Hi everyone,

I bought a cake for my niece's 6th birthday which was on July 4th. I was so disappointed that I wasn't going to have time to make it myself, but there was a family wedding on July 3rd, and just no time. So I ordered it from a bakery where I've ordered several cakes (before I started making cakes), and several family members and friends use this bakery too.

It was a Disney Princess castle cake. I picked it up on the third, and they had it in a box which was all taped up, and I didn't open it until the afternoon of the fourth. It had been stored in my kitchen, which is pretty cool.

So when I opened it I discovered that it was leaning horribly, and the icing was bulging and starting to peel away. I was mortified, but there was really nothing I could do. My niece thought it was wonderful, and didn't even notice the lean. (Everyone else noticed it though!)

I am extremely disappointed in the bakery. When I disassembled the cake to cut, I realized why it was leaning so badly...there were no dowels or any sort of support to hold up the second layer. Should I call to complain, and ask for a refund, partial or whole? I had no other options and we had to serve it, so I can't exactly return it.

Here are a few pictures:
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I would definately call and complain at the least. The cake looks like it is about to fall over!!! That can't be the best they could do.

I would call and tell them about the cake and that you were disappointed.

They may not give your money back but maybe they'll offer you something in return.

I would have cried if I had to display that cake.

I would think that any respectable bakery owner would at least give you something for the turnout of the cake. I just want to cry looking at it! Bless your heart. Definitely share with them what you've shared with us....you've used them in the past without any disappointment or problems, but..show the photos. Truthfully, to me, it looks like more than a missing dowel rod.

I would definately go up there and show them the pics and explain what happened. I don't see how them giving you any $$$ back would rectify the situation since the party is over and the cake was eaten. Maybe an inexperienced new hire did the cake, who knows, but I'd definately show them the pics! What a mess of a cake! Did it taste okay?

Agree with SweetConfections. Unlike many of the stories we hear on here, you have very good photos to show the problem AND you are an experienced cake maker who can point out the problem and specifically why it fell. Bring it to their attn "as a training issue" to "help" them avoid the problem in the future.

I wouldn't hesitate to go in with copies of the photos and make an "informative complaint". Any good business would be mortified and offer you a partial refund or a future discount.

I would let them know that I "know" cakes now that I do them myself and that it was quite a shock to find no dowels in the bottom tier! I guess I can see how it would be an oversight if the person who decorates the tiers doesn't assemble the cake, but beyond that it's just a case of the "cheap & lazies". Gawd, I think you were "lucky" to have it survive over 24 hrs.!

JMHO
Rae

Absolutely ask them for a discount on a future order or something along those lines.

But did I read correctly...you didn't look at/inspect the cake before you took possession?

Something else I wanted to add....you should always look at the cake before you take possession of it. Any reputable bakery will ask you to or atleast they should IMO.

you should take the pics to the store to let them see the state of the cake at the very least they should offer another cake at a discount should you or your family need it.
i've made this cake with and without dowels and never had it do this so i'm thinking that the person who made it had no clue how to do it.

When you saw the cake did not have any support system in it, did you take a picture of the top of the bottom layer to prove your point?
I love having good pictures, they say so much. You have some good photos of the whole cake.

I'm sorry this happened to you. I hope everything can be worked out.

-Debbie B.

As a bakery owner, if someone came to me with these pictures of a cake we did I would want to lay right down on the floor and DIE.

Seriously. I would be so mortified, I would offer a full refund plus a whole cheesecake (worth $75, ordered when they want).

i worked at a couple of in store bakeries....they will readily give you a refund.....or some free stuff.

i feel sorry for the in store decorator, they are sometimes worked like a mule, they don't really give them enough time to do good job.

at one place i worked , it was unsaid, but known, that we would work thru our brakes and lunch to get everything done, i can see how the supports could have been forgotten.

one saturday i came in and had 53 orders...JUST ME.

Little cakes,
What did you do? If I went in somewhere to do cakes and had 53 orders to do by myself, I don't know what I would do.

A. Sit down on the floor and cry.
B. Keep a stiff upper lip and go for it until I fell over.
C. Do harm to the crazy person who thought it would be funny to take 53 orders.
D. Call for reinforcements.
E. All of above.
F. None of the above.

53 orders - that could throw someone over the edge.

-Debbie B.

I hate to talk badly about other bakeries, but if there were no dowels, it was not done correctly. You are entitled to a refund.
They must have had a newbie working on it....

i agree with everyone...let them know....you are doing them a favor as well by pointing it out so that it doesn't happen again....and since you have used them before they should know you are not trying to get something for nothing.....but rather have a legitimate complaint!!! so sorry.....good luck!!!!

Yellowjacket,
Have you had the chance to contact the bakery?

Littlecakes,
I can not even imagine having a day like that! Whew.

-Debbie B.

Thanks everyone for the advice. The bakery was closed yesterday, but I did email them this morning (Tuesday). It was a very nice email, and I said I'm sure it was just an oversight or something, and I know it's not their usual quality of work. I included pictures as well.

I haven't received a response yet. I plan on calling tomorrow. I'll let you know what happens!

well looking at the work... would it of been sufficient even if it weren't leaning?

BTW I hate kits (sorry just not my cup o tea and it's just my opinion)

I'd say 50 % refund is in store.. especially if you ate it... but remember always.. ALWAYS look at the cake before removing from the property .. even if you have to take out military tools to cut the tape..

soooo sorry this happened to you

AHHHH the leaning tower of Pisa! I would definately ask for a refund. Tell them the situation, I can't believe they wouldn't want to make it up to you. If that were my cake I would feel so bad . This will sure be a learning experience for someone!

I think you should definitely let her know. Maybe a busy weekend...you did say it was the 4th right. She will probably be as upset as you were that it cake was missing supports. I know I would be mortified to find out that I had forgotten something like that. Or, if she did have a newbie doing your cake, she should be happy to know she has an employee who needs some direction so this doesn't happen again.

Any update on this?

Before I started doing my own kids cakes I once ordered a spiderman cake from the wal-mart bakery.......hubby went & picked it up and once he got home I opened it and what was supposed to be red icing was dark pink! I freaked......called the bakery complained & they told me the next cake would be free

Yellowjacket,
How did your phone conversation go with the bakery?

-Debbie B.

Glad to see this topic back up. I was wandering about this the other day too. How did everything get resolved?

I have also been wondering about the outcome. What did the bakery have to say?

I know exactly how that cake is made-- it's the old kit from Decopac or Bakery crafts and there are no supports included in the kit--- but at my store, I kept straws on hand for just such an occasion AND bamboo skewers to drive thru the whole cake..... It's not easy to do in a high quantity shop, but i've learned to CMA. It's always the decorater's fault if that happens, not the companies fault!!


We average 70 every saturday and at graduation it was 35 full sheets and 70 others... LOL... That's why I'm not full time there anymore... I work part time like the elves... I go in at night wed and make backup cakes... on Friday night I start the weekend orders, and that's when I usually do all the tiered cakes and get 2-3 racks done and on SUnday or monday I do the orders (30ish) and then fill the cases.... THere are 2 FT and me PT and we can barely keep up!!

I agree with Christi, I don't think the cake is satisfactory even if it wasn't leaning. It looks like a rush job, which is probably why it was 1 taped up and 2 leaning with NO DOWELS! If I gave someone a cake like that, I'd expect nothing for payment in return.

Just wondering what happened once the e-mail was sent? I would hope that any reputable bakery would want to do something...anything...to make ammends for the poor quality of the cake, and keep the customer happy. I always open my boxes when customers arrive for pick up, so that I can physically see and hear their reactions. I want them happy when they walk out of my door.