Overreacting bride?  

Seriously, you would just be better off not taking this order and cutting her loose. You will hardly cover your costs for those prices. If you continue to offer cakes so cheaply, you will burn yourself out really fast. Not to mention that you do not need to explain yourself to anyone, and such personal questions are not necessary, welcome, or at all professional in a business meeting.
 

First of all, you should have told her since she wasn't booking her wedding with you, the tasting would be $25.  And you would NOT be doing her batman cake.  As far as any personal questions, "This isn't the time or the place for those type of questions."  Your age and your race are not even up for discussion.  With any customer. Just say you're older than you look (dealing with this type of people will cause that).  Or simply ignore the questions that have no place in the discussion.

You're obviously very nice and you need to get over some of that.  Not saying you have to get snotty, but you need to give the impression that this is business and personal matters don't get discussed.  You also might consider dressing more as the professional baker - a nice apron or chef's coat.

This is your business, you're a professional and YOU direct the conversation. And don't let anyone get away with this type of nonsense again.  Good luck.

What would make you create a cake for such a person?

1. Take a breath, get yourself together and tell her that you are booked. She and her fiance have already scammed you out of $25 worth of product, consider that a cheap price to pay in learning how to run a business. There is a lot of excellent advice on CC when it comes to running a business, learning to create a plan, write a contract, price a cake, etc. Take some time to do more research - consider it an investment in yourself. 

2. Next time someone asks you what race you are, tell them, "Human. what are you?" Don't let anyone take advantage of your youth by answering their weirdly personal questions. You do not owe them anything but a cake which they have paid for.

"I am returning your deposit LESS the $25 for the tasting."

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgifford 

"I am returning your deposit LESS the $25 for the tasting."

Yes, don't you dare NOT get that $25!

Okay, I'm going to give you a lecture now...First of all, send the money back other than the $25 with a note explaining that after reflecting on your meeting, you aren't comfortable working with her, so you're returning the deposit minus the charge for the tasting and cancelling the order. Then do NOT respond to any more of her emails or calls. She'll call and try to push you into doing the cake because...YOU ARE CHARGING WAY TOO LITTLE AND BEING A SUCKER.

When you don't charge appropriately, you will get treated like this. There is NO SITUATION that makes it appropriate for someone to ask about your race (I'm just appalled at that one) but when you're charging what you're charging people ARE going to wonder how the heck you're making any money, which you aren't! If you charge less than Walmart you're not a business, you're a charity. Don't try to sell any more cakes until you figure out what an approprite salary for yourself is and what your real costs are. Then get a contract and present yourself like a professional with appropriate pricing and procedures and you won't get treated that way anymore.

If you're really at a total loss on where to start, look to see if there's a SCORE group anywhere near you. They're retired businesspeople who give advice to businesses that are starting. It sounds like you need some help, so get some before you get confronted by another jerk like that customer!