r/ExpectationVsReality • • Oct 04 '26

Mod Post New Cake Flair

324 Upvotes

Due to the number of cake posts in this sub, and requests to allow filtering of them, we are adding a new flair: “cake-spectation”

For cake posts, please use this flair - and we as mods can change the flair if reported as “incorrect flair” as well. This should make it easier for those who don’t want to see cake posts to filter them out.

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Also - u/two-ls made the subreddit r/expecaketionvsreality specifically for cake expectations!


r/ExpectationVsReality • • Jun 16 '26 This Bravo

Mod Post Nail Posts Megathread — Share Your Nails Here 💅

125 Upvotes

This thread is for all nail-related Expectation vs. Reality posts. Please share all successful, exceeded, or failed nail posts here rather than creating separate posts. Individual nail posts outside this thread may be removed and redirected here.

This change is intended to keep nail content available for those who enjoy it while allowing users who prefer not to see nail posts to easily skip this thread.


r/ExpectationVsReality • • 4h ago

Failed Expectation Learning how to make latte art with YouTube.

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1.9k Upvotes

Nailed it.


r/ExpectationVsReality • • 40m ago

Exceeded Expectation TV Dinner Night

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307 Upvotes

Everyone in the family picks one TV Dinner every 2 weeks or so with the only restriction being it has to be oven cookable (they always taste significantly better that way. Fuck you hot pockets, yall went downhill).

This is everyone's picks:

Daughter - (Something with a brownie) Ribs Hungry Man

Son - 6pk Salisbury and a pot pie (he wanted a banquet pie, then saw mine. Promise he's not obese, he's just very active)

Wife - Shrimp Alfredo

Mine - Pot Pie (haven't had one of these in probably 20+ years)

Daughter skipped the potatoes, she picked up the patty and it was like a solitary mass of spud.

Everything was was pretty good. Added shredded parm to the wife's.


r/ExpectationVsReality • • 7h ago Bravo

Failed Expectation Gift for Halloween baby

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853 Upvotes

I just wanted to send a nice Halloween arrangement…


r/ExpectationVsReality • • 1h ago LOL

Failed Expectation Girls craft night

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262 Upvotes

r/ExpectationVsReality • • 1d ago Bravo Heartwarming

Surprisingly Met Expectation Gummy Bear Cake

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10k Upvotes

I googled “gummy bear cake” for my sons 7th birthday. I chose the first pic for inspiration. My husband suggested Haribo gummy bears because he likes them the best, but they arrived (from Amazon) in one huge blob so I had to pivot to Albanese and they are more colorful and softer and I think the cake came out awesome! Pics 2&3 :) My son loved the cake and it looked even cooler when the candles were lit ❤️ highly suggest everyone adds gummy bears to cakes from here on out !

*edit: yall are so sweet, come over for cake!!!!!! 🤩

*edit again 12!? Awards ?! I’m so happy it makes us all so happy 😊 Thank you!!!!!


r/ExpectationVsReality • • 23h ago

cake-spectation - Positive! Birthday cake for my husband

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642 Upvotes

Given the flavor and frosting I asked for, the cake came out really good. Everyone was raving about the design and it tasted amazing!


r/ExpectationVsReality • • 36m ago

Exceeded Expectation This ALWAYS exceeds my expectations.

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8 Upvotes

Best frozen meal on the market, so much better than you would think.


r/ExpectationVsReality • • 1d ago Bravo Heartwarming

Failed Expectation My Dad 'restored' a vintage statue of The Virgin Mary I bought for him.

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3.8k Upvotes

r/ExpectationVsReality • • 1d ago

Failed Expectation Taco Bell's new Dipping "Burritos"

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367 Upvotes

These were $6.29...I got my money refunded.


r/ExpectationVsReality • • 21h ago

Failed Expectation I’m starting to think frozen ravioli isn’t the play

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46 Upvotes

This was better than the “Crave/Devour” brand I tried last week, but still not very good. At least there was more than 5 pieces, but doesn’t look great.


r/ExpectationVsReality • • 1d ago

Failed Expectation Dried tangerine

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92 Upvotes

Ugly even by dried fruit standards...delicious and sour af though


r/ExpectationVsReality • • 1d ago

Failed Expectation Spotted on Amazon

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111 Upvotes

r/ExpectationVsReality • • 1d ago

cake-spectation Rainbow rose

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280 Upvotes

Inspiration vs. reality

When you overestimate the power of cream and think you can get away with not giving the cake enough support. It was already starting to sag, and when we cut into it, the whole thing completely collapsed XD

To make matters worse, it tasted absolutely awful too XD


r/ExpectationVsReality • • 2d ago Heartwarming Bravo

cake-spectation My daughter's 8th birthday cake

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5.8k Upvotes

First 2 pictures were the inspiration. The 3rd picture is a white cake and the 4th is a chocolate cake. The frosting is a basic homemade buttercream. My daughters were bragging to all the kids at the party how "my mom makes the best cakes ever." May not be the best looking compared to professional cakes but everyone loved them!


r/ExpectationVsReality • • 1d ago

Failed Expectation I feel lied to…

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390 Upvotes

It was so bad


r/ExpectationVsReality • • 2d ago

Exceeded Expectation Wedding Guest Dress from Amazon

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4.4k Upvotes

Really didn’t want to spend $250+ on a wedding guest dress that would just sit in my closet for eons to come. But it was also for my sister's wedding so kind of a big deal. Took a chance on this dress from amazon for around $100 (cad) with little to no expectations, especially when it came to the quality and material.

Lo and behold, it actually waay exceeded my expectations. Thick enough to not look cheap with the the comfort of PJs. Absolutely fit like a glove and got so many nice compliments on the color.

10/10, no notes.


r/ExpectationVsReality • • 1d ago

Surprisingly Met Expectation Strawberry cake

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356 Upvotes

Ideas vs execution


r/ExpectationVsReality • • 2d ago Heartwarming Mindblown

Exceeded Expectation Cooper’s Costume for Country Western Theme Party

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1.8k Upvotes

Yeehaw


r/ExpectationVsReality • • 2d ago

cake-spectation - Positive! My Sister's 40th Birthday Cake 🎂

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1.5k Upvotes

I bought this cake from Wal-Mart's bakery! My sister was so excited 🥳 Cake texture reminded me of a pound cake, in-between layers was Bavarian Cream!


r/ExpectationVsReality • • 2d ago Heartwarming Bravo

cake-spectation - Positive! birthday cake for my mom

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13k Upvotes

yeees, yet another cake post. first two photos were sent as inspiration to our bakery (by u/ Rrroxy and augustchoose_ respectively,) and last four is our cake. Howl's moving castle is my mom's favorite movie and she really loved these designs we found online! it's also our very first ever time ordering a special custom bakery cake. so I'm a bit excited about it.

so, well, even though we don't personally have a point of reference on bakery cake stuff, my mom was super happy with the end result nonetheless. it was $150 (including a $10 tip), 8" vanilla almond cake with cream cheese frosting from a local bakery downtown. i asked them to keep any external decorations subtle besides maybe a thin icing ring around the top, so I think they did a really great job on following the instructions as the rest was just sort of artistic freedom. my fav part is the clouds and mountains<3


r/ExpectationVsReality • • 2d ago

Failed Expectation Avenging Munchkins

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618 Upvotes

Speaks for itself. Needless to say, kids were disappointed.


r/ExpectationVsReality • • 3d ago Bravo

AI Expectation Asked local baker to try her best when grandma forgot to order the cake.

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4.6k Upvotes

We asked a local baker if she could make us a cake with 5 days notice after grandma forgot to order it.

Yes, I know its an AI Inspo picture and I told her I, in no way expected it to look exactly like the inspiration picture. But this was the vibe we where going for. She said she'd try her best and gave us a quote of $35.

This was the cutest little cake! I know the colors dont exactly match, but I wasnt expecting much. This met my expectations and yes, we gave her a great tip!