I have one customer who I can't seem to satisfy no matter how hard I try. Something is always wrong with the cakes I make for her. There is only one cake she has been happy with and that was the princess birthday cake in my gallery.
Two weeks ago she called me about doing a wizard of oz cake with a gumpaste castle topper. She is a caterer and was ordering this cake for her client. I asked her what the budget was for the cake. $200 was the budget for a three tier cake with a gumpaste caste and to feed 150 people. Grudgingly I said alright I'd do it. That's roughly $1.33 per serving. Normally I charge $1.75 but I thought this would be a cute cake to have in my pictures.
I get an email from her today, how much is the cake. I respond, you told me I had $200 to work with. Here is her response:
"Yes that is what my budget was for the cake. He taste the cake you had last week and said the same thing I said. The cake you made had a pretty good taste but not dry enough the cake was >very heavy and damp not most. Please make sure this cake turns out like the >one you did for the Princess cake that one was ok.
He wants the cake a softer texture not so heavy or gummie. Looks is great but texture and taste means more."
I tell her that my cake is a scratch mix an won't be as light as a box mix. I swear on everything important to me, I have never had another person complain about a cake being too moist!!!!
The thing I wonder though, of all the cakes she orders from me and of all the cakes she finds something wrong with, why in the $#@& does she keep ordering from me!!!!!
Just needed to vent, thanks for listening
I would tell her, I bake all of my cakes the same, if you don't like them here is the name of another bakery that might have what you want___
ok so maybe I would put it a little more politely, but geeze! since when are we suppose to meet the taste guidlines of all of our customers? We'll go back to the chicken example that indydebi likes so much.... Someone doesn't like KFC chicken strips they like McDonald's better, they dont' go to KFC asking them to change their recipe to be like McDonalds do they? No they go to McDonalds!
Ok, this is gonna' hurt--but just a little bit...I hope.
She keeps ordering from you because she can't get a beautiful 3 tier stacked SCRATCH cake with handmade decorations from anyone else for $1.33/serving 
She thinks you're cheap and because of that she feels justified in degrading your product.
I'd be willing to bet that she's upcharging to the client, so the cheaper she gets the cake, the more profit she pockets. If she can beat you down, maybe she feels that eventually you'll break and give her an even larger discount.
In all honesty, with scratch baking, you really can't be making much on these items. Why deal with the stress of someone you already know that you can't please?
I know that on some level, it's practice and perhaps some money in the bank, but the constant pounding of your ego really isn't worth a "cute cake to have in (your) pictures". If you want the pic, make your family the cake, decorate to your heart's content, and know that it--and you-- will be loved and appreciated.
Tell this walking complaint machine that you can't do it for that $, can't do it at all (family emergency, broken oven, etc.), and move on. Make certain that you're booked up when she calls again --BUT, if you're tempted, make sure she knows that you now charge $2 or $3 or $4 PER SERVING--no negotiating--and if she has $200 to spend, then the cake will feed 100, 70, or 50 and more cake COSTS MORE MONEY! Force her to treat you like a professional !!
JMHO
Rae
I agree. I think she keeps coming back because she knows she can. If you go through this one, OK. If she comes again, and I'm sure she will, put your foot down. If she wants a certain kind of cake with certain decorations - it's __ per serving. If she has a budget, then you can only do ____. And that's that.
You shouldn't have to continue to take her brow-beating like this. You're not getting paid enough to take that. And you do not work for her, she does sound like she's treating you like an employee or "just the cake lady". You are worth far more!
"damp" cake. I have heard it all. 
Rae is right. I can't imagine what her mark-up is on that cake. She is probably getting $5 per serving, plus at least $75 for the topper.
You may be better off telling her that you prefer to meet with the client directly. A cake for 150 people might deserve a tasting prior to ordering, and this way, you can charge your fair price without being taken advantage of by a caterer of shady character. Offer her 10% commission as agent for the cake, no more.
Theresa 
Wow. She sounds annoying, but I think the fact that she keeps ordering from you shows that you are doing something right! Some people just focus on the negative and forget to give compliments. I say her ordering again and again is a compliment in itself though. One thing I thought of but I'm not sure what you think would be to tell her that you will do this cake the way she wants it but you will have to charge her extra because of having to change the recipe (then just use a doctored cake mix). Then, next time she orders, I agree that you should raise your prices. Tell her that you're more experienced now compared to when she first started ordering from you and that you've decided to increase the price in light of that. In other businesses they do that kind of thing. I don't see why you can't. Good luck with her.
I can feel your pain! I have one customer who has ordered 3 cakes from me and there has been something wrong with each one (she is the ONLY person who has ever complained - ever!). The first one I ever did, I delivered it to her, showed her the cake, and asked that everything was okay and she said it was. I few hours later (this was a Friday night), she called my cell and said that she really wanted different colors and if I could come by and change it. We were on our way to the beach and I told her no that she had said it was what she wanted and that I did exactly what she asked.
A couple of months later I got a call asking about X date and X cake, etc., etc. I didn't realize it was her and said I was available and started taking the order. I then found out it was her -- UGH!!! She ordered two cakes -- I wasn't in the shop when she picked them up, but the girl who was said that she didn't seem happy with those either.
Since then, this woman has called me three times to order cake. When I see her ## come up on the caller ID I go ahead and prepare to be booked no matter what the date is! I do not ever want to make her another cake again!
If I were you, I think I would have to be busy any time she calls!!!
I have encountered a few people like that in my career as a cake baker/decorator. They complain about everything, they try to insult you into lowering your price, and they change the design 5 times, including at the last minute, even after you've started working on the cake. These people are so... ...sorry, I can't use language like that.
After 19 years and 2000 cakes, I have decided life is too short to put up with people like that, no matter the loss of money or a client. 
There is a simple solution for people like this. Do what I do.
Put a list beside your phone which is titled
"NEVER Do Another Cake For These People"
Then write her name down. And when she calls, say "Sorry, I am booked."
I have 3 people on my list at the moment. 
I could add another one at any time. I am mean like that. So Beware! 
I have to agree with what has already been said. Your work is worth far more than 1.33 a serving! And, again, I am sure she is marking this up considerably!!!
I agree with Theresa, tell her you no longer "sell" your cakes to caterers, however you do offer a 10% comission on your cakes for caterer's who refer an ordering customer. You watch and see how quickly those portion prices go up and how many compliments she makes about you then!!! 
And if she doesn't like it, then she can go find someone else to be her "patsy"!
Stick to your guns. Make her treat you like the professional you are!
Kathi
This lady really sounds like a pleasant one, eh? I just don't understand how people can treat others like crap and think it's okay. Obviously she's lacking confidence, hence the reason she feels the need to beat you down, must make her feel better. *&&%$#@! Sorry - that just makes me mad. 
I agree with others here - either you need to decide not to do them at all, or raise your prices, and stick to your guns. Tell her your costs have increased, etc, etc and you need to charge more. I like Theresa's idea of asking to meet with the clients and giving the caterer a 10% commission. She may not like it, but maybe that will keep you sane. Who knows what she's saying to the customer when you're not around.
Hang in there! 
I have encountered a few people like that in my career as a cake baker/decorator. They complain about everything, they try to insult you into lowering your price, and they change the design 5 times, including at the last minute, even after you've started working on the cake. These people are so... ...sorry, I can't use language like that.
After 19 years and 2000 cakes, I have decided life is too short to put up with people like that, no matter the loss of money or a client.
There is a simple solution for people like this. Do what I do.
Put a list beside your phone which is titled
"NEVER Do Another Cake For These People"
Then write her name down. And when she calls, say "Sorry, I am booked."
I have 3 people on my list at the moment.
I could add another one at any time. I am mean like that. So Beware!
Sugarfrosted -- you made me laugh at loud!!
Thanks for all of you backing me up. Sometimes you just need to vent to people who understand. My family is sick of hearing about it, all they can say is tell her no next time. I'm a rather polite person and saying no isn't in me. But I can tell you from now on it sure is. I was already stressing over a wedding cake for tomorrow which should have been decorated and done by this time of day but is sitting on the counter still in pans! I'm so sick of spending friday evening up until 2am just to get up early saturday morning to finish cakes! I never thought I'd say this but I'm glad that I'm not booked for another single cake until August 4th!
Ugh. I have a client like that. She always says something like "it was good BUT...". She's my hairdresser though so I don't want to tick her off. 
This last time she called and said my white cake was delicious but could I make it "creamier" and white. (my cake is off white because I use butter, real vanilla, and whole eggs.) Creamier? How about I just make a bowl of pudding for you. I stood my ground though and said I couldn't change my recipe. I'm still trying to figure out how to tactfully tell her to buzz off, so I need to hear this advice too.
lol, that's too funny. We post the rec. with our own comments near the phone, so we already know what to expect.
I'm of the mind that I can always be doing something else with my time besides making cakes for these types of customers!
Spending time cleaning is better than the emotional beat down you get from complainers.
I always asked myself if it was worth it, taking time away from my friends and family to deal with a particular order.
If I wasn't getting paid enough or the client tries to bargain me...I tell them, Let me get back to you since I'm in the middle of something ( anything, baking, a consultation, ) Then I don't call them, when they call back, I'm booked and if they give me grief over it, I always turn it on them.
Well, I'm sorry, I'm completely booked, and paid! I'm sorry that you didn't feel that your ocassion was important enought to get back to me, and there is nothing I can do for you.
(but much nicer heheheheeeee!)
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