ONE OF MY CUSTOMERS GAVE ME A RECIPE THAT SHE WISES I USE FOR HER CAKE. NOW I MADE ONE TODAY, TO TEST IT AND OMG IT'S AWEFUL. I CANNOT SEE MY SELF SERVING THIS TO 60 PEOPLE AT HER SHOWER. SHE LOVES IT BUT I DON'T. I'M MAKING HER A PREGNANCY BELLY CAKE. I WAS THINKING OF MAKING THE BOOBS HER CAKE AND THE TUMMY MINE, SO THE GUESTS CAN AT LEAST EAT SOME GOOD TASTING CAKE.

MY DELIMA, TO TELL HER OR NOT TO TELL HER. NO I'M NOT GETTING PAID FOR THIS ONE. IF ANYONE WISHES TO TRY THIS CAKE OUT AND LET ME KNOW THEIR THOUGHTS I'D APPRECIATE IT! JUST LET ME KNOW K THANK-YOU

What don't you like about it? I would ask her if you did something wrong because it tasted like...texture was....

I would have to tell her because this is your work being publicized to other people (potential clients).

Wow...what flavor is it?

If she wants "sardine and raspberry cake", I would say... "I'm sure I am just not good at your cake, and it just doesn't work for me. But I have a wonderful recipe for sardine and lime cake. I would love to make that for you...." And see what happens...

Also- can her recipe just be tweaked? Maybe just the proportions are off? Post it?

She raved about this cake like it was so awesome, but I'll let you guys decide for yourselves. I though about it last night and maybe any professional baker here can advice me how to tweak it! I found it to be very dry and chalky. It crumbles on the touch and has little to no flavour. here it is ladies:

ING:
2 CUPS OF CAKE FLOUR
2 TSP BP
1/2 TSP BS
1/4 TSP SALT
1/2 CUP/PLUS 2 TBLSP COCOA
1 1/2 CUPS G SUGAR
1/2 CUPS/PLUS 2 TBSP SHORTENING
1/2 CUP WARM WATER
2/3 MILK
2 EGGS
1 TSP VANILLA EXTRACT

PREP:
OVEN 350
SIFT FLOUR,BP,BS,SALT, COCOA & SUGAR
ADD SHORTENING, WATER, MILK, EGGS, VANILLA AND BLEND AT LOW SPEED UNTIL MOISTENED.
BLEND AT MED SPEED FOR 3 MINUTES.
PUT INTO GREASED PAN/S
BAKE UNTIL CAKES REBOUNDS 25-30 MINUTES
COOL IN PAN/S FOR 10 MINUTES.

NOW ANY ONE PLEASE HELP
THANK-YOU gracie

Now I haven't even attempted to make the frosting she requests I make. here is the recipe she gave me...

2 1/2 cups of icing sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup crisco shortening
1/3 milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt

prep:
combine all ing' in med bowl
beat at low speed for 45 sec
increase speed to high, and beat 2 minutes or until smooth and creamy

????????????????

SO I'M ASSUMING NO-ONE HAS TIME TO FIGURE THIS OUT? THAT'S OKAY, I'LL FIND ANOTHER RECIPE THX

I'm still trying to figure out what makes a good cake myself, but I know a lot of people add sour cream to make it more moist. I hope you figure things out! I only make cakes for friends and it's amazing how stressful even that can be![/u]

Just tell her that for some reason you can't get hers to taste delicious the way she makes it. Then ask her if she would mind if you made your own recipe.

This looks like a chocolate cake. The proportions could be off. It seems like a little extra dry ingredients to wet. Maybe not enough sugar.

So, how would I tweak this recipe? I would make Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate cake from the back of the can and never look back. It has all of the same ingredients(Oil instead of Crisco). It works. It tastes great. Recipe tweaked.

I just want to say that no one should hand you a recipe and tell you to bake that recipe. You are the baker, and even if the cake is free is your prerogative to use your recipes. of course if she wants chocolate, you make chocolate, but "your" recipe!
I'd go crazy if every customer tells me to bake a different recipe all the time.

thank-you ladies. I saw her this weekend and mentioned to her that the cake crumbles on the touch and it's a little dry and that the belly will not stay together. I told her that I would make my own and that I would bake her a little one with her recipe. Thank-you again, the support is appreciated I only bake for friends and friends of friends right now too Traci, and it is very frustrating all the same eh. thank-you and I cannot wait to post pics in the next two weeks.gracie