Please Help--This Is A Disaster--Should I Give Money Back?
Decorating By justfrosting Updated 20 Sep 2006 , 12:05pm by MrsMissey
OMGOSH! I am soo sooooo embarressed.
My first paid cake, I have been on CC talking about it all weekend. I completely screwed it up!!!
This random person called and said he had tasted one of my cakes somewhere and ordered a cake with blue fondant and running shoes??? with strawberries in the middle.
Sure--whatever.
The cake itself looked okay last night. A couple minor problems but nothing I could not cover up with decorations. I piped some green grass around the bottom.
But when I got up this morning the fondant had slid off the cake on one side. The BC underneath must not have set, I think. I really do not know what happened. I tried to fix it and piped more grass but it really looks terrible.
My only consolation was that this man was a random person who I will never hear from again. I delivered the cake and got the $$$.
Then I was leaving his office and a friend of mine caught me and said ---wow! You just made a cake for the PRESIDENT OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.
Can someone loan me a closet that I can hide in for the rest of my life???
I am thinking of calling and refunding the money--I am so embarressed.
well maybe you should call him and see if he likes the cake....
the only reason i say this is sometimes we are our own worst critic and what we think is bad is not really that bad
i think it can be just as bad to return money- if he liked the cake-- it shows you have no confidence in your product. so that is why is say call him and ask him for his honest opinion of the cake.
If you have a friend there ask her for her honest opinion of it - tell her you aren't feeling confident and would like to know what she thinks. Perhaps it will taste so spectacular no one will remember what it looks like - of course, it may not be as bad as you think....... sometimes the flaws we see aren't seen by others.... and even if it is bad - as long as it tastes good you're probably okay. I wouldn't ever just offer the money back - if they call and complain, then you can - but if they don't complain, why give them the impression that the cake they got wasn't your best work? They may see nothing wrong with it at all. Do you have a picture? Can you post it?
Did you say you put the fondant covered cake in the fridge? I haven't had problems with that yet but it is possible that maybe the condensation from the fridge caused it to slide.... or maybe you put too much buttercream on underneath.... if we saw a picture we might be able to give you some more tips on what to do next time.
Don't feel too bad - I still haven't quite figured out fondant yet - I'm searching for a good brand or good recipe b/c I'm hoping that helps me! 
I thought we weren't supposed to put fondant in the fridge. Maybe it got to warm?
I am going to call someone at the office----that is a good idea. Thanks.
WOW--is that snarky?
I absolutely did not mean it to sound like I only care about powerful people.
Your post actually made me cry.
HEY I KNOW HOW U FEEL..IM PRETTY SURE THE CAKE IS NICE..!!!!!
Sometimes we make beautiful cakes and sometimes we just make cakes. I have found some of the cakes I thought were the worst were actually some of my best...even though that, in itself is scary. Don't worry, but if you are concerned that he is disappointed I would definitely follow up. If for nothing else, to make yourself feel better. Regardless of his answer, you worked hard - and remember, he sought you out. Keep us posted on how things turn out.
yeah that one comment was kind of snarky. i know how ya feel. i just made a cake for someone that fell on the way over. i told her no charge, she paid me half, but i still feel horrible and am thinking of sending her money back, i just haven't felt right. plus a coupon for $$ her next cake
Please dont feel bad!! Things dont always come across how we mean when writting 
I took your comment to mean that you felt bad because the cake (in your opinion) was not your best work but could deal since you may not see the person again but then were super horrified because you know this was somebody you absolutly would see again. Though in either case if they complained you would try to make it right
Reminds me of the time I had to fix a major clothing problem. I turned around to see somebody I knew was walking right behind me. Some random person would have been embarrissing enough, but someone I see on a regular basis! Who knows my friends and family 
I really cannot believe I shared that but I feel terrible that a post made you cry!!
seriously, that was a 'snarky' comment. there is no need for those IMO. people come on CC looking for support from their peers and 'snarky' comments certainly aren't very supportive.
justfrosting - i would just hold your breath and let it go. i'm sure he was happier than you think with the cake. after all, he did request you. people who can't do what we do are so super impressed by what is possible when decorating a cake that i bet he won't even think twice.
i understand your worry because he could be a good source of connections for your business. so, if you think leaving it alone may hurt you that way, then you may want to just follow up with him somehow.
seriously, that was a 'snarky' comment. there is no need for those IMO. people come on CC looking for support from their peers and 'snarky' comments certainly aren't very supportive.
justfrosting - i would just hold your breath and let it go. i'm sure he was happier than you think with the cake. after all, he did request you. people who can't do what we do are so super impressed by what is possible when decorating a cake that i bet he won't even think twice.
i understand your worry because he could be a good source of connections for your business. so, if you think leaving it alone may hurt you that way, then you may want to just follow up with him somehow.
ITA
justfrosting, dont stress too much about it. We are all our own worst critics. Do what you feel is the right thing to do. It'll be okay.
I'm not intending to be snarky. Either the cake is okay to sell, or it's not. When it's okay for a nobody to buy but not okay for someone powerful to buy, that says bad things about the seller to me.
Let's remember that most of us on this site would be nobodies to the great majority of the businesses we spend money with. How do we want to be treated? Do we want our $50 to be worth as much as some bigshot's $50?
I called my friend at this man's office and asked her to please discretely ask him tomorrow how the cake was. If he hates it, I asked to to tell me so I can offer conpensation.
I trust her and thinks she has my back.
Man, I guess I was nieve to think everyone on this site was sweet and supporting.
Thanks to all of you who understood what I was trying to say.
I wouldn't worry about a snarky post, just like you, she might just be having a bad day.
I would:
1) Send a handwritten Thank You note with a comment about it being your first paid cake.
2) Offer a discount for his next order and a discount for him for any orders you get on his recommendation.
3) Do not mention any problems to him. If he wasn't happy, he will either not call you again or he would have said something. You don't hear about problems in the kitchen at a restaurant. Just keep it professional.
Good luck! I would love to see pics!
Monika
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