I'm never selling a cake again! (long rant alert!) - Page 2

I hate that this has happened and is, obviously, upsetting. Do you have her phone number? I would immediately call her and ask her to return the cake for a full refund. Otherwise, she will use it and still expect a refund claiming she had not other choice (when we all know groceries have cakes ready to go.)

I notice the template you used is designed to be used with a 10" cake... might have been a slight error in size judgment on your part as most people do not envision a slice of cake being those of Wilton proportions.

Otherwise, I like what KHalstead has to offer for advice:




Try not to let it ruin your day, but I know that it is easier said than done.

Personally, for a kid's birthday I would not use the wedding cake serving size as a guideline. Consequently, I think an 8" cake is way too small for 20 people. She was likely expecting to be able to serve a healthy wedge to each child rather than a tiny dessert size piece. (With my relatives, if I tried to serve a wedding size piece of cake at a family birthday, they'd think I was nuts. They expect a good size piece and probably want seconds.)

As to the look of the cake, it's all a matter of expectations. She wanted something close to the pictures; apparently she liked the look of a "fat" star from the shaped pan; that's what she wanted (and didn't get). Any deviation from what she expected probably should have been explained to her in advance.

Also, I can't imagine not putting a birthday cake in a box. I've never done that.

Was the cake 3-4 inches tall?

I mean you used all the whole cake right? You cut pieces out and made the tips of the stars with the cut out pieces right?

I think 20 servings out of that is fine. I can't find it but I'm sure the Wilton party chart is at least 20 servings for an eight inch square.

The lady was rude bordering on psycho-ness.

If she never ever writes emails like that then she's been saving it up and hammered you with all her pent up angst. Hey if she doesn't like it she doesn't like it. She's off kilter to be so condemning. I know that's a strong word but it's like you trampled her flower garden or vandalized her property or something. And of course that did not happen.

She's put your face on some other issue she's dealing with aka w.h.a.c.k.o

I mean even wilton's party chart says the 8" square serves 20--so all the pieces were used in the design--nothing was discarded right? It's close but between the 32 wedding and the 20 party servings the servings are completely there--

Guys, a celebration cake is not a family cake. If people want oversize or additional servings they order more cake.

I think op did good in that regard. I mean she can take chicklette to the industry standard and show her in no uncertain terms that the servings were indeed there --so long as the cake was two layer and three to four inches tall.

***edited to say--oh oh oh you did discard some cake--I see that now in the diagram--you still have it wedding size servings though and it's not a family dinner party--it's for a classroom

I agree that the servings as explained were sufficient. This lady is just being flat out nasty. And her remark about "praying for you" further proves that she lacks a true Christian nature.

I do encourage you to take pics in the future but hey it happens to us all. I had a lady totally go off on me about a cake she was unspecific about. Later I found that her gesture toward her husband's ex-wife were dismissed and she took it out on me. That's life, chalk it up, you can't please everyone.

I am interested in knowing what happened to the cake that it was in such bad shape when she saw it.

I mean honestly, what kid let alone a classroom full of kids are able to pick out the flaws in a cake? She is being dramatic on that part. All the kids see is CAKE!!

Keep your head up!

If one size larger is starting with a 9"--yeah cool--but cutting a 10" square is too big in my opinion.

Perhaps you could/should have explained to her how the "fat" star she was seeing in the picture would be different since you didn't have that particular pan. I don't remember what the Wilton star pan looks like but I have to say that if I were planning on a fat (perhaps rounded/puffy) star cake and got a sharper pointed star I'd be upset too. If it's what I show a potential client and what they want, then I have to make as close to that as I possibly can whether I favor the style or not. I favor the elongated county/primative style star myself, but I wouldn't make that style if a client wanted another style. Most people will cut a round cake in wedges. Need more servings. then the wedges get smaller/thinner. Whenever an odd/irregular shape/size cake is presented I feel special instructions needs to be provided for cutting said cake, otherwise the server won't have a clue as to how to cut it to get the servings needed.

I deliver all cakes in boxes/containers suitable for transport and storage. If the cake is going to someone from whom I cannot expect to get the container back it goes out in a cake box. I've been able to reuse my full sheet and half sheet boxes and boards because I get them back from the clients. Cake boxes are cheap and more professional looking than a cake in a cardboard box with plastic over it. Cakes should always go out in a clean closed container, even if it's just going across the street.

I just can't believe that someone would send you an email like that, it's one of the rudest emails I have ever seen.

Is it possible that her kids were picking up the cake and carrying it around to show each other? I could imagine kids doing that, and maybe someone almost dropping the cake or setting it down half on top of something, and then not wanting to tell their mom that they had damaged it (seeing as she is one scary woman), so saying it arrived that way. What kind of board was it on?

Yes, I agree there. I am pretty persnickity about details.


Yes! So true. A little off topic here, but I heard a commercial this morning for carpet cleaning service. They emphasized the fact that their employees show up in uniform and that they are screened pre employment. That's cool, saying we're professionals, and our people are gonna show up looking that way!

Not trying to jack the thread, but all of the cake boxes I have encountered were really flimsy and/or not tall enough. Most of the time I use a brand new moving box cut to size and then tape waxed paper over the top, because the cake boxes I've bought just don't seem strong enough. These are the ones from the craft store or walmart, would the ones at the cake decorating supply shop be stronger?

This woman could have been much less hateful and just said she wasn't happy with the cake and she'd like to return it for her money back, but she obviously felt the need to be rude and obnoxious about it. Not all customers are like this so don't get discouraged. This woman is probably this way in every aspect of her life; we call people like this ugly Americans.

Pookie hit on a couple things that came to mind instantly:

Wedding cake servings are not the same size as party cake servings so if you're doing a party cake - go by the 2" x 2" guidelines, not the 1" x 2". I had no idea there was a difference when I started making cakes until someone else pointed it out to me. Also, I ALWAYS tell people that the servings are based on the slice being 1" x 2" or 2" x 2", depending on the event. That way they know not to cut big honkin chunks of cake like they would at home then get ticked when their cake for 100 only feeds 30.

The other thing is you must deliver in a cake box! I know it's an additional expense but it really protects the cake and makes for a much more professional appearance. Even if you deliver a pristine cake anything can happen to it after you deliver it if it's not in a box. Someone's hair could fall on it or they could bump it when looking at it and knock something off, their cat could jump up on the counter and lick it. Next thing you know the customer is calling because there's something wrong with the cake.

My suggestion to the OP is to put cakes in a box whenever possible. I will say that I do not deliver 3-4 tier wedding cakes in a box. I have also done 2D cakes that were 30 inches long and that was also delivered w/o a box.

Whenever possible a box is a professional presentation but in my experience it is not always feasible.

Also, try brpboxshop. I have used their boxes and they are more sturdy than say Wilton boxes (which are crap IMO). They are priced decently too. I have used moving boxes for odd shapes and such in a pinch.