I get an order for my most popular cake.. (hot pink zebra w/black and neon green accents). She wants a smaller version but same idea, then she says, but there cannot be any flaws on the cake. LOL.. so why all of a sudden is a cake I make all the time so scary to me? So much added pressure in such small words.. It's not like I intend to put flaws on cakes.. luckily, zebra, stripes, and dots can hide any flaws that take place!

Just had to vent. Silly customers!

JUST SAY, "NO". She's setting you up for a refund. How do you judge handmade art?

I would ask her to define "flaws".

Wow. I think I'd be running for the hills. I agree with OP...she is setting you up for a refund!

Sometimes I panic about the possibility of flaws...or things not being "just right." But then my hubby and everyone else gently reminds me it is an edible medium. It is meant to be eaten not left on the front table for months to come. No one notices "flaws." Well, except other cake bakers! (haha)

But as scp1127...how do you judge handmade art? What you deem to be perfect she might be flawed. How can she judge that? Amazing.

Will be interested to hear how this turns out

I would not do the cake. What she may call a flaw is not and then she is going to want you her money back. It is your decision but if a customer is asking for "NO" flaws then is expecting perfection - which is what she consider perfection.

Good luck on your decision.

Me thinks your customer is 'flawed'............sheesh

I've already started the cake..

She was referred to me by a friend so I went ahead and took the order, but have been nervous about it ever since. I'll post pics when I'm done, hopefully she likes it!

RUNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!

I'd be telling her, "uh, hello! all my cakes are flawed. that's what makes them my cakes!"

Hahaha! I agree that this is a weirdo who's setting you up to lodge a complaint before she even sees the cake.

I'd tell her this:

Dear lovely lady,

This is a cake design that I've done before, and I'm confident that I can do it well...BUT, cake decorating is an organic process, and because it's not created by a machine, some details on your cake will be different than photos of the cakes that I've made previously.

I completely understand that you want a flaw-free cake. However, since the term "flaw-free" is a judgment call, I must reserve the right to determine for myself, as the decorator, how the cake should look. As a professional I would not deliver a cake that I considered to have flaws, and of course I always strive to deliver the best-looking cake that I can provide.

If you're not comfortable with allowing me to make the judgment call about what constitutes an acceptable finished cake, I certainly understand if you'd like to take your order elsewhere. Just let me know!

Love and kisses,
Your baker

good luck!

Prepaid?

Beautifully written Costumeczar!

I'd tell her my flawless cakes are reserved only for my flawless clients. You asking for a flawless cake automatically make you ineligible for said flawless cake.

I agree with some of the posts. .. she is setting you up. She has no intention of paying for this cake because she is going to find something wrong with it. Please say that you at least got a deposit and then ask for the balance before the cake is due.

ya know, she might not find any "flaws". don't beat yourself up over this one. just protect yourself. make your refund policy clear. if she wants money back, she darn well better give you cake back.

Dont give her the cake until you have cash in hand! If she does not like your cake than she does not take it!

If you could go back in time, I would have told her as soon as she asked that "it's hand made cake. And handmade things, especially things like cake don't come without flaws. Of course I understand that what you mean is that you are looking for a cake that has clean lines and a smooth, neat finish. But I want to make sure you understand that I can't guarantee a flawless cake."

That protects you and brings her expectations back to reality right from the get go.

At this point, I might still call her and say something like, "By the way...When you said the other day that you wanted the cake to be flawless, that's been gnawing at me a little, so I thought I should call you to make sure we are both clear on what that means." then proceed to the explain as above.

Wow. I guess she thinks her children are flawless too???

I'd also get her to sign off on it as soon as she pays you so she can't come back later complaining....

...you know how people are sometimes when you deliver and they are in the middle of setting up...they'll just look once and say "it's fine" and then want to call you on Monday to say something.

Cover yourself with a big ol blanket on this one!

(also take a repair kit with you just in case you have to make a last minute "adjustment" to achieve "PERFECTION" )

She probably had a bad experience with a decorator who claimed to be better than she actually was, and delivered a less than acceptable cake. I had a cautious customer once who had a bad experience before me, and I did a little hold handing, but I understood why. It was awesome when I got the feedback and the customer was very happy. That time.

Be sure you take pictures of the whole cake.

LOL.. you guys have made my day! I've taken a break from decorating this cake, it's sitting.. covered in fondant waiting to be stacked and decorated. But I need to take breaks to not make myself go crazy.

I did not get paid yet for this cake, BUT.. I will not give it to her if she does not like it. I do not negotiate either. If she's not willing to pay the whole price, I would rather take a total loss and donate it to someone who cannot pay at all. I do a lot of cake give aways if I want to try something new but want to make sure it's something I can do first.. so I will just treat it as "practice" if she decides it's unacceptable.. there are plenty of people or even a church who would think it's ok I'm sure. So I guess I'll find out.. tomorrow at 1.

I'll make sure to post something so you can see if it's "flawless" lol

Make sure that you take lots of pictures of this cake. And I would take a picture of her beside the cake as well. Just say something like, "I always like to take pictures of my cake with my client" or something if she doesn't want to.

I challenge any decorater who HASN'T left flaws behind under hidden decorations...I sure have and do almost every cake.Something ,somewhere doesn't always work out as you plan and you have to hide the boo boo's....I agree with everyone...she is basically telling you if she isn't 110% happy with the cake...she will be looking for a refund!!What an Idiot!!