bust and you need to drown your sorrows at your failed attempt).
9) Be patient.

That's pretty much it. I used box cake and it tasted great. Even with the chaotic mess it made:

It was yummy. I mean, it was cake. What's not to love? But that wasn't really the point with this specific cake now was it? It was the presentation (it's all about presentation). And I mucked that up real good. Can you guess why? (if not read rules 1,3,5,7,9)

So, instead of my co-workers getting a fantastically presented yummy cake my family got a hideously deformed yummy cake.
(Woo-hoo says my daughter!)

Oh well, there's always next year.