A[IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3271996/width/200/height/400[/IMG][IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3271990/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

Hello fellow bakers,

I'm in a bit of a dilemma. I made a wedding cake....white cake, white chocolate mousse and raspberry filling. We all know that raspberry filling can give off a bluefish purple tint when it touches the cake right? I use a thin layer of buttercream to prevent some of the stains seeping into the cake. However I cant prevent it when I put the dowels into the cake for support.

Anyhow the venue serving the cake called me claiming that they think my cake got moldy. I explained it's not mold and it's the stain from the raspberry filling. I even had to convince them to taste the cake to ensure it wasn't moldy which it tasted fine. In the end they decided not to serve the cake after I explained to them and even though the bride told them to serve it. They claimed that they wouldn't serve it because of liability issues. As I should have disclosed this to them about the stain.

The bride and groom was upset and wanted me to address the issue as in some type of reimbursement. What did I do wrong here? A perfectly good cake was wasted because the venue decided it didn't look right even after I explained it to them. I have been baking cakes for years and operate a legitimate licensed business.

I have made this cake for years and this is the only time it's been an issue.

Please share any thoughts on how I can approach this or how I can better explain the stain from the raspberry.

Just so you know my raspberry filling is frozen raspberries, cornstarch, sugar and gelatin. Is there something wrong in my ingredients?

I attached a picture the venue sent me for a visual. I've googled some images online and saw the same stain on some cakes too! Is this a common thing?

Thanks and hope to get some insight :)

AI cannot say I have had this happen to me. However, if I were faced with this and to save my reputation: refund the customers money. They did nothing wrong. Contact the local HD/inspector and request a meeting with the venue's rep. Have an identical cake available. Have the cake tested. When it is proven there is no mold, require the venue to reimburse you for any costs including the refund to the customer. The venue may have a contract stipulation that they reserve the right to not serve any food that they deem unsafe. You should pursue this. You may end up with hard feelings from the venue, but after they think you supply moldy cake, you probably would not be allowed to supply them again, anyways. Then of course supply the customer the results of the mold free test, explain your stance to anyone professionally involved. I would not post it publicly, but provide it to any future customers looking at that filling. You do use clear gelatin, correct? Let us know the follow up. Interesting.

i can only imagine how disconcerting this can be for a good reputable vendor as yourself -- with that said if a venue made the call to not serve my cake and they had pictures like that i would acquiesce -- the pictures you have supplied are concerning and i would not want to eat nor serve my cake if it looked like that -- then i would investigate like the fbi and all the alphabets put together

what kind of dowels -- did perhaps something rub off the dowels? did something get splashed onto the boards accidentally maybe? i can't remember my raspberry pulling blue like that -- you can clearly see where it's red red and it doesn't fade to the blue-- the blue is independent -- and in very many areas -- did you use a flavor splash of simple syrup? and how did you hold the cake --was it kept refrigerated?

HEY maybe the knife was funky-- a silver knife that needed cleaning or had cleaner on it? looks like tarnish huh

idk -- i'd just thank goodness that someone pulled it for me -- it just shouldn't look like that --

very sorry that happened

AThanks k8memphis for your reply.

And yes I do understand how this can be a concern. I use the Wilton plastic dowels and the thicker paper cookie sticks which are all food safe. The reason why it does show where the raspberry filling is because I put a thin layer if buttercream. It only stained where the dowels were inserted as it pushed the raspberry into the cake. I know it's the raspberry because when I filled cupcakes with my raspberry filling I noticed the blue stain where it touches the cake also. So I know it's not the dowels.

I tried searching online to see if there is a reason for this blueish stain or if there is a way to make raspberry filling that prevents it. Maybe is there is some acid in the raspberry that can cause this???

A

Thanks for your response :) I was already thinking of contacting the venue but I was trying to put information together before I approached them. Obviously they didn't believe me even though I had explained to them over the phone when they reached me that night they were serving it. I have provided the exact same cake flavor for a wedding cake in the past to that same venue and nothing was brought to my attention until now. They talked to the bride and she mentioned if I said it was ok then to served it so that was what they told me. I found out from the couple later on that it wasn't served. I have made this cake for years and never a complaint.

Do you think that I should need to refund the entire wedding cake? I mean if the cake was perfectly decorated and tasted fine and it was just the color issue?

As for the gelatin, I used Knox powder gelatin.

Thanks so much for your feedback as it's really helping me address this critical situation.

AI guess what I really want is to get proven facts that this coloration can happen with raspberries. Does anyone make their own raspberry filling and have experience this? Is there some preservative that is put on store bought jams/fillings that prevents the color?

AI made a lemon cake with fresh blueberry filling and it looked the exact same way. It must be the acidity in the fruit.

AThis is the recipe I used.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/homemade-blueberry-pie-filling/

Ahttp://cakecentral.com/t/757241/i-went-to-cut-my-practice-wedding-cake-and-there-are-blue-spots-throughout-please-help If it was my business on the line, I would not take "somebody on the internet said it was ok, it happened to them" or " I've done this cake before with you" as my battle armor. If the customer is asking for a refund, go with your gut on what you feel will make them happy. If you feel at all your future revenue will be effected by the venues actions and statements, I stand by getting your local inspector involved and getting their advice about the mold testing to be done. Clear your name, and possibly any nagging doubts. The venue personnel is only trying to do their job, I would assume. Their judgement call, if inaccurate, should not cost you money. But possibly taking them to court to get them to reimburse you, is a judgement call your business has to make. Best wishes.

i just googled 'raspberry filling turning blue' and it mentions that it does happen when raspberries are mixed and baked into bread and cake creating a chemical reaction

Ablueberry is blue, krypto  :D [/quote]

:D Haha! I know,just pointing out it had the same moldy look.

i meant "gotta get in front of this"

Ahttp://chowhound.chow.com/topics/856516

This article talks about the same reaction in cheesecake. The baker believes it's a chemical reaction between dairy and the berries. The cheesecake baker tried adding both an acidic agent and an alkaline one and concluded the acid helped but only delayed the grey color from appearing a day or so later.

This happens to me with lemon cupcakes and raspberry buttercream. I use a thick natural raspberry paste mixed with my regular buttercream. After a day when you cut a cupcake in half, the layer just under the buttercream is a greeny-blue colour. I've never thought that it looks moldy though...its just the natural colour of the raspberry, or one of it's components at least, seeping down into the sponge. And that is what I will tell people if they ever ask. I just remembered when I used to use raspberry jam, instead of the paste, I would get the same thing.

So I would try and get a sample of the original cake, or make another exactly the same, and get it tested, much as Rfisher suggested. You can do this with or without the venue, but at least send them the results. If there is nothing wrong with your cake, and I don't think there is, then they should have served it, especially since you and the bride (their customer too) insisted. I am not surprised she is unhappy since she didn't serve cake at her wedding, but you need to make her see that the cake was fine, and the venue should be doing the reimbursing.

A

A

Thank you so much for your honest opinion. I'm all about customer satisfaction so I will do what is necessary to make them happy. I had provided a full dessert bar for their wedding also which they mentioned people loved it. They are even still willing to work with me for their son's first birthday cake. So I haven't completely lost them yet :). I will definitely go with your approach in clearing my name too!

A

Thanks!!! Really appreciate the input and to know that the color stain isn't just happening to me.

I found this information online:  There is a compound in raspberries (and other fruits) called anthocyanin that transforms like a chameleon into a deep blue pigment when the acid balance of the batter becomes too basic, or if trace amounts of metals are present.

AI just made lemon cupcakes with a raspberry swirl in them today! And yes, my cupcakes were turning purple/blue from it!

ETA: I made my own raspberry compote, raspberries, sugar, lemon, corn starch.

I agree with you !

................ faced with this and to save my reputation: refund the customers money. They did nothing wrong. Contact the local HD/inspector and request a meeting with the venue's rep. Have an identical cake available. Have the cake tested. When it is proven there is no mold, require the venue to reimburse you for any costs including the refund to the customer. The venue may have a contract stipulation that they reserve the right to not serve any food that they deem unsafe. You should pursue this. You may end up with hard feelings from the venue, but after they think you supply moldy cake, you probably would not be allowed to supply them again, anyways. Then of course supply the customer the results of the mold free test, explain your stance to anyone professionally involved. I would not post it publicly, but provide it to any future customers looking at that filling..................

Wow what wonderful advice.

AThanks eveyone for the very helpful feedback!!!! So glad I was able to get some insight on this.