A lady at my work approached me and asked if I would make her a cake for Valentine's day, but it's not your typical cake. She wants a scroll type thing, that on it says "I Declare I Want A Divorce." Or a heart shaped cake that is decorated to look broken, saying somethng like, "You've broken my heart, I want a divorce." On a normal day, i would have no issues with it, but I don't know why, for Valentine's day, it's giving me issues. Would you agree to do it?

Is that supposed to be a joke??? If not, man, I know we (as the people baking and not receiving the cake) shouldn't care but it's a pretty mean thing to do. If you don't feel like you would hurt your sales (since she works with you and you might not want her to be telling other people about you not wanting to bake a cake for her), I wouldn´t do it...

I completely understand your concerns... What a weird request!

Inma

Gina,
I agree with you. I think it's not really something that I would want to do. If this person has something they want to tell their spouse I think they should be willing to do it themselves. I think it's almost a cowerdly way out and I personally would not want to be involved.
I don't mean to offend anyone if they feel differently than this but it puts you in an awkward situation.
I suppose it like someone asking you to make a cake with sexual overtones...if it's something that you don't feel comfortable doing you shouldn't feel compelled to.
Hope this helps you,
Jennz818

I think every cake decorator comes across a cake that they have a problem doing. Sometimes I don't think you necessarily have to agree with a cake to do it, but if its something that makes you uncomfortable or you truly do not want to do it, then I say just turn it down.
I'm not sure I would do this one.

Personally, I think this would be a terrible cake to receive & find it odd that someone would even do that to another person. Maybe she is just angry, but I would be humiliated to get a cake like that.

Or maybe I'm just overthinking it

That's a pretty novel and creative way to do that, IMO. But perhaps the phrase "The customer is always right" works here. Even if it's not something you yourself would do, it IS something that a paying customer would do. Perhaps you can just take heart in knowing that it isn't anything you would do to someone.

Then again if you really have serious reservations about it, then explain that you would rather not fill that order, give reasons if you would like.

Personally, I would not do it.
Cakes are usually for celebrations and I hardly think that a divorce is a time to celebrate. Besides, would you eat a piece of a divorce cake?

Now I know that you were only asked to do it, and it is money in your pocket, and that is all.

It just saddens me to see another marriage ending. It is truly tragic, and I personally, just would have a hard time baking a cake for this occasion.
Who knows if the husband even sees it coming.

Just my opinion though.

I would do it! We don't know the wife's side of the story, maybe he deserves it! And at the very least, if the cake is delicious it might soften the blow!

I've been thinking about it for a couple of minutes now, and I decided that I'd prefer being served a cake!

I don't think I could do it. I'm like the other person who's just imagining some poor guy possibly thinking he's going to celebrate Valentine's Day with his wife and then she pulls out this cake and laughs in his face. I can imagine, if he's hot-tempered, things might even get really ugly at her "joke". I would want no part in it. Is she a good enough friend to you that she would understand your reasons for not wanting to do it? Or is she spiteful enough to hold it against you and badmouth you to others? Maybe you can tell her after looking at your schedule, you're just too booked with orders to fit in yet another. Good luck!

ugh i have to agree. I wouldn't want it done to me. and i sure wouldn't want to do that to anyone else. if she wants a cake for a divorce party then that's a different story. but if she is doing it just to be mean and weasle her way out. then nah i wouldn't do it at all. and i'd tell her you feel very uncomfortable doing something of that nature.

wow.......I'm not sure what I would do. I wouldn't want to be served a cake like that. But I guess there would be 2 sides to the story.

i just think as a decorator and cake artist youre supposed to bring joy to others with your creations... and you have the right to refuse service, the customer isnt always right if it compromises your values.. Even IF he deserves it! Remember every cake you make represents you and your business.. i couldnt do it..

I personally would decline doing a cake like this. No need to get invovlved in that kind of dispute. You know that she will tell her friends what she did thinking that she is "so cool" with her way in handling that, but then her friends may or may not agree and might ask who made the cake. I wouldn't want my name attached to something as tacky as that. Word of mouth travels very quick and I would think that this kind of press would hurt your business in the long run. Good luck.

Nope. Wouldn't do it. I'd tell her in a nice way I just really don't feel right doing something like that.

I really question her mental state handling a divorce situation like this. She needs counseling!

Nope--I wouldn't do it either. However, I would offer to make her a celebration cake when the divorce is final!

Of course, this is coming from a home baker. If I had a business, then I would probaby do it. Wouldn't like it--but a job is a job is a job and all that.

Lisa

I don't get it. Maybe she's getting the idea from the commercial recently broadcast on tv!?!? If you are uncomfortable and you are questioning it, than deep inside your heart is saying that you shouldn't do it. somehow say that you understand that she is uncomfortable in her marriage, but is a cake the way to ask for a divorce? Then just say that you are uncomfortable doing it, but will support her otherwise. You get out of the situation, but with your dignity.

You know, to me, getting him arrested seems less tacky than giving him this cake! At least if he's getting arrested he has some idea of what is going on and how he got in that situation.

I personally would not make it.

As for knowing her side of the story, what's his side? I have a friend that calls me when she and her husband gets in fights and the husband calls my husband and the crazy thing is that they are blaming the other one for the exact same thing!

No, that's cruel and mean and I would want no part of that.

Most importantly follow your heart. Being proud of who you are and what you do is more important than any cake. That being said I would do it. The guy has to know its coming, and its not like she is not going to divorce him anyway. All I know is if my husband wanted a divorce and gave me a cake, I would say fine, pack your bags, get out of my house. and then have my friends over to eat the lovely cake he bought me

I agree with luv2cake, cakes are for celebrations. Also it makes me feel that if I did the cake that I just got in the middle of that mess. You can tell her that you feel uncomfortable doing this kind of cake if it does make you uncomfortable. If a cake makes me uncomfortable, I just won't do it. And you will learn the customer is not always right. You just have to find a way to let them know in a nice way. Good luck!
Vicky

Nope.

Don't do it - bad karma

I not only think it's cold and heartless, but it is extremely immature.
Goodness, I hope there are no children involved!

I'm not a professional, I bake because I love it. When I'm baking, all I can think about is how happy it will make the person it's for. I think something like that would be a dark twist to something I love.... No way!!!!

Follow your heart......

I wouldn't do it. I bet even if you did decide to do it that the woman would change her mind and never pick the cake up. Then you'd be stuck on Valentines Day with a cake that says "I want a divorce" And how on earth would you unload a cake with that lovely sentiment? You certainly couldn't donate it! Unless I'm just too old fashioned and divorce cakes are "in".

No. No. and No.

It just seems unnecessarily cruel. Maybe the guy is a jerk, but can you really know that for sure? And surely there are better ways to handle ending a marriage.

This might hit a little too close to home for me. I baked a heart-shaped Valentine's cake for my husband years ago. We were having problems, but I was doing my best to show him I cared. He looked at it, then took a big kitchen knife and cut a big jagged line down the middle of the heart. Later that night he asked me for a divorce.

Cake is supposed to be a happy thing!!

I agree with almost everyone - it's just bad taste and bad karma. Even if it is a business there are lines and limits. And even if the guy deserves it, she could take the "high road" and have a bit of class about it.

What do you stand to gain? $20 profit? Is that worth it to you to be part of something that might be really hurtful? I can't imagine a realistic profit for a cake being worth knowing I was involved in the situation.

I don't think that I would do it, however, you could bake the cake, even the broken heart and tell her that if she wants that written, she will need to buy the tube frosting from the grocery store and write that herself. If she cares, she will understand your concern here. That way, you've baked the cake, decorated it for her (the hard part and made a little money). As far as anyone else is concerned...you don't know what she did with it when it left your hands.

Just my 2 cents!

Wanda

Whether I have a cake shop or I'm a homebaker, this would be one cake that would not be done by me at all...especially if I had a shop...which I will in March. I wouldn't want my business known for doing a cake such as this one. I'm sure this woman is feeling pretty clever for having this idea of asking for a divorce via a cake, but it's nothing more than childish. I would be embarrased as to what people would think of me if I asked someone to make a cake like this! If I truly was that heartless, I'd rather make it for him myself...that would be even more cruel. Just as cruel and hurtful as HollyPJ's experience must have been. But her requesting a cake like this from a baker is very telling about her personality and maturity. I say don't do it...even if your only slightly uncomfortable.