Buttercream Slid Off Cake- My Fault?

Decorating By marya92 Updated 30 Jun 2013 , 3:31pm by lkern777

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marya92 Posted 28 Jun 2013 , 10:26pm
post #1 of 9

I recently had a customer pick up a cake. It was fine when I gave it to him. Then, I got a text about 15 minutes later saying a side had slid off. I'm not sure if it's my fault, if his car was too hot, or if he took a turn too quickly. Also, what can I do to prevent this from happening again?

8 replies
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cakealicious7 Posted 28 Jun 2013 , 11:03pm
post #2 of 9

AI personally don't think its your fault,if the cake left your house in perfect condition then you're not to blame. You handed over the cake and he handed over the money, so therefore the responsibility becomes his.You should let your customers aware of this fact that when your cakes leave your property, you're no longer liable for damages of any sort. Customers should take proper care, because you can't be expected to refund everyone who complains.

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Nin55 Posted 28 Jun 2013 , 11:51pm
post #3 of 9

I have never experienced that problem.  Do you think the cake might have slid into something while in his possession and wanted to blame it on you?

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DeliciousDesserts Posted 29 Jun 2013 , 1:56am
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AFrosting slid off? As in the cake was fine & the frosting just fell over or down?

If so, I gotta say that may very well be on you. Certainly customers drive carelessly & have cake accidents. That would not be your fault. 15 minutes later frosting falling off is a whole other story. There are several articles & threads of what can cause this and why. It could be the frosting was too stiff, too wet, etc. those wouldn't be the clients fault.

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AZCouture Posted 29 Jun 2013 , 2:50am
post #5 of 9

A

Original message sent by DeliciousDesserts

Frosting slid off? As in the cake was fine & the frosting just fell over or down?

If so, I gotta say that may very well be on you. Certainly customers drive carelessly & have cake accidents. That would not be your fault. 15 minutes later frosting falling off is a whole other story. There are several articles & threads of what can cause this and why. It could be the frosting was too stiff, too wet, etc. those wouldn't be the clients fault.

If it couldn't make it 15 minutes out of your possession, I'd be tempted to wonder if it was something on your end as well.

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CindiM Posted 29 Jun 2013 , 3:33am
post #6 of 9

I was stopped on a bridge to an island, in the hot sun, backed up in heavy traffic for an hour with a 3 or 4 tiered cake, years ago. 

 

My car air conditioner was not keeping the car cool and the butter cream slowly slid down the sides of one of the tiers.  I had to re-ice that tier at the reception hall.  Sometimes, stuff happens!  

 

I bet the person did not have their car cool enough. 

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scrumdiddlycakes Posted 29 Jun 2013 , 3:36am
post #7 of 9

For anything to simply 'slide' off within 15 minutes, I'm afraid it sounds like something you may be responsible for.

Maybe I am misunderstanding, but I don't see how driving could make icing slide off.

Perhaps if he didn't have his AC going and the sun was beating into the backseat where he put it, it could have melted a bit and slid.

I did an icing test a couple years ago, put different types of frosting on tiny cakes and put them in direct sunlight, after about half an hour a couple of the softer ones had slid right off the cake.

 

Maybe you could get a picture, and get a better look at it. I have seen ABC actually fall off cakes, and keep its shape. If that's the case, that is something you would be at fault for.

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AnnieCahill Posted 30 Jun 2013 , 12:52am
post #8 of 9

For this reason, I always refrigerate my cakes before they go in a car.

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lkern777 Posted 30 Jun 2013 , 3:31pm
post #9 of 9

I had this happen one time and, in my case, I know it was my fault.

 

I used the same buttercream recipe that I always use, but decided to add a little extra liquid to the whole batch in the mixer instead of doing just enough to ice the cake by hand in a bowl. Turns out that I added a little too much and the icing was just too soft. It seemed soft whenI left home, but I thought it would be okay.  When I put it in the car to deliver (just 15 minutes away from my house) some of the icing slid off on the way there. I had the car cool before I left, but I believe the vibration from driving caused the too-soft icing to slide.

 

I was completely embarrassed and didn't charge them for the cake. 

 

I took a picture at a red light just before I delivered it, but I can't find it anywhere.

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