Unhappy nasty customer. Fondant help?

Hey everyone. I am feeling really defeated today. I did a cake for a lady on Halloween that was a spell book lying down with a witch's hat lying on it. I covered them in fondant per the customers request. I always ask if they are familiar with fondant and that most people in my area don't like it. She said she understood and wanted it. A little back story about the customer, she was very difficult to work with. She kept saying "If you pass the test, I have a lot of friends that will order from you." She repeated the "If you pass the test" over and over. Very frustrating..... Well the day before it was due, she texted me at 6am to change the size. I had baked the cake the night before to freeze overnight and I always decorate the day before it is due so I am not rushing and sacrificing the quality of the cake. Well, I didnt receive that text because I mute my phone until 7. At 2:00 that afternoon, she messaged me that since I hadn't responded, she was going to go elsewhere.I replied saying that I didn't get that message and sorry, but the cake was almost done. She said ok. When I delivered the cake, she said she loved it and I definitely passed the test. 

Fast forward to today. She posted on a local facebook classifieds page looking for someone to do a cake and not screw up on it. Well, I was taken back by that and messaged her. I simply said, "I noticed your post on the classifieds page about wanting a cake done that wont be screwed up, is there something you weren't happy with? I am very sorry if there was. Please let me know. Thank you." She came back saying that all the party guests complained(bad word) that the top was very hard. It was covered in fondant. I apologized and said that fondant does harden, but I was very sorry that she was unhappy. She then said she would give me another try, which I said sorry I was booked( because I will NOT do another cake for her) and that I wanted to apologize and clear things up. She replied saying "It is a shame that the cake ended up in the trash." To that I said, " Well I am sorry." She obviously took that in the wrong context and said "Don't get nasty with me! I am just being honest." I replied with " I am not being nasty. I am sincerely sorry you weren't happy" End of conversation.

Well, this has really hit me hard. I am relatively new to baking and decorating out my my home and I am an emotional person. How do I deal with this? Do I need to do something different with the fondant? Was this just a nasty customer that was looking to get a rouse? Please help?

Quote:

Originally Posted by uberathlete 

What brand of fondant did you use, and when you were rolling it out did you use cornstarch or powdered sugar?

I used Powdered sugar. I am a self taught baker/decorator so I don't know the best way. I was just told by someone to use powdered sugar. Is that a culprit for it hardening?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Annabakescakes 

We need to know a bit more about the actual cake. I feel I know enough about the woman that you cannot please her, so I am very glad you said you were booked!

 

Was it the fondant or the cake that was hard? Was there buttercream under the fondant, and what fondant did you use? Did you over-bake the cake, by any chance. Please describe your methods so that we may see if you did do anything wrong. 

 

On another note, you should have the cake paid for IN FULL before you turn on your oven, and no one can threaten to "go with someone else" the day before the party. As far as changes go, the design, size and flavors, and fillings should all be final before the cake is paid for, and no changes are made after that day. 

And for another, where the hell was she going to go to get a custom cake with fondant the day  before the party, anyway? I don't like this Bee Itch. 

She said it was the fondant. I baked the cake Tuesday night and froze it tightly wrapped in plastic wrap. I decorated it Wednesday. Yes I did a layer of butter cream under the fondant. between 1/8" and 1/4" thick. I used Wilton boxed fondant from Wal-Mart. I don't think I over-baked the cake. Like I said, I decorated it Wednesday and wrapped it in plastic wrap and refridgerated it until Thursday around 3pm.

This is the cake.