I see the point u r trying to make... but u have to see things from a diffrnt perspective... what if she doesn't remember who the cake belonged to?
I see cakes I like and I save the pics in a folder that I have named CC_Cakes.... and I don't know who did all those cakes... so she might not remember who it was... she might have tried to go back ad search for it and not found it....
don't always think is done with malice... it migh be an honest slip of the mind... but again....u can't let things like this peeved.... feel good that ur designs are so so nice that people are copying them all the time... if u get credit for it... grweat... if not... again think of all possible reasons not just bad reasons...

I thought the whole point of Cake Central was to share ideas, pictures, designs and recipes. I would be proud if someone liked one of my cakes enough to recreate it and I am sure the person that recreated your cake was proud of herself for being able to create it similar to yours (hense the reason she probably posted the pic). Unless she posted it and stated it was an original design of her own I wouldn't get so worked up.

I know I'm going to get flamed for this, but what the heck... I'm not seeing how the two cakes are so different. The differences I see are that she didn't make the cap as a topper (instead did the logo) and she used fewer mini baseballs as the border (I actually like her take on it better). I used cookie crumbs as dirt on the cake board and she didn't and she didn't add the lace ties on the cake board. IMO - the missing cap is the only substantive difference. Maybe I'm missing something.

I didn't think this would be a big deal. Obviously, I'm pretty clueless about forums. I'll stick to posting only on things that aren't such hot topics. Sorry to anyone I offended.

I would be tickled if someone copied one of my cakes. Not that anyone would, but I would be thrilled none the less.

Joyfull4444, I love your signature line

mamawrobin - Yeah right! All of your cakes have TONS of favorites. I'm sure you've inspired lots of people. I really love the Blue and White Birthday Cake - going into my favs and if/when I use if for inspiration I'll give you a shout out! Sorry, couldn't resist

Anything you put on the internet is pretty much fair game. If you don't want people using your ideas don't put them out there for everyone to see. I think we're propbaly all guilty of using someone elses idea at some time or another.

I honestly don't see what the big deal is, every idea is borrowed in some way, shape or form. Everything has been done before in some way, each person adds their own bit of "themselves" to a piece of work and to me, it's theirs. She executed it, it's not like she's stealing your pics or something.

I always try to acknowledge the cake I used for inspiration but with so many pictures, how can you know that was the original?

I have to agree with maddyscreations...what is the point of that save to favorites button if not for future reference?

Just had to share this with you guys and felt like this was a good opportunity. I had been working on a cake for my portfolio on paper and in my head so to speak for a couple of days. I logged onto cc one day and what do ya know....someone had made "my" cake I just shook my head and laughed. I hadn't even made the thing and someone already executed what I was trying to conjour up. God as my witness this IS a true story. Didn't mean to hijack the thread but has this ever happened to anyone else? I must say that I think that lady has really good taste There is NO WAY she could have known what I was thinking yet she made a cake so very similar to what I was thinking on that I got a kick out of it.

mamarobin- That's funny! I totally believe you! I have thought about an idea and see something similar posted on here and think I got beat to the punch that time! And when I do have an idea, that's saying something, for some reason I have a hard time coming up with things on my own. I will see something and wonder why I can't think up things like that.

still_learning: I see people post pictures of cakes that are almost identical to a Colette Peters, Debbie Brown, Cake Girls, (etc., etc., etc.,) design all the time around here --they never mention where they got their inspiration and, yes, others will ooh and ah over the creativity being none the wiser. It just happens. Would it be courteous to give a nod toward the "original" inspiration? In a perfect world, yes. Posting ones pics leaves one vulnerable to copy cat cakes being posted. It is just the nature of the beast, and it is usually best to let the beast lie quietly.

OP- I get what you're saying. You're disappointed, not irate or anything like that. I would probably feel the same way. It's both flattering and a little aggravating. You're not losing sleep over it but it's something that makes you go, "huh" when you run across it.

I just posted a few of my pics a couple of weeks ago. I made them so long ago that I have no clue what poster inspired them. All I remember is that the idea came from here. I put that info in m description so I wouldn't take original credit, but I wasn't going to spend hours researching which exact picture inspired my cake. At least that way I'm not taking credit for an idea that's not mine.

So yeah. Disappointing, but not crazy angry over it. Got it. No need to give OP the big girl panties speech, IMO.

Some people don't really know the "ettiquette" of the Cake Central world. They may be the nicest person in the world, with only the best of intentions... but just don't know exactly what they might do to avoid unwittingly treading on the feelings of others.

I think a direct contact with the person (PM), and acting with the assumption that they are not being rude or malicious (that assumption may be right, or may be wrong... but it often helps to assume the best until proven otherwise) could go a long way toward creating a potentially positive relationship.

Not only does it help the other person avoid making the same mistake again ... it also unties the knots in your OWN stomach/heart/head.

Butterpatty, I have seen exactly the same sorts of things at my workplace, and it can be so toxic to the work environment. I often find myself wishing that my coworkers would talk directly to the party/parties involved when their feelings are hurt, rather than talking ABOUT them to others.

Love is the only thing that can turn an enemy into a friend. (I think that is Martin Luther King...?)

Cheatize - thank you! You got it exactly. So glad to see your post!!!

I didn't know there was a ""ettiquette" of the Cake Central world". Where can I find it?

You can "find it" in threads like this one. Essentially, unwritten (usually) rules that govern behavior... which if violated, make people distressed or angry.

So, things like:

When posting a picture of a cake, give credit to whoever inspired you.

Use the search function to see if your question has already been answered, before you ask it again.

Don't type in all capitals.

Don't post multiple pictures of the same cake separately -- post them all together under one name.

PM someone if you have a question/problem/interpersonal issue rather than involving lots of bystanders.

Don't talk about scratch vs. cake mixes!!! LOL

Don't participate on CC solely for personal promotion/advertising purposes.

You should not post a link to certain places

If someone has declined to share a "trade secret" of how they made something, do not badger them for it.

If you plan on copying someone's cake design, it is polite to PM and ask first.

Etc, etc. etc.....

The cake pictures and name have been removed, but I think this sort of posting WITHOUT PROOF is far more rude than someone making a cake similar to one you made.

I haven't seen either of the original cakes because I don't really tend to frequent the gallery but isn't it possible that the person in question simply came up with what they thought was a cake design of their own - either subconsciously by not remembering where/if they had seen something familiar and have simply made a genuine error and in the interests of giving them the benefit of the doubt, maybe they have never seen the 'original' cake at all.

For example, one cake I have been making for absolutely years - since I was a child, involves chocolate finger biscuits around the edge with the top filled with sweets or chocolates of some kind - usually smarties, m&ms, or other birightly coloured chocolates. If I had posted one that I did recently would I have been expected to credit someone who had done a version using kitkats for inspiration because as far as I am aware or concerned this is a design of mine.

I know that is probably not the best example, and yes I have made cakes that would be disappointed to see someone copy without saying anything about where they got the idea particularly if it is something I have put a lot of time and effort into. By the same token however, I have often sat down and spent an evening sketching cakes and putting ideas of things I would like to do and think are fairly unique down on paper and I don't tend to trawl through the internet to look and see what other people have done and with the number of cakes and ideas around, it is very possible that anything I come up with could be seen as 'taking inspiration' or 'ripping off' someone elses design.

SO quite honestly, I don't really know what the right answer is in a situation like this, unless there is absolutely no doubt that the cake was inspired by someone elses design.

After reading all of the postings I can only think that I spend hours (literally i am obsessed) looking at cake photos on CC, in magazines, and in numerable other places. I am sure that I have inadvertently used someones idea because it stood out to me...probably because it was fantastic!! I don't think it is right to intentionally copy something then call it yours...but I am sure it happens by ACCIDENT all the time. Everyone is passionate about this topic, and it shows...maybe we should all go have a piece of cake!!

I search the internet everywhere, CC, google, flickr, etc. for pics of cakes, I have thousands saved to folders which I name, teen girls, teen boys, christening, girl birthday 1 to 10, boy birthday 1 to 10, men, men and women occupations, weddings, etc. and when I decide to do a cake for my kids, grandkids or other family members I go to these folders for inspiration on what kind of cake to bake, alot of these pics don't have names on them who made the cakes so I don't have any idea who the original baker is when I post pic of my cake in CC, all the cakes I have done were inspired by other great decorators, I am so thankful for all their great ideas and I should be more thoughtful in the future to post thank you even if I don't know who to thank.