I have never posted on this forum before but I'm in the middle of a disaster and needed some advice! I have an order for a womans birthday. The husband wanted a sheet cake (serves 54) with a flower shaped cake on top (serves 15), and he wanted it in a flower power theme with purple, pink, orange, yellow, blue, and green colors.

Weeeell, I finished the cake last night at midnight and it looks SO tacky and ugly. The flower on top looks really random. I would show a picture but our camera just ran out of batteries.

I charged him $86 @ 1.25/serving. Should I reimburse him? Was that too much money?

I have to deliver the cake at 3pm today.

No, do not reimburse unless you get a valid complaint about the cake. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. What looks tacky to you may be gorgeous to someone else. Just let it go. When this customer orders another cake from you, you'll know there was nothing wrong with this cake.

Ok, I just uploaded a picture of the cake...

Since I can't see your cake, it's really hard to suggest anything. You say that the flower on top looks "random" ~ can you stick a few smaller flowers around it, or maybe some leaves or stems or somthing to add to the flower and make it appear less random?

Also, I want to remind you that what appears to be crap in our eyes is a fantastic work of art in others' eyes!!!! Just because you don't think this cake is perfect, doesn't mean that it's not the exact cake the client wanted! I would wait to see the client's reaction to the cake before doing or saying anything. If he/she appears really disappointed, maybe say something like, "I want you to be no less than thrilled with your cake. What can I do to make that happen?" Bottom line, you have to at least get your cost out of the cake. I mean, they will still eat it, no matter how it looks, right? So at least get your supplies out of it, if you feel you have to give a refund. HTH!

You did a great job, and it looks like exactly what the customer ordered! Don't offer a refund - if the customer is unhappy, he will let you know.

I can't see what it is about this cake that makes you think it looks like crap but even though it may not be your personal favorite it looks like you fulfilled your customers wishes. I'm sure they will be pleased.

looks like "flower power" tp me - don't be so hard on yourself- it looks like just what he asked for

To me it's like hearing your own voice on the answering machine... still makes me cringe!! Because your cake it beautiful! I think it looks great and sounds like you did just what he ordered. I'm sure he'll love. Let us know how he reacts when he sees it.

i love the colors. its a pretty cake. definitely worth what u charged!

Thanks. I think I've felt like I've been on a roll lately with really good orders and responses and suddenly it was like I stopped dead in my tracks saying, "maybe I'm not that good!"

I've only been in "business" for about 4 months so I'm still not used to this! Does the anxiety ever go away? I mean, every time my husband goes and delivers a cake, I literally sit by the phone waiting to hear about some disaster. Don't get me wrong, I love being able to do this, I just am hoping that I'll be able to calm down and enjoy myself again while doing something that I normally love to do.

I guess I needed to vent! Thanks for listening. =)

AWESOME ! Cake looks just like a flower power theme from the 70s!! nice job !!! dont worry turned out great and perfect colors to !!

it's not YOU

it's the CUSTOMER --

you gave him just what he ordered.

looks great.

OK- it is a bit much. But that's what flower power looked like. That is what the customer ordered and it does remind me of the period. The lettering is perfect. You may be too young to remember the psychedelic age but you have caught the spirit of it.

I'm a product of the 60's and 70's looks groovey to me!!!

I was expecting to see some hideous cake. There's nothing wrong with the cake. I bet the customer will be quite pleased.

I agree with everyone else, you're cake is awesome and you did a great job.

As for the anxious feelings, well, those take time. I used to start thinking right from the beginning that there was no way my cake was going to turn out, it would be ugly and it wouldn't look anything like the picture or what I wanted. Then when I was finished I would be astonished at what I did and how great it looked! And then I would realized how silly I was! So, the lesson is that it will get better and you will get more confident .

...mmm.....Feeling groovyyyy...la la la lala...la...
ohhhh......sorry cats
.....................I was having a moment
inspired by the cool cake.
it's perfectly outa sight

...mmm.....Feeling groovyyyy...la la la lala...la...
ohhhh......sorry cats
.....................I was having a moment
inspired by the cool cake.
it's perfectly outa sight ...
........la la la..........

I like it if I told you I wanted a flower power cake that would be something that I would have wanted. Maybe some peace signs...lol

Looks great! Your handwriting is gorgeous!

If I didn't know the story behind it, and just saw it, Flower Power would be the first thing that would come to my mind!

I think they will love it!

-Michelle

Ps...I feel that way about every single cake I ever make. By the time I'm done I HATE it and can't imagine why anyone would like it, and then I hear its the best cake they've ever had and they love it! Go figure. (I totally agree about your own voice on the answering machine! ewwww)

I LOVE it!! The funkier the better, in my opinion, and I think bright colors always look great on a birthday cake.

$1. 25/slice seems soooo inexpensive! Isn't an average price for BC $2.50/slice? But I realize you have to price according to locality.

Stacie

Thanks Everyone! He liked the cake! I'm so relieved And I'm so grateful for all of the encouragement...

I charge $2/serving for regular bc cakes and $1.25/serving for sheet cakes.

I would say its a keeper. I think you did a great job.

See? All of that worry for nothing! Your cake was really cute and it sounds like you made what he asked for!

[quote=[quote:8aa9a0b643]"marecip"]...mmm.....Feeling groovyyyy...la la la lala...la...
ohhhh......sorry cats
.....................I was having a moment
inspired by the cool cake.
it's perfectly outa sigh[/quote:8aa9a0b643]

COOL CAKE! Anyone on here old enough to remember "Laugh In"

You really "Socked It To Him"!!

Sock It To Me...Sock It To Me....Sock It To Me, Baby! LOL

This is FUN FUN FUN!

Beth in KY

How funny I remember LAUGH IN... AND GOLDIE HAWN !! HA !! LOL!!!FUN TIME!!! THE GOOD OLE DAYS !!!

I think it looks like what he wanted. I would not offer a refund at all. We are our own worse critic. I think you did a great job. It's far out man!!!

Wonderful job! Love your lettering! The colors! I am a product of the 60's and 70's too. Sooo, I can relate to this cake. I remember Laugh In too!

Glad to hear that he liked it!

Peace Out... hehehe

I think the cake looks GREAT and is super funky and I bet he's going to love it. It sounds like just what he wanted. My girls would love a cake like this! I just did aa retro 70's cake for a friend and it was white fondant with BRIGHT colored flowers all over and I marbled some of the colors and did peace signs and made a few rainbows, etc. It was wild and not "pretty" LOL but its what she wanted "bright, almost neon colors with retro flowers, rainbows, peace signs, etc" So that's what she got. Like I said, I think he's going to like it if that's what he asked for!

Steph