Cake Decorating Community - Cakes We Bake

Need advice. I've been running my little cake business from my house. Mainly baking for friends. Well I was encouraged to start a Facebook page to sell my cakes so I did. This past weekend I filled an order for a customer. They loved the look of the cake but said it tasted horrible. I did two other cakes with the same mix and the customers said they were wonderful. This customer ordered a 3 tier cake made to look like a Minion with little gum paste minions all over it and 2 dozen cupcakes. I charged her $80 for everything. Usually I try to bake fresh but I knew I had several coming up at once so I had baked a week earlier and frozen these cakes. The cupcakes were baked he night before delivery. It was a heavy cake. When the customer served the cake they said it was wet and tasted nasty then they demanded a full refund. In the meantime the customer's mother-in-law went on Facebook and started ranting about how I over charged her daughter and how white people are like that taking advantage of people all the time etc. it has now become a race issue and I'm being slandered on Facebook. She asked all her friends to comment and said they were going to sue me over all their medical bills. Just as a side note the cake had defrosted for two days before it was assembled so it wasn't frozen and it wasn't wet when it was delivered wet cake cannot stand up to the weight on it and will crumble no matter how much support is inside. Anyway this has become a nightmare for me. She even posted a pic I sent the girl from a week earlier of one of the gum paste minions and comments were made that no wonder the cake was nasty it was started that early. As we all know you can't make gum past decorations overnight and have them dry and hold their shape. All that aside does anyone have any advice for me? I'm so upset about this I'm loosing sleep and have gone so far as to take down my Facebook page.

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Oh, Darlene, this just makes me sick.  I respectfully disagree with your Pastor.  Since you did nothing wrong in the first place, you had to do nothing to be "the right thing".  I can just hear the creep gloating....glad you made her come to the law office for her refund.

Yes Sandra, I think that is why it bugs me....the thought that she is gloating  She really did not deserve it especially because of the way she went about it.  I don't understand why people have to be so nasty.  To me, that is when I don't want to do anything for them.  Sometimes the ones that have a point are so nice about the whole thing that I will bend over backwards to help them.

100% agreed, Goreti!  And it is easy to tell the difference!

New detail, my son went on FB and found her page.  There are pics from the party.  Apparently they had it at a local park, outdoors.  No telling how long this cake sat in the sun.  We are in South Mississippi on the Gulf Coast. With a good breeze, temps during the day can reach 100 with horrible, horrible humidity.  Walk outside and you start to sweat.  I told her when she picked up the cake not to put it in the fridge or leave it in the heat, fondant sweats in the fridge and will melt in the heat, especially as hot as it gets here.  And since it was marshmallow fondant......we you know what happens.  I feel like I have been scammed.  I know that cake was left outside in the heat and started melting and it wouldn't take long for it to get an off taste either.  I have a lady picking up a cake this evening and I have a slice of it waiting on her to taste test.  That way she knows exactly what she is getting and if any remarks are made, I can say well you tasted it and liked it when you picked up the cake what happened.

Seriously?!!!   

Holy Smoke.....why am I not surprised!!!! This is why it's good to wait before you jump on a decision. Yes Darlene, I do believe you got "scammed"!!! Most likely the cake sat for some time....the look would have changed...melted, drooping. And don't even get me started on the bacteria!!!!

I don't know what to say to you Darlene, other than, you have been had.

If we are to be completely (and unreasonably) generous to this 'lady' complete ignorance about food health and safety could have started this off.  But you warned her and of course, she knew better, and ignored you, clearly.

Big lesson learned here Darlene.  Harsh, but you will never make that mistake again.

Darlene, just chalk it up to experience and put it behind you.  Some people are just not nice!  Whatever you do, do not let this experience prevent you pursuing your dream.  You are a fine cake designer and deserve to enjoy your business.  And remember.....we've always got your back!

So glad I found this site!!  You guys are amazing!!  Thanks for all the kind words.

Glad to help Darlene. It's so crummy when you've been taken for a ride. It's happened to all of us, and not necessarily in the cake field. But, these situations make us stronger, resilient, if we let them. Best thing is to not let this define you, and cake on just like it never happened. Don't give her the power to steal your joy...

Now, THAT was what I was trying to say.....what June said!!

Hello, I also run a cake business, mostly custom 3D cakes...At this point I would just give the refund and chalk one up to a lesson learned, people who want to take advantage of you will.  I pick and choose my client very well and fortunately I haven't run into problems.  But to save me grief I would give the refund with a smile and apology...all part of doing business. Don't beat yourself up about it!  PS. Don't know the size of your cake, but it seems to me you way undercharged for a 3 tier and 24 cupcakes.

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