So theres a woman that I've known of for awhile-she's a cake decorator with three years of schooling and one year of bakery exp. plus she is an unlicensed baker running an operation out of her home. She's a family member of a friend-not someone I'm particularly close to. The thing is...her cakes are so bad!!! I feel like its one of those train wrecks on American Idol that someone should say something to. Is it ever ok to tell someone that they should check out another career path? She's already been sued once for a bad cake (design, not flavor). I know people that have ordered from her and they all complain about the product AND design, but are to nice to say anything. I just think its so wrong that she markets herself as a professional, but is ruining peoples events. Maybe it will all play itself out, but I can't help wonder if someone should just tell the girl! Maybe she really has no idea she's that bad? I saw a cake she did today and I could barely figure out what anything was. Yikes!!!
I'm frustrated that she has the audacity to take on orders, but I also don't want her embarrassing herself or ruining her reputation...thoughts?

Reputations will preceed you eventually..... take the high road and let it go....

Well, thats a tough one. I don't understand how she is getting orders, I would think her customers would want to see pictures of her cakes. I don't think I would order from someone if I didn't have any idea of what her cakes looked like, or someone recommending them to me. I don't think I would say anything, she might get better, I wouldn't want to be the one to hurt her feelings. She will learn in time that she doesn't have what it takes, or she will take classes to improve her cake skills.

cathyscakes-I've come to the conclusion that she's getting orders mostly from her church-I've stood in circles and hear her talking about her cake education and work in a bakery and I think people just ASSUME she is good. I know what you mean though-I wouldn't order a cake without a picture. In addition she does post pictures on her fb of other peoples cakes and plays them off as hers-doesn't SAY they are hers, but doesn't say they aren't...tricky tricky....I think I will just let it play out, but its so HARD to just watch LOL

Word is going to spread sooner or later. Better for you to not say anything.

I agree with the others, this is not really your problem, it's hers. People will order from her once and never again if she is really that bad.
Discreetely tell your friends not to order from her, but leave it at that.

There's a storefront bakery in my city that makes cakes that look like cow patties. And people still buy from them. To me, if they have the money to open a bakery they should just hire a decorator if they don't have the skills themselves...but who knows, maybe they like the way their cakes look.

haha cow patties! Thats too funny. It's sad to see people spend money on bad cakes, but on the other hand its a quick way to learn to really research what you're purchasing!

We have a very high end bakery in our community that is considered "the place" to order cakes!! I think their cakes taste like cardboard. I purchased an 8" just to taste it and threw it out!! But they have to business. So obviously people have different tastes.

I would let it go. It will all play out in the end. Much like the "bad" singers on American Idol, she may love the product she produses. To each their own. I don't feel you need to say anything. I would however suggest that if asked what you think of her from other people, refrain from being negative. You can always find something good and truthful....Example- "I understand she's had 3 years of school, but have not tasted her work."

Tell her what exactly? She is not a good decorator? What makes you think she would even listen? If people are not smart enough to inquire into the quality of the product someone produces then it is their fault. Simply because you and a few others think her cakes are terrible does not mean everyone is dissatisied with the quality of her work. If you are right and people are talking among themselves about the quality of her work, folks will stop ordering from her even if they are too nice to say anything to her.

Do you happen to have a picture of this cake that you couldn't figure out what it was exactly? lol

tuamor1628-
I do have the photo, but in case she ever decides to visit this site (I've tried to nudge her towards CC a few times) I think it best not to put it up. I'll just say that when me and my family/friends gathered around the computer to view it after she posted it we were all trying to figure it out. I figured it would be best NOT to say something and you guys confirmend that. I don't think it will take long since she's already getting into legal trouble with her clients, BUT it is interesting to hear everyones take on whether we should say something or not. Whenever I'm watching a show like American Idol I say "someone should have TOLD them!" LOL Who knows; maybe someone else is working up the courage as I type this.

if she is claiming other's cakes are her own on facebook then that's really horrible for the people who are looking there and then booking her from those pictures. You can simply post a comment on the picture asking her "is this your cake?" It's an innocent enough question and then she won't be able to deny that it's not hers. Passive agressive, yes, but effective enough to let her know "hey, I'm onto you" without saying "your cakes suck".

Considering that you say she's not someone you're particularly close to, I don't know why you'd care. I think your comment that you "don't want her embarrassing herself or ruining her reputation" is rather disingenuous. Really, it sounds like you're taking a certain amount of glee in the fact that that's exactly what she's doing.

Maybe you should think about why you really want to point out to her that her work is no good. Your motivation doesn't seem to come out of concern for her self-esteem and future success. Perhaps you're jealous that she's had the benefit of all that schooling, or you don't like the fact that she's running an unlicensed kitchen, or you hate it that people seem to like her cakes (more than yours maybe?). If she's that bad people will stop buying her cakes. It's not your problem.

If people complain to you that their cakes were bad, the only appropriate thing to say is, "If you weren't happy with the product you purchased, you should discuss that with her so she knows how she can improve."

The only thing you'll do by saying anything to her or potential clients is make yourself look bad and unprofessional.

I wouldn't say a word, I don't see anything good that could come from it.

Besides, it's important for CakeWrecks to have professionals out there making wrecks! Thank heavens!

Luddroth-Too true!!!
Ruth-it's interesting to be 'psycho analyzed', but you are so wrong I could almost laugh. I am not feeling any "glee" about her cake wrecks-in fact its the complete opposite. I don't take on orders because I am not licensed yet (in the process). I know the woman she recently made a sweet 16 cake for (the cake was for the womans daughter). This woman now is threatening a lawsuit because of how bad the product was-the mom spent weeks raving about having a professional cake and telling her daughter all about the fun to come. This woman not only did not have a custom cake to give to her daughter, but she had to stress and go to costco last minute and try to find an alternative. I heard about how upset she was for weeks. Does that sound like a situation I would be "gleeful" about? I thought it was quite sad actually...
In addition-your comment about my being jealous of her schooling could not be farther from reality either-I'm happy with my skills and have never had a complaint or an issue (I have had schooling btw). This is not about me, but rather about the people that she's deceiving. With that said-as someone who's worked hard for a good reputation it does bother me that another caker would deliver a bad cake and expect payment. As I've always said-if it ain't good it ain't leavin the kitchen!

Umm..yea. I'd just let 'nature take it's course'.. if she's as bad as you say people will quit ordering. Period. End of problem.

But, maybe as most things like this, it's all subjective. Someone must like them, or they woudln't keep ordering.

I bet dollars to donuts that someone, perhaps many people, have already told her, especially the person who sued her to get the money back!
Just because she has been told, doesn't mean she "heard" it or believed it. As a teacher I have given parents information over and over again, when they are ready they will accept it and hear it.
So, she has been told. You should not feel sharing your opinion would help matters.
JMHO

I'm sure beauty is in the eye of the beholder. You should have seen the cake I saw this weekend. I was so shocked it was so bad. But everyone said they loved it and then the decorator's mother bragged and bragged on her. When I first started people said how good my cakes looked and I look back and I'm embaressed. I even sold a few (to friends to pay for ingreditens and supplies) and I feel like I should make their next 10 cakes for free to make up for it. No one ever complained and they all seemed to love their cakes so who knows. The more she does the better she'll get, but I agree with everyone else, if you're not close you shouldnt say anything. All you can do is offer to help or teach, or keep suggesting this website.

mmgiles, SO right! my "beginning" work was definately less than perfect! Of course, no one I made them for complained! Perhaps I would have if I had been the "cake-ee"! I, too, felt the need to bake for free!! lol

Thankfully we get better as we go!

I agree with everyone else, but I'm really chiming in to say cupcakelady64 I absolutely ROFL at your signature!

It's just easier for some people to say lovely things about something they would rather have money back on. It's harder to say "um, you know this cake just kind of sucked" than "it was lovely, thank you."

I too look back on some of my first cakes and cringe a little ha ha In fact all my photos on here are my firsts-I'm very nostalgic for them because I know they got me to where I am now...but I could blush thinking about giving them to someone LOL

Nobody's being forced to order anything from her. I have to agree with the people who say that you really don't have any business worrying about this. This is a MYOB situation. If you don't like her cakes,then don't buy one. Let her deal with her own problems if they arise, since they're really none of your business or concern.

Maybe it's like the Emperor's New Clothes...she says she knows what she is doing, so people believe her, because they have no clue otherwise. Maybe they are pretending to like her stuff because they think they are supposed to.

I would say ignore it, it is none of your business. Work on your own cakes and products, get your business lined up. Make your product the best it can be and your customers will come.

If they are as bad as you say they are and she is getting sued left and right then eventually she will get shut down.