My First Cake Disaster..what Are Your Ideas On This?
Decorating By jenscreativity Updated 21 Aug 2007 , 9:36pm by Housemouse
OK,,so I assembled 2-4"square cakes together, with the top cake being half the size of btm. BUT client wanted it tilted off to side a bit, so I doweled together! Then, I also did 2 cakes off to the side, small squared ones to look like presents. So, I put fondant bows on tiered cake. THEN all was ok, until I left the house. Car was shaking some while driving.. Have cake in my lap while someone drove me..THEN cake just split on bottom layer, in half, BUT didn't come off! Just a major crack! It's humid in Japan..Walked in Clients house and client screamed, paced and cried away! I was SOOOOO embarrassed b/c others were there prepping their baby shower! Others were telling me she was just stressed out trying to make the party right..So I ORIGINALLY was to charge her $125! Well, I told her I wouldn't charge her and she replied, it wasn't the money! It's the cake! My response? Felt horrible inside, asked for a knife and water to lube it up some on the crack..I HAD to keep my composure, yet I could cry too b/c I worked for 6 hours STRAIGHT< not a second wasted, sweating and working..I was so upset, yet had to be positive and make the best of it..The tiers stayed together but just a crack on btm..She was pacing and making me feel worse and I told her I'm so sorry over and over again b/c I have SUCH a big heart! This lady was just making it worse than it needed be, like it was end of the world! The cake tastes good, I know that from previous comments. Give me credit on that one, right? I left house, empty handed, took my boxes and cake cards back, and went home with icing splattered EVERYWHERE on walls, floor, counter, even the phone and computer b/c my kitchen was so messy! I had 2 cakes due that day and the other one was the princess under gallery(kids birthdays)..that came out well. SO, my thoughts were if I were this lady, I would've at least tipped the cake lady or SOMETHING right? I mean I worked so darn hard! People make mistakes and at least it wasn't wedding day! Should I have charged her half or just leave it? I just didn't want her to bad talk me in public and all the way she reacted to all of this! I CERTAINLY wouldn't want her as a client ever, she was new to me! I got home, and I as cleaned up thinking how hard I worked, I broke down! I felt worthless! BUT on the other hand, It was my first disaster out of like 150 cakes I've made! SO, I had to think of that! Please tell me your thoughts on this! Thanks for reading all of this..sorry so long! 
That is awful!! It's so sad when people react in such hurtful ways. Some people just don't handle crisis well. Hopefully when she recovers she will call with an apology (IMO she owes you one), but if not, try to let it go as a learning experience. If you've done 150 succesful cakes you should be very pleased and proud 
She could easily have said the cake was unacceptable and be done with it, but going on and on doesn't solve anything except to make you feel bad... that's just not nice!!
Did you actually leave without charging her due to the crack. . . ? 
I didn't charge her a PENNY! I left with a smile on my face and one thing I did find out was next day..I bumped into one of the ladies that was at the pty. She told me the taste and all were incredible and everyone absolutely LOVED it! They didn't say a word about the crack and no one noticed it, she said.. She said NOT to beat myself up over it and that it happens. She also said the client is dramatic like that and not to worry about it. She also said she wanted my cake cards to give out b/c it was THAT great! I feel much better now! Shew! Should have I charged her something? What do you think? If so, then how much? Just curious!
Thanks so much for your time..love it!
Jenscreativity
If the cake was consumed which apparently it was, she certainly should owe you something, at the very least the product cost. Decorating cakes can be pricey added with the time and labor, which can be hard to figure, unless you have set prices, say per-person , for the different styles of cakes you may create. . Labor is also worth something.
It may be one payment you'll have to (no pun intended) eat, since you didn't charge her at the time. Not sure of the protocal on that one. But for next time, and we pray there won't be another such disaster... if the cake is left behind, at least require ingredient costs, and percentage for your time. If that is not agreeable to the customer, you don't have to leave the cake
With anything, if a customer is dissatisfied, they return the product for refund, they don't get said product for free, if that makes sense. . ?
That's one thing I must say, that I WOULD have a hard time b/c when someone is panicking, crying and pacing, making the situation OVER dramatically, then how the heck do you ask for some kind of money for the ingrediant costs or whatever? You know what I mean? Should I e-mail her on my heartfelt thoughts OR just drop the whole thing and never let her be my client again? Just tell her that I'm too busy to make a cake for her, b/c that embarrassment was so bad! Thanks!
I think you should turn 'not asking her for payment on the day' to your advantage and...
I think you should work out how much money you'd feel comfortable asking for payment. You should go back to her and say I did not give you an invoice on the day or discuss payment then as you were obviously v upset by events on the day and the small crack in the cake did not help! Here is my bill for x amount less x amount discount for the crack.
You will show yourself as considerate person who understood that the client was upset for whatever reason (not just yr cake) and so did not present the account at that time.
Obviously you know if you could say this - I just would not accept that all her grief on that day was caused by a cracked cake! So you should put that crack in context for her.
Not sure this advice will help but she sounds like a real mare!!
Thank you everyone for your precious time! I will follow your advices by all means! This means a lot knowing there are great people out there who listen to me! Thanks again!
Jenscreativity 
I would have charged her half-that's just me. I would have fixed it as best I could and left with half the money. Your lifesaver is that everyone loved the cake, asked for cards, etc so you will get more business. The first rule on the cake disaster forum-DO NOT PUT THE CAKE ON YOUR LAP!-your lap is NOT a nice even ground and may cause shifting and cracking.
I'm not trying to give you a hard time at all, it's just that SO many disasters have started this way. I know it's hard when you think you are the only one that can protect the cake you worked so hard on. Please don't ride with another on your lap. The board might have given away just slightly and caused the break. I don't think it's right to go back and get money now, but I wouldn't do that again. Making the customer happy is one thing-but you put a lot of time, ingredients, and effort into that cake...even if it did crack. 
I am SO sorry that happened to you. 
That REALLY stinks, and I transport cakes on my lap all the time (lesson learned!). That's why I have people come get them, I get TOO nervous driving cakes anywhere, but only have a 4 door sedan and two kids...so don't know WHERE I'd put it. My thoughts are that (if I remember correctly) you told her you wouldn't charge her for the cake...so you can't go back now and ask for money. Should there be a next time when someone is dissatisfied with the cake, IF you think there is somehting major, I'd offer to charge for only supplies or take the cake home. It would seem to me if she did this once, she might try to do the same thing again and try to get another free cake. BUT, in all honesty, you don't KNOW that she'd try to do that. I might give her one more time at being a customer, but would NOT walk out of there with some type of moeny or a cake if she threw another fit!
ps, congrats on them asking for your business cards!
I am SO sorry that happened to you.
That REALLY stinks, and I transport cakes on my lap all the time (lesson learned!). That's why I have people come get them, I get TOO nervous driving cakes anywhere, but only have a 4 door sedan and two kids...so don't know WHERE I'd put it.
I put mine on passenger floor board or if not horribly hot the trunk! Never in a seat - the slope will kill it! I find the front floorboard in flat and large - perfect! Bonus if you have floor vents for the a/c!
I decided to not have her as a customer b/c I wouldn't want to have to stress out while making another cake for her b/c I think she could be a perfectionist for all I know. SO< lesson IS learned and good idea, no more holding cake in lap..oops..Thanks for the advice and next time if this happens to SOMEONE else, then definetly have to accept some kind of cash. No doubt. Of course, I hope not another tragedy, yet it's reality that no one is perfect, right? Thanks so much for the advices, again! This is awesome how many people are pouring out their thoughts to help me! I'm here for anyone, anytime! 
Congratulations on being asked for your cards! At least something good came out of this. Obviously it wasn't as bad as the drama queen thought. I think you handled yourself very well under the circumstances. I don't know what I would have done with a pacing client!
I agree that since you offered the cake for free, you shouldn't ask her to pay. I've done that myself in the heat of moment and say something like that without thinking. I have given it some thought, and if it were to happen to me I would ask the customer what they would feel is fair, then take what is offered to you. At least something is better than nothing.
Also, for transporting cakes on your lap, I have a piece of sheetrock leftover from remodeling that is cut larger than any of my cake boards. If I travel with a cake on my lap or a cushy seat, I put the sturdy sheetrock down first. No shifting or bending!
Sorry Sorry really sorry - realise I misread the first post completely and see now that the customer was told there would not be a charge for the cake. in which case disregard my earlier post completely.
ADD brain in the ascendant at the moment.
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