I like the response someone suggested .... tell them you'll give them their money back on the condition that they spend it on a good manners book. People are jerks and the world must live with them (unfortunately)... in the mean time that's why there are places like this one .. so we can vent to other victims of the jerks

i know i've seen other cakes at events and said in my head.. "i could do that" and think of my own spin on the idea.. but i would NEVER say such a thing.. i know how much work they put into it.. the last wedding cake i did, a woman approached me and said she appreciated the time and energy i put into the cake cuz she had just done a cake for her daughter.. now she didnt say it was a gorgeous cake or that it tasted fantastic but at least she appreciated my work... and by the way.. the cake WAS fantastic.. so i wasnt worried...

I had a lady once do that when another mom from Kailey's school last year was looking at my portfolio. She kept looking at this pic and that pic and saying how "easy" it was to do this or that, and you "only" have to do this to do that, etc. So I asked her....Oh you decorate cakes? For how long have you decorated? She answered, "well, no, I don't". So I ask, "Then you could you possibly know how difficult or easy something is to do?" She said because she has watched other decorate before and it looked easy. I informed her that part of the art is making something that is difficult to do look easy. Perhaps before she criticizes anyone else's work, she should enroll in a Wilton Court 1 and see how "easy" it really is! She shut up and I got 4 orders from the class. lol!

I hate mean people.

Lisa

People are so rude! Thank god no one has openly criticized the taste or look of a cake to my face (except for my scary Dora cake for the family). A good response to someone who says "I can do that" could be "Well, why didn't they ask you do do it?" or "why the h__ didn't you do it" or "why didn't you f@#*!&*^%$ do it" Oops, little too incensed there. Actually, it's probably not better to respond in any way to anyone dopey enough to make a comment like that aloud. It can lead to an argument you can't win because they're too dumb to realize how rude they sound. Just smile beatifically and glide away.

Sorry you had this happen to you. Why the heck does it matter if the cake is a mix or from scratch? As long as it taste good and looks good then they should just eat it and stay shut. I personally do not like scratch cakes so I don't make them if a person doesn't like it then they just don't have to order form me again. sorry, thats's just my attitude although my DH hates when I say that. I have had people ask me is it a mix or scratch? and and I ask them does it matter and what does it taste like they just keep eating and forget they asked. I don't mean to sound harsh but thats just the way I feel they can go pay triple price at a bakery better for me no fuss, no stress, and no clean up!

I have a cousin who is very competitve and is always telling me "I can do that, that is easy, I can do better".... Blah, blah, blah...
I just ignore her and let her think that because I know that I am good at what I do and because I know when someone critisizes too much its usually because they're jealous. So I let roll off my back and feel good about myself.

Jackie
Sorry if I sound rude, its just frustrating.

It is such a shame that people can be this mean. I just looked at your cakes, and I think that they are great. As far as cake mixes go, I usually always use doctored cake mixes. This weekend I made a cake for my daughter-in-laws baby shower, it was doctored cherry chip, carrot, and chocolate cake mixes, all with the crusting cream cheese icing from this site, and the chocolate cake was chocolate cream cheese icing. Well to make a long story short it was a real cake disaster. The chocolate was a standup bear cake on top of a sheet cake. The bear tipped over and broke about 10 minutes before the guest arrived at my house. This was her family, my family and friends all at my house and the cake crashed the head fell of first and broke in half after it fell off. As everyone was eating the cake they said it was the most delishous cake they had every had, they asked my DIL if it was a scratch cake, and she said it is a mix, but she adds lots of different things to it. And everyone still raved about my broken cake, and we have a story to tell Alexis about her mom's baby shower for her along with pictures, but we didn't get any before pictures. Moral of the story is I quess don't let these people get you down, some people thrive to hurt others feelings.

Wilma

Oh, and one more thing.....

The fact that this woman spit it out. Didn't her mother teach her that spitting out food you don't like is rude?

You swallow it, get a drink, and then just don't have anymore.

The only time a person should spit is when food is spoiled or toxic.

This woman was just purposely trying to hurt you. There are souls out there like that....they roam the earth like vampires, looking for someone else to bring down. It makes them feel better about themselves. I think they are there to teach us lessons on how to stay strong and patient....it's character building.

PLEASE!!!! I know your cakes are wonderful!! I doctor my cake mixes, and no one has ever been able to tell. I've always had rave reviews....don't doubt yourself. She's lucky she had a piece of your cake before you become a rich and famous cake designer!!

well my worst critic is my DH. He is always finding flaws with my cakes either in looks or taste. On Monday I made a cake as a BD present for a neighbor. We were over there house enjoying the evening and when it was time for the cake DH started to say well you should have done this or done that. We my neighbors shot him a look and told him that He does not know what they are talking about. Well they loved the cake so much that they ordered a cake for thanksgiving from me. They are having the whole family there something like 35 people. Cant wait to make that.

The rude DIL reminds me of those people who don't have children but are experts at raising children. You all know the kind of people I mean!

Dale, I love your idea about helping the DIL finish her food! My type of person!

Debbi

I just don't know where these people are from. I was raised in the south and taught manners. We would never say anything like that in front of someone-we talk about people behind their backs!
Seriously I know how you feel. I am have a tendency to let things like that really bother me even if I had a great comeback. I'm trying to be better about letting go.....

It's truly sad that some people are so unhappy with themselves that they try to hurt others to find some sick pleasure. The woman who spit out the cake was crass and she degraded herself with that type of behavior. Really, most children would have more tact. It's a fact that when people find reason to criticize without justification or compare themselves to you the reason for it is pure jealousy!!! Jealousy has a way of making even the most sane and reasonable person act irrationally.


Thats my 2 cents

I say "Shoot em in the eye with a rubber band!"

Hey Dale, why just stop at one eye?

Debbi

I can't believe she spit out the cake!!! Some people...hmph!!

What I get all the time is:

Well, somebody certainly has a lot of time on her hands.....(very sarcastically, of course)

In a way it is very complimentary because they believe my work takes a lot of time....I usually answer with: Nope, I just manage my time very well...

This insinuates that they don't.....

touche!!!

I have a question....

why tell them if it's from a box or not? Unless they are the people buying the cake and inquiring about the cake do they really need to know? I thought all Bakers had "secrets". If somebody was to ask at an event couldn't you say "what do you think? Is it good? Do you like it?" Just leave it at that and if they keep persisting just laugh and say "Bakers never tell their secrets!" Let them try and figure it out. The main point is if the cake looks great and tastes great it really shouldn't matter! Unless of course someone is allergic to eggs or whatever and needs a specialty cake done....
People are so rude! Some think that they are experts at everything. They aren't worth the effort and the energy! They want a reaction that's why she was so dramatic about the whole thing! I probably would have laughed at her, told her she missed some and had some on her shirt or something then everyone would really be looking at her or her mind would have switched back to concerning herself with herself. What a drama queen!!
For the people that have relatives or friends that think they can decorate I would have them over and let them decorate a cake! I would offer them the books or however you learned and say have at it!! I would make a point of it. You might get a few people into decorating but you might also gain some respect. Those people that make it look easy worked hard at it! I envy them and hope to be them one day.....

Bottom line:

Don't ever let this get you down, the people that say things like this are mean, petty, have nothing better to do with their lives besides make people feel bad kind of people. You are better then them, your cakes are great and don't let anyone tell you different! Just remember: she's the one that made an a** out of herself and people are going to remember her attitude and actions and how she handled herself (which was very childish if I may add).

You're cakes are Awesome!!

Shooting em in both eyes is a waste of a good rubber band, save one rubber band for the next rude one.
If someone would have spit mine out, I'd say "Hmmmm...she must have got the piece with the booger in it."

I have not read all of the responses but you obviously do not need to do cakes for these people any more. And you need to raise prices. Sometimes I think that people think when they get something cheaper they can act like that. The truth is you don't need those people. I would not take cake to work either if they act like it there. I mean why set yourself up for something like that. You are going to have many paying customers that love your cakes. You don't need to do anything for people who act like that.

I have had someone questioning me one time. She was a repeat client and should have known I would do a good job but she kept questioning me and stressing about her cake. I finally told her that maybe she would be more confortable with another baker that she felt for sure could do what she wanted. I got an email back very quickly stating " I don't want another baker, lets go on with the order". I delivered her cake and she ooh and ahh and was conpletely happy. I don't know what her problem was but telling her that sure fixed it.

oh btw just because she said it was a mix cake and spit it out doesn't mean that she new it was from a mix. I think she sounds jealous of you for some reason...

Adven-
"Well someone has a lot of time on their hands," she says.
You: "Yes, but now they're free to make rude gestures at you!"

See I can come with these responses for other people, but never for me!

I think I'd stop making cakes for someone who said something like that. It's not worth it. I would never have the nerve to say "I could do better" to someone who made something for me... not even for pay. It's very rude and cold. The product would have to be very very poor before I'd complain, like maybe falling apart or something, this is cake after all... it's not like we make it in a silicone mold and it just pops out perfect. People forget this sometimes. Sorry you've had these experiences!

Oh, now I get it! If her mom made cakes, this woman is just posturing.

She is asserting her knowledge in cakes over you in order to feel better about her own pathetic life. It's pure cattiness and BS. It sounds like it is her issue, not yours. A confident, caring person would never make someone else feel that bad. It's all about her and not about your cake.

If her inlaws hate her, there is a reason.

Dale that's just way too funny. I think I might have to print out the table manner approach and keep it on hand just in case I may have to refer back to it someday.

Melony

You will always encounter rude people in life. Do not reply with a smartalec comment as that makes you just as rude. The polite and civil thing to do is to ignore the bad manners. Spitting out cake is just plain childish.

However, baking and decorating are judged subjectively. People are going to make comments about the quality of your work.

I cannot believe that someone would be even that rude. I don't know how you were even able to take it. Let me say, SOMETHING is wrong with a person who is THAT hurtful. I have had things done to me or said around me that I've just tried to cover with a smile or ignore but wow, THAT is really the worse thing I have ever heard. She is surely a trouble person inside to want to make someone feel as awful as she was trying to make you feel. I am sorry that you had to endure it.

I would have said, "well, NO, it's not Duncan Hines and obviously if you made cakes, you'd know the difference. heehee (knowing the whole time, it's Pillsbury, not Duncan Hines...so I'm not lying.)

Dale -- YOU ARE TOOOO FUNNY!

I always just say, You will never know until you try it.

I had a lady from the church I go to tell me this story. (when I bake wedding cake for girls from church I bake and decorate in the church kitchen and I always have an audience.)

I just want you to know, I admire your ability to do those really big stacked cakes. You always make it look so easy to do. When I first watched you I thought, "Well that looks easy enough, If she can do it so can I". When my FIL retired from his job, we wanted a nice cake. My husband told be to call you and see how much you would charge to make one. I told him OH, I can do that, It is easy. We wanted a cake that served about 100 people. So I did the math and attempted to make a stacked cake, with 3 tiers. What a disaster, the top layer cracked in two pieces right down the middle, The second layer was lopsided and not level. Needless to say, It looked like my 2 year old made it. I was so embarresed, I didn't want to use it but my husband made me. He said you said it was SO easy. At least it tasted alright, But I have to admit not as good as yours. There is no way I will ever do that again.
She has gotten 3 cakes from me since that time and even referred several people to me.