Okay, several months ago, I had a wedding cake that leaned. I gave a discount on that cake, and it was no big deal. I went out and bought a leveler and had a cake Saturday (please go http://www.ediblydivine.com/4.html and see the first wedding cake on that page it is white with big dark purple flowers in between the separator plates) to that I made sure was leveled properly as it was five tiers and separated. On the way there, I had to make a sudden stop and the base cake shifted and was damaged a bit (not to bad though as the cakes were not assembled before hand). I just basically had to refrost the cake in the back and after the cake was assembled you could not see any flaws. Anyway, I had to assemble this big cake, made sure it was leveled and everything but the cake table was put on a moving dance floor that gave when ever anyone stepped on it which made the cake move slightly. I warned the people in charge at the casino reception place that the floor was making me nervous but also showed them that the cake was level (using the leveler) and was as good as I could make it given the floor it was on.

The brides mother just called and said that the cake fell before the bride even got there. (I left at 3:30 and the reception started at 4:00) Now what! I feel like quitting honestly. I did everything possible to make sure that that cake was perfect! The mother said she was told that the cake had shifted in the van on the ride over and now is assuming that the cake was damaged and that this is why it fell! I told her I would call her back after talking to the casino manager in charge that day.

Any thoughts? I am freaking out! Thanks

A few things...

* sounds like you had some people that would be able to confirm that the cake was level when you left, and that you put someone on notice about the floor. I would get that information to her.

* I know a lot of people get someone to sign off on the cake before they leave. I don't do this but really need to. I made a cake that turned in to a disaster when I got there and redid the whole cake the best I could. I refunded most of the money on the cake because, even though it wasn't my fault, I didn't feel right taking it.

Now, that being said, your "disaster" sounds less severe than mine (all my icing slid off the cake) so refunding most of the money doesn't sound like it is justified. I would talk to the club and get information from them.. Someone saw something, including your set up... then talk to your customer and maybe offer some sort of refund to make her happy. These are just my thoughts. I always try to be humble enough but not too much to give everything away.

Yes I could see how it probably was permamently damage from the car ride over, but the moving floor seems like the inevitable culprit to me. Surely the casino manager remembers you expressing your unassuredness about the moving floor???

Also, did the whole cake fall flat or were they able to still serve any of it? I would say that if you are looking at a refund...I would do a 50%.

Good luck, HTH, and DON'T GIVE UP!!!!

And about you feeling so bad. I know exactly how you feel, and I know others have experienced the same thing. Once I got my disaster cake set up and we were driving off, I started to cry cry cry!! I had only had 3 hours sleep that night because my cakes were a disaster from the start and nothing went right. I just wanted to crawl in a hole and hide. I was so scared to do another cake.. didn't want anything to do with it!!!

You will be alright.. don't doubt yourself..... it will get better!! Hang in there!!

Don't quit just because you had a bad experience. I almost did that, but then I realized that this is what I love to do, and I can't give it up. Dont let the cake defeat you. Hang in there! If is truly what you want to do, don't quit! These are learning experiences. I always tell my clients that once I set the cake up, and take a picture, my part is done. If you did everything you could do to make sure it was level and stable, you have nothing to worry about.

what kind of supports did you use? all your cakes are beautiful so dont give up. Im sure your gut instinct of the moving floor was to blame for this failure, thats not your fault but unfortunately they will see it as yours anyway. Do you have anything in your contract about this kind of situation? wait to see what the manager has to say about the event first, was there any cake salvagable or was it a total loss. as for refunds i dont know, so i too will wait to see what others say. sorry this happened to your cake.

First off, who the heckputs a stacked cake on a moving floor?
That's nuts! If you were able to show it was level and it fell on a moving floor I dont see where any refund is due from you. Only who ever insisted it be on a moving floor.
I'd deff get a hold of whoever you showed that to<the leveling> and inform mother of that and the fact that it was on a moving floor, not your fault nor your responsibility.
Sorry for the bride and all but you cannot control what happens after you leave and the freaking floor moves...what are you going to do, stand there and juggle cake?

So sorry you had to go through this and the bride and her mom too, but they are looking at the wrong person to assume responsibility.

Note to self for next time--never let on about what happens on the way over or say anything negative about your cake.

Come here and vent and the board will debrief you--never ever give aid and comfort to the enemy.

And on this issue, and while it's truly unfortunate, and I feel your pain, but you shot yourself in the foot and if it was me I'd fully refund at a minimum.

It was probably a combination of the two issues and the cat's out of the bag. No wedding cake is a big hairy deal. After the car issue the dowel shifted--getting it level is great--restoring the supports is critical. How fresh was the cake? When did you bake it? Had it been chilled ever? Was it chilled at the time?

I mean you need to check your understanding and find out exactly what happened and if the whole cake fell--forget it.

(((big hug))) So sorry, CaKe-Buddy!! This will pass and don't let it get you down too long. Take your licks and move on to bigger and better.

OMG I LOVE you guys so much right now! I haven't cried until reading your replies! It means so much to have all of you to fall back on. I am just starting at all of this and just got my license 6 months ago so I am certainly still learning.

I really don't think that the damage done to the base cake caused this cake to fall. I Totally agree about not saying anything bad about my cake again to anyone else! That's all I have been thinking since getting this call! Anyway, the cake was well supported really. I had a leaning cake a few months ago and swore to never have a leveling issue again so I take GREAT care in supports now.

The cake was baked the day before and never chilled. It was a WASC filled with Raspberry filling. I am confident that had this cake sat on a regular floor, it would not have moved or shifted or anything. Lesson learned: ask the bride about the flooring!

Regardless, I did show the staff that the cake was level from all angles and warned them about the floor and the assured me that the only ones who would cross the floor would be the bride and groom, but they had a DJ on one side and a band on the other and I know that they kept crossing (even while I was there). Really, when you step on that kind of floor, each step unlevels the floor its self and this would cause the table to become unleve and would cause a shift in those separator plates on the dowels. Basically, this cake was on 4 levels of STILTS on a moving floor! Lessons well learned but I sear I think I hate this whole cake thing right now and just feel sick over all of it.

I will call the casino in about 45 minutes after my niece leaves. I don't really feel like dealing with any of this until then. I am so scared about what this will do to my name and business. I do know that I want to make it clear to the casino manager that this was not due to my negligence so that they will not be tempted to blame it on me too!

I will probably offer some kind of refund but should I cut her a check or give it to her in a gfit certificate for future cake form? I am crawling back under the covers and will peak out in a bit. Thanks to all of you, really you are all such a blessing.

It happens to everyone at one time or another. Don't quit! Remember why you started, because you enjoyed doing it right?

Just like riding a horse; if you fall off, get right back up there.

Think of what it would be like if everyone quite just because something went wrong one day. It would be pretty ugly!

I would get statements from the casino people that you spoke with about the floor. It was obviously fine when you left the venue. Perhaps someone bumped the table, tried to move the table, you never know.

But for next time, get yourself a document and have someone sign it that the cake was delivered and set up to specifications.

Chin up and have a great day!

Oh oh oh--wait wait wait hold the presses--it shifted en route but the cake was assembled on site????

Oh wait wait wait--I didn't see that the first time.
Hmm compelty different ball of wax huh.

Ok then the condition of the cake innerds comes in question now.

My cake is baked early in the week, assembled, frozen, iced late in the week decorated and delivered chiled. My cake has aged a bit and for me this makes for better more accurate cutting and serving--no crumbling.

So does anyone else feel that fresh baked room temperature cake is more prone to crumble (for example not as accurate when cutting slices? more crumbling) especially when encountering g-forces en route?

I have to say that a dowel probably shifted from the car trip. Even if you put a level on the plate on top of the cake and it looked fine< there was still a dowel that was no longer perfectly vertical And the pressure of the cakes above is what did in the cake.

Please look at SPS. there's a Sticky at the top of the How Do I? Forum. Because the legs and plates are physically tied together, the support system can not shift.

Hey girls,

I didn't dowel the cake at all until I arrived on site. I never dowel until I get there (afraid of needing to do it twice) so the dowels never shifted at all.

I added extra support in the corner where the cake had gotten bumped as well (just in case it should need it). I really feel that the cake was sturdy, as sturdy as an undisturbed car ride would have allowed. I really feel that the floor giving with each step was to blame but of course I am the cake lady! I am calling him right now and will write more then. BEFORE I call the mother of the bride.

I know it doesn't help you now, but in the future if you are ever again instructed to set a cake up on a table or in any location that, by your assessment, does not seems safe and sturdy enough to hold the cake, then you refuse to set the cake up in that spot and inform them exactly why and that they need to come up with a plan B for the location of the cake. I have only ever had to do this once at an outdoor event, but I was insistent and I do feel that I averted disaster there.

If you doweled correctly on site I fail to see how your cake fell without some "help" from an outside source - ie the floor moving.

I would do some real investigating on this before even speaking refund. The cakes should never be subjected to heavy vibrations, jiggling or whatever. It is food not syrofoam. I have read that heavy vibrations from sound systems can bring a cake down and I believe it. (My son has a heavy metal type band and I went to listen to his band play and I could feel the vibrations in the floor and in my chest - not good!!!)

I personally use stress free supports so I don't worry at all about a leg/dowel shifing or coming loose. I am so sorry this happened to you and I know how distressing this is. Here is a (((((hug))))) for you and hope things work out for you.

Just got off the phone with the reception manager guy. I asked what happened, he said the cake started to lean and that at 5:15 (I left at 3:40, doors and reception started at 4:00) or so the cake fell. He said no one was on the floor when it actually fell.

I told him that the cake was stable, level and perfect when I left and reminded him that I showed him this fact before leaving the casino. I also began talking about the floor moving and making the cake move and reminded him that I had voiced those concerns before leaving the cake. He acted like he didn't want to talk about that and after me mentioning it two or three times, he then says "Well, I didn't mention this to the bridal party or family, but when cutting the cake, I found one tier with only two dowels in it."

I almost came unglued but didn't. I explained to him that I count and recount my dowels (and then leave the number with the staff so they can be sure to get them all out) before and after putting them in the cake. Then I reminded him that I had to take the cake apart and relevel the dowels and when doing this rechecked all the dowels in the cake! There is NO WAY a tier only had two dowels. I was insulted when he even tried to say that! For that cake to have only had two dowels in one of the tiers, it would never had held up for 1 hour and 45 minutes or more on a moving floor no less! It would have fallen immediately. That cake was huge, very heavy and MOVING!!!

Anyway, I stayed professional with him, explained how I did not assume responsibility for the failure of that cake, was sorry that it had to happen, looked forward to working with hime but that in the future, if booking a cake there, I would require the cake to sit on the REAL floor!

Now it's time to call the mother of the bride. Yuck, I hate this part. Still not sure what to agree on to make this right with her. I don't want to give a refund because I feel like it's accepting responsibility for the cake falling but it is my business and reputation on the line. ??? UGHH!

Ok how could he be cutting it if it collapsed? Which tier? Sounds fishy.

I would call and tell her what happened and what you said when you left the cake. If it was your fault the cake would have fallen alot sooner. It was where they wanted the cake and the floors fault. And if you feel you need to give her something then give her a coupon for another cake. Good luck and as I see it it was not your fault.

oh God, you guys it was aweful! That phone call could not have gone worse!

So, i call her and (immediately she is very cold and mean acting) apologized that it happened and explained to her how my cakes are like my children and that I love my brides so much and want only the very best cake for them, etc.

I then told her that I spoke to the manager and that he said the cake stood for an hour and 45 minutes after the doors opened and guests arrived (she said it fell immediately which would have been 20 minutes after I left it) and that after starting to lean it finally fell. I also explained to her that only one tier was actually damaged and was not served and that the bride and groom were able to save a tier for their anniversary. I then explained to her that the slide in the car didn't actually cause damage to the cake and that really the cake was supported by dowels and that the floor movement was most likely causing the plates to shift on those dowels, making the structure unbalanced and weak.

I told her that I am 100% dedicated to creating cakes as perfectly as possible and that I wasn't completely happy with the cakes levelness and so I took the cake down, and rechecked all the dowels and made it perfectly level and then showed this to both managers, etc. I made it very clear that the cake falling was really not my fault. She then (after cussing and name calling) sayssomething about me giving her a full refund. I said, I am happy to refund a partial amount but that since it wasn't my fault, no full refund would be given. I first offered her a $150 gift certificate (the cake total not including delivery, etc fees was $416) she starts dropping the "F" bomb and threatening to "ruin me". So I said even though I am not at fault, I will REFUND $200 and that was it. Well, she started saying that I should giver her a full refund and I should have moved the cake table.

I told her that the contract states twice that it's the brides responsibility to provide a safe and secure table and environment for the cake and that after I leave, it's no longer my responsibilty. Then I realized she never SIGNED IT!!! And what's worse is that the mother KNEW this as though they didn't sign it on purpose! Why I didn't catch that I don't know!

Anyway, after hearing her call me every name in the book and threatening my business and reputation, I apologized again and then she says, well we're not returning your equipment! I said well then figure that as your refund. I then went straight to the bank with the deopisit check (which she will probably stop payment on). So I am out the silver cake plateau and all my separator plates, etc. I finally calmy said I truely am sorry, but I really did do the best that I could have done and if you feel the need to act this way and want to try to ruin my reputation, then so be it but I feel that my work speaks for it's self and that though I may lose a few potential customers, my business will survive.

So I ask you guys...it will survive right??? I feel proud that I created a beautiful cake, tried to work with her on the problem, to what I felt was reasonable, handled myself in a professional manner and did what I felt most comfortable doing.

I certainly have learned MANY lessons with this one and wish I could learn all the other lessons BEFORE doing my next wedding cake this weekend!

So what do you all think of how it went?

OH! I was also not supposed to have to put the flowers on the cake as that was written as the florists responsibility so I didn't charge her for that work though I had to do it anyway as it turned out! UGHH!

I'm not trying to rub salt in your wounds, but you should NEVER hold a deposit check for equipment. You deposit it just as you would any other money paid to you, and when your items are returned and in satisfactory condition, you then cut a company check for the refund of the deposit.

We all have to deal with disasters at one time or another, but the best you can do now is learn from it and move on. Have a drink and then try to put it behind you!

Maybe one more thing to learn--did you deposit the check in your bank? If it was a local check, next time take it to her bank and cash it. It can't bounce back to you that way. You get your moola free & clear & away you go.

The venue set her up to rip into you though.

I don't think it was your fault.

On my order blank, I say that payment confirms all changes in lieu of signature--like especially when stuff goes back & forth over the email.

Sorry to hear about you troubles with the cake. Live and learn right?

CYA means Cover Your A**! lol

Really, look into SPS. Cheap, easy, sturdy.

wow thats crazy! i think people when given a thought of something said, like the incident in the car, that they run with it, people are always out to get something for nothing. of course the venue wanted to blame you and not themselves for this mishap so they had to mention what you said. so super sorry that went so wrong. i am curious to see if that ck clears tho. i sure hope it does. your work is fabulous btw!! go open that wine now, hehe!

Sweetie join the club, I just posted a disaster cake a few threads above yours!!!! Now, I know I'm not the only one who's felt terrible and thought of quitting! WE CAN DO THIS! Don't be too hard on yourself, things happen. Gee, I wish I could take my own advice! You are fabulous and so are your cakes, keep up the good work and remember tomorrow is a new day and a new opprotunity! Happy Baking my sister!

K8memphis- you are so right about going to their bank but she lives about 30 minutes from me. She probably stopped payment on it right away anyway. Live and learn and learn I have! Also love your idea about the signature in lieu of all changes thing. Deff using that!

fem128- Thanks for clearing that up for me! I was thinking call your attorney! Crazy paranoid I guess! Cover my a$$ i will from now on!

leahs- last time you told me about the sps thing and I didn't listen. Now I am. I think you posted earlier today where to go for that but in case you didn't, can you please??? Thanks

One more thing for all following this: the reception manager told me that before the caketastophe, they had some sort of altercation/accident within the bridal party that sort of spoiled the day and so that's why he didn't mention the missing dowels he claimed to notice (FYI there were NO MISSING DOWELS!) but made me think that he was just trying to cover his butt by coming up with that cockamamee story to put the blame on me. Also makes it very clear why the mother of the bride was so intent on blaming me for ruining the brides day. I think someone else ruined it earlier and the cake just topped it all off. The mother of the bride also told me that someone video taped the cake falling. Now, don't you think that they would have done something before it fell if it was leaning so badly?? Crazy!

Whatever, I am glad it's over with and I feel confident with my work on this cake and proud of how I handled myself given my experience. I really hope that my work and business can withstand whatever hit she has coming. I believe it will. Thanks again everyone. I would have totally fallen apart today without all of you so thank you from the bottom of my heart.

wow-I am so sorry this happened to you! What a nightmare! Enjoy that wine!!!! I am so afraid of something like that happening to me.... thanks for posting about it-taught me a thing or two! Guess I should really invest in those SPS before something happens-lol.

BTW- I just looked at your website and your cakes are GORGEOUS!!! Your reputation will survive her wrath-your work will speak for itself! Good for you for standing your ground!