Would Buttercream Bleed On Whipped Icing???
Decorating By jpdesserts Updated 20 Aug 2005 , 6:37pm by traci
I got a cake order about 3 weeks ago for an enagement party cake for tomorrow (Aug 20th). It is for a fondant two tier square cake. I am nervous about the fondant as I have never covered a cake in it before, but now that's the least of my worries. I baked all yellow cakes last night including an extra small cake to practice on. I let the cakes cool than looked at the paper where I had written everything down to see which fillings she wanted. I then see that she wanted a white cake and not yellow. This was at midnight. I am working today at my full time job and I have to work tomorrow until 4:00 (delivery time is 4:30). I really don't have time to start all over again and bake a white cake. What should I do? Call her and tell her and she if she ok with it? Offer a discount? Or do I forfeit sleep and do it right and not even tell her there was a problem? I would love any advice with this!
P.S. I did the practice cake and it came out well so my nerves are calmed a little bit. Image that I even thought it looked ok. LOL
I think I would phone her and tell her of the mistake and then give her a discount if she'll take yellow cake instead of white. If that's not acceptable, (I would be surprised if it wasn't) I guess you are going to have to bake again... But I'm sure she'll be ok with it... we are human, and humans make mistakes sometimes... It'll be ok!
Hi! I think I would just use the yellow cake. I always use yellow cake for people that ask for vanilla or white. I think it has a better flavor and I like to add mexican vanilla in mine and people just love it. I would do your fillings and icing...and I am sure that she will not be dissappointed! Good luck!!!!
traci
Thanks for the replies. I am just starting out and want everything to be just right. I think she will be ok with the yellow also but I want her to be happy as I am trying to get her wedding cake order also. Thanks again.
It can't hurt to ask! Worst case scenario you rebake tonight, get up early before work and finish the cake.
I'm probably the minority here, and personally, depending on how badly I wanted the wedding cake, i'd rebake. But that's just me - I don't like to admit i screwed up
Understandable since you are trying to get a wedding cake order. I hope it all worked out!
traci
I have to say i would rebake too. I have a hard time admitting i made a mistake like this.
..so did you start to re-bake or go with the yellow? I'm afraid I would have to re-bake, but that's just me!
I would have to say re-bake also. I've done it with the first wedding cake I did on the day of the wedding.
I think one part of growing up is being able to admit you goofed.
Further, I think a lot of people think that anything that isn't a chocolate cake is a white cake. Anyone who isn't a baker, doesn't necessarily make the distinction. With that in mind, I'd call the bride and tell her you have baked yellow cake and if that is not what she really wanted, you will give her the choice of taking it at a SMALLl discount or paying the full price if you rebake.
That way, she sees that you will deliver as promised, but if she really doesn't care, you don't have to rebake. Most customers, in my experience (not with cakes, but in general) don't mind if you make a mistake, as long as they get what they want and you are honest. If she doesn't care and gets a discount, she is VERY happy and you don't have to bake. If she does care, she pays what she expected and gets what she wants so she is happy.
The only downside is that you might have to give a discount--but at least you won't have to spend the extra time. If she truly doesn't care and is extra nice, you might even get full price and not have to rebake.
It's hard to pick up the phone at a time like this, but it only hurts for a minute.
i too agree with itsacake...
I don't think most people really think anything other than white or chocolate.
I usually break down my flavors as chocolate and vanilla. I consider yellow cake as vanilla. When a person asks for white...I ask if they want vanilla cake. They usually say yes...and then I do my version of vanilla cake with a yellow cake mix. Like I said before...I have never had a mad customer over this. With fillings, icings, and decoration...I am sure it will be fine. If it tastes good to the customer and the guests...then that is even better! I hope everything worked out for you! Let us know what happened!
traci
I say call and admit your mistake and offer a small discount as well. Your humility and honesty will probably strike a positive core with the bride. Sure, you may have messed up a little, but if it were my cake, I would appreciate the fact that you had enough integrity to let me know in advance. Integrity over embarrassment!
Debbi
Have any sick days or emergency days available at work? I'm with the rebake group, but only if it doesn't kill you!
I was on the fence about this one until I thought about what I would think if I got that phone call----no matter how you word it she's going to hear "I screwed up your cake, will you take this other one instead?" It's NOT that big of a deal but for someone who doesn't know cakes, she isn't going to understand from our point of view! You could probably pass off the yellow as what you consider "white"...but I think calling her to tell her that you messed up is not a good idea...especially with trying to get her wedding order too. I am a perfectionist and therefore I would probably re-bake, or pass it off as "white" and feel guilty the entire time! It would probably be fine if you really truly can't manage it.
Good luck and let us know what happens!!
I agree with mamafrog.Would you want to be the one on the other end of that call.I would rebake.I wouldn't admit I messed up and still expect to get that wedding cake order.
I just ran this by my DH. He agrees with becca0926 and mamafrogcakes. In order to get the wedding cake order, he'd rebake and never let on there was a problem. I still think I'd make the phone call, becasue of all the reasons I gave before. I think you'd get the order anyway.
That being said, I reread what I wrote and I want to apologize to everyone. I should never have said the part about growing up. It wasn't what I meant exactly and it sounds arrogant and nasty and offensive. I didn't mean it that way!! I was trying to say that in business mistakes are pretty much inevitable at some point, and it is hard to deal with, but it's a part of the package from which you can't escape.
Please accept my apology.
itsacake...I did not take any offense to what you said! I think we have all just been trying to give our honest advice! Anyway...I see what your husband was saying. I would not want to admit to any mistake if I expected to get a wedding cake order. I know if it were me...I would definitely use the yellow cake...but that is what I always use! I understand the reasons why some of you would want to rebake. Anyway...it will be interesting to see how it all turned out!
traci
I also didn't take offense.The reason i say rebake is my mother said she saw a bride refuse to pay because she didn't get an all white cake like she requested.
One part I forgot to mention from the start is that she is a friend, not a close friend but a friend. I was more worried about the groom's mom more then the bride. Anyway, I decided to give her a call. I told her that I baked yellow instead of white and that I would give her a 10% discount if the yellow was ok. I also told her that I would rebake if she wanted the white. She asked me what the difference between the two was because she really didn't know. It was the soon-to-be mother-in-law's idea to have it white and that it really didn't matter to her (the bride). She called his mom and she said yellow would be fine. So, I covered the yellow cake and all is good. I showed her a picture when I picked up the payment last night and she was very pleased with how it looked. I will be bringing the cake to the party later today.
I think that if I did not know her or if I didn't have to work today I would have rebaked without ever saying a word. Thanks for all the advice! It helped greatly! Ya'll are wonderful!
Glad it all worked out for you! As you saw, MOST people don't know the difference - but you gotta watch for the MIL (they know EVERYTHING)!!!
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