Caterer Refuses To Serve My Sister's Wedding Cake!!!!!
Decorating By emmascakes Updated 9 Mar 2007 , 1:49am by nikkifoster
I made my sisters wedding cake (five tiers, all fruit cake) and went to the wedding on Saturday. The cake took my a week to decorate as, although it's fairly simple, it had to be perfect as it's for my baby sister. Come 10pm the caterers still hadn't served the cake out despite it being cut at about 8pm. I went into the kitchen to see what the problem was and the caterer said she had decided she couldn't serve the cake as it wasn't cooked!!!!
She showed me where she'd cut the cake and it was fine. My fruit cakes are very moist and gooey with lots or dates, raisins, cherries, seeds, nuts etc. But she'd decided it wasn't cooked (she probably expected to see some dry crumbly horrid thing which usually passes as fruit cake) So she'd just kept it in the kitchen (although I notice that about a quarter of one of the tiers had gone - presumably in someone's mouth - she commented that it tasted nice!!!!!)
She kept poking it and saying 'Look, see, not cooked.' And in the end I told her that she must serve it, which she reluctantly did. She said she was going to take my card to give to brides who visit the venue, but now she'd decided not to as my cake wasn't even cooked.
It spoilt the last part of the day for me. I love my moist cakes, but she made me worry that perhaps everyone thinks they're not cooked. I only heard nice comments about it, but I guess no-one's going to tell me anything bad - particularly as they were all friends and family. I've never ever had a complaint, only good comments. I haven't spoken to my sister yet as she's off on honeymoon.
Have any of you ever had a caterer be like this?!
That is crazy. If your cake wasn't cooked enough I doubt that it would have held up to the fondant and being stacked. She is crazy.....besides why would it taste good if it was raw.
P.S...that is really different and cool. How did you get the huge flowers to hold up so well? I also really love the separater thingy. That is awesome!
Your cake is absolutely beautiful and so unique!! I love it. I'm sorry you had to go through that but I'm happy it finally got served.
Lazy_Susan
I had read your post before anyone answered it, and I wasn't going to respond becaue I really didn't have anything to say...but, your post stayed with me and I've been thinking..
1. if your cake wasn't cooked, then why was she eating it, the caterer MUST've have to be able to give an opinion on the cake
2. why were tiers already eaten
3. why did she wait 2 hours to come and say something? When ever there is a problem at a wedding, SOMEONE will always tell someone.
ok on the other side....
there have been a lot of threads on here lately about not doing 'second' cakes or decorating someone's cake because the posters were all trying to 'protect' their reputations...maybe that was the same thing she was trying to do, although, why she didn't notify someone about her concerns is a mystery!
Emma, don't take it personally...if this is just ONE person out of all the ones you have made your lovely cakes for...let it roll off your back and thank her for being so overly zealous...even though she almost ruined your sister's wedding, at least you now know this is a very contiencious caterer who only wants the best for her customers.
I would take the time to make an appointment with her, bring her a small cake and sit with her and explain your cake.
Don't lose the opportunity to be recommended by her. I for one would LOVE doing business with someone so obviously concered for her clients. No matter how she po'e d at the event..lol
HTH
Good points, but she didn't come and tell ANYONE that she's made this decision - she just took it into her own hands. People had actually started leaving the reception by the time I went in and asked what was going on. She knew I had made the cake - she knew who and where I was, she could have come and said something - but she chose to stay in the kitchen and eat my cake. I didn't quite understand your point about the second cake? She doesn't do cakes herself. She serves out dry sausage rolls and burn-your-mouth chillis.
Good points, but she didn't come and tell ANYONE that she's made this decision - she just took it into her own hands. People had actually started leaving the reception by the time I went in and asked what was going on. She knew I had made the cake - she knew who and where I was, she could have come and said something - but she chose to stay in the kitchen and eat my cake. I didn't quite understand your point about the second cake? She doesn't do cakes herself. She serves out dry sausage rolls and burn-your-mouth chillis.
the second cake would be for you to take to your "meeting" with her so you can "EXPLAIN" your cake as she savors it! lol and explain to her that you "appreciate" her concern to her clients...well, I only suggested this approach when you mentioned that you had hoped that she would give out your cards to potential clients, but if you don't like the products that she herself puts out...then maybe this is not a good "match" for you.
and yes...I did point out I believe it was the 2nd or 3rd thing as to WHY she didn't notify someone till you walked into the kitchen 2 hours after they cut the cake and not served it.
at a wedding, whenever something goes wrong...there is always a "go to person" if not to the bride herself. So, I don't understand, I stand with you on this one, WHY she didn't seek someone out.
( usually it's the person that is footing the bill that they go find..lol since that's the person the vendors usually have contact with and are familiar with )
Hi Emma
i am sorry that this happened to you and your sister, i totally agree with you about why didn't she come out and say something..
obviously she liked your cake, so why was it good enough for her to eat and not the guests at the wedding..
i really get annoyed with reception centre's and the catering staff, they think they have the right over the cake when i don't think they do..
i have a wedding cake to deliver tomorrow and i have been to the venue before and they like to move the cake table out of the way when the bride arrives, which i do not agree too. Only i know how i construct my cakes and to move them once i have set them up really scares the crap out of me, i have promised to give the bride a certain cake and thats what she deserves not one that a careless catering 'know it all' decides they can move around and risk wrecking it...
Both the bride and i have agreed that they are not to move the cake table once i have set it up. if they don't like it then thats bad luck for them...
Non-cakey people need to realise that everyone has there own way of making and constructing cakes and just because they may have cut one wedding cake doesn't make them an expert.
kylie
Oh Emma,
How horrible for you to have your beautiful cake prodded at and criticised!
I also make a very moist fruit cake and I'm constantly surprising people with it when they taste it. I think a lot of people hate fruit cake because of all the dry nasty ones they've had over the years.
I always test that my cakes are cooked by inserting a skewer into them, if the skewer comes out clean then it's cooked. But I'm sure you already know this.
This caterer sounds very strange to me. I can't think of why she wouldn't just serve the cake even if it wasn't cooked properly! Afterall, everyone there knew you made it!
Don't fret about it, she's obviously not a very good cook 
I'm sorry Emma but I have to agree with the caterer but for different reasons. I would not have wanted to cut the cake because it's so beautiful!!! I would want to take it home and use it as decoration so I could just look at it 
Emma the cake is absolutely stunning, the flowers and use of the separator are perfect.
It is such a shame that the caterer was so small minded. I think you are right in thinking that she was expecting a dry cake. Most people are unable to make a really moist fruit cake so all credit to you.
Let's hope that she has learned something - after all she did admit that it tasted good!
Penny
My fruit cakes are always soaked in booze (of one kind or another), so are always very moist - we still have half our Christmas cake sat in a cake saver in the living room, and it's still as moist as the day we first cut it (I made one that was way too big for the 3 of us lol!). I would be livid if that had happened to me - there is visually a difference between a raw and a moist fruitcake - if she's such a moron that she can't tell the difference, then she can't be a very good caterer!
You are a professional cake maker, and YOU know when your cake is cooked - I don't think anyone who knew what they were doing would send out a raw cake!!!
My fruit cakes are always soaked in booze (of one kind or another), so are always very moist - we still have half our Christmas cake sat in a cake saver in the living room, and it's still as moist as the day we first cut it (I made one that was way too big for the 3 of us lol!). I would be livid if that had happened to me - there is visually a difference between a raw and a moist fruitcake - if she's such a moron that she can't tell the difference, then she can't be a very good caterer!
You are a professional cake maker, and YOU know when your cake is cooked - I don't think anyone who knew what they were doing would send out a raw cake!!!
Whoah!! You tell'em 
Thanks everyone. I am not going to pursue a meeting with her as I didn't rate her catering at all and she peed me off, I don't want to work with anyone I don't like; the fact that she kept disagreeing with me when I said it was cooked, just moist, didn't bode well for any future relationship!
As for caterers moving cakes - what an annoying thing! I had one cake wrecked after the caterers dragged the table across the room, it was six tiers of sponge and they all cracked. Arrgh! So my sympathies go out to all cake makers who have this problem.
Emma - May I have your recipe for fruit cake? Here in the states all I've ever had is that dried out block of fruit cake that you buy in the grocery store around Christmas Time. I would love to try yours.
Thanks,
Lazy_Susan
Here is my fruit cake recipe, I have a word document with photos of each stage, if anyone wants one - PM me.
Making an English Fruit Cake
Soak 2lbs of fruit in a mixture of glycerine (about 2 tablespoons) cold strong tea (about half a mug) and brandy (about 4 tablespoons add more if you want to, cant do too much.) Leave to soak in overnight at least.
Weigh out 8oz of butter (not any butter substitute, has to be proper butter)
Beat / whisk it until its nearly white:
Add 8oz brown sugar and whisk again
Add four eggs, one at a time, beating in between each addition (if it curdles add a tiny bit of flour about a teaspoon)
Then add one good teaspoon each of nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger, the grated rind of one orange and one lemon and one big tablespoon of syrup (some people use treacle which is black syrup do Americans call it molasses? I dont like treacle as it adds what I think is a burnt taste m it does give the cake a deep brown colour which some people like)
Whisk this all up and add 8oz plain flour (with no raising agent in it)
You should have quite a thick consistency. Then add the fruit, if theres still a bit of liquid with the fruit thats fine to add but if theres a lot then pour that away before adding the fruit to the mixture. The fruit just needs gently stirring in until it looks like this:
Then butter a cake tin and line with baking paper. If your cake tins are a bit flimsy then youll need several layers of baking paper to stop the cakes burning. My cake tins are the expensive sort and are very sturdy tins like this just need one layer.
Fill the tin to within a centimetre or so from the top it wont rise much and it looks nice when its nice and deep.
Put it in an oven at 140 degrees for about four hours. If the top starts to brown too soon then place a piece of tin foil gently over the tin (not touching the cake) sometimes I put the bottom of a loose bottomed cake tin over the top of the tin. If the whole cake is cooking too fast turn the oven down it will still cook.
Its a sturdy cake and wont sink when you open the oven to check it so dont be afraid to. When the cake is done youll know because you can press the top and it feels firm you can also put a skewer in which should come out cleanish ( a bit of stickiness is to be expected due to the fruit)
Emma I"m just curious as to know if you noticed a lot of empty cake plates or was there a lot of cake going in the garbage? Then you'd have your answer without worrying about the stupid caterer's opinion. I'd bet they were all pretty much empty judging by the looks of your cakes which are fantastic.
I would have another meeting with her and ask her why she felt the need to eat a wedding cake that wasn't hers???? Now that you aren't at he reception, you don't necessarily have to be polite about it. Why would someone do that? If she felt the cake wasn't cooked then she shouldn't have been eating it. It really makes me mad that someone would eat someone else's wedding cake. That is UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!! The dang nerve of some people!!!!!!!!!!
As others have suggested, I would set up a meeting with this caterer. Perhaps she is just a dingbat who didn't know and was looking out for the customers based on the information she had available. It would be my guess that she took a slice as well as everyone on staff whose opinion she asked. ((Even though I can't believe she messed with the cake)).
Take her a cake sample or two. This negative experience can really turn out well. Many good business ventures and friendships began with a bad first impression.
The cake is lovely, she liked it herself. If it wasn't cooked completely it would have crashd to the ground when she was picking at it and it would have had a big puddle of goo in the center.
Just wanted to say your sister's cake is really great. Love those mega sized flowers!!
I agree with you, don't bother with someone who disputes your professional knowledge after trying to explain to them many times. It isn't worth it!!
Keep those gorgeous cakes coming!!!
Joyce
I agree with Emma, as I stated, she didn't like the foods the cater served ..unless that opinion was formed out of anger.
If she doesn't like the food the cater cooks, she shouldn't try to do business with her..eventually the cater will get a rep for those "dry sausage rolls and hot chilli"
and I'm sure that Emma, with her beautiful cakes wouldn't want to be dragged along.
I initially had suggested a meeting with cake so that she could stand by her cake and explain to this cater, who maybe has never had a great fruit cake that the cake was just super moist not raw and to find out WHY she took it upon herself to move the cake in a mature and professional way...
(it's always best to confront people the next day, after you've had a chance to sleep on things)
but, Emma's Cakes are beautiful, they can stand alone and she doesn't need to " defend" them to any lousy cater!
IMO there is no point speaking to the caterer again as she made up her mind and doesn't sound open to discussion.
I do not know why people have to make problems where there are none but you tried your best to give your sister a stress free day.
Remember your cakes are stunning.
Panda
X
Hi emma,
i am so sorry this happened to you. Your cake is amazing and your recepie sound delicious!
about the separator plates... did you buy it from lindy smith site? i have been drooling over these for the last year. these type of separators really make a difference.
THE CAKE IS GORGEOUS!!!!!
When I use to cater- The first thing I would do is alert the bride and groom to have someone slice and serve the wedding cake. Usually it is someone that wants to be involved in the wedding process. A dear ,dear friend or relative(give them a diagram to study to know how to slice your wedding cake). Don't automatically assume the caterer or chef will slice and serve the cake. This detail needs to be discussed when the cake is ordered and put on the checklist to be assigned.
The seperator is from Lindy Smith - pricey, but a nice treat for myself.
Thanks for all your support everyone. I won't be arranging a meeting with this caterer, I genuinely didn't think she did a good job of the catering, I didn't like the way she spoke or acted towards me and wouldn't want my name associated with hers.
Right now I have a piece of my sister's wedding cake next to me and it's jolly nice! As far as I know everyone else thought the same, there were no returns or pieces being binned - maybe people were furtively putting them in their shoes or something
If you're PMing me to ask for cake directions with photos - I need your email address as I can't send word attachments through PMs.
Emma, sorry to hear about the troubles with the caterer. My mother makes a very mosits dark fruit cake very similar to yours. very yummy. I can see how someone not used to such a cake might think it is under cooked but she had not right to take it upon herself not serve the wedding cake without telling anyone. She liked your cake well enough to eat but not serve. that speaks of her character or lack there of. Your wedding cake is awesome.
To find out more about the stands have a look at:
http://www.lindyscakes.co.uk/WeddingCakeSeparators.htm
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