I made what I thought was a very sturdy three tier topsy turvy cake, it turned out really nice but I got a call 45 minutes after the client took it and she said it collapsed onto her dress while driving in the car. I need to know if I constructed it wrong or if it was her fault. It was a 10", 7", 3", with 8 fat dowel straws and a center spike thru all three tiers. It was chilled 3 hours before pick up. Here is a picture of the disaster.

How many dowels did you put in the bottom tier?

Collapsed onto her dress in the car?
Was she holding it in her lap? Was she driving while holding it in her lap??

The bottom tier had at 9 or 10 dowels, I can't remember. She was the passenger in the car and held it on her lap. I cautioned her to keep it level. What a mess!

If it collapsed on her dress, it sounds like it was on her lap or the car seat, neither of which is the best place for a cake. Looking at your pictures, you definitely know how to construct a tiered cake, so I would guess there was some issue...maybe she slammed on the brakes and it toppled.

If I'm sending a stacked cake with somebody, I put it in a big moving box with nonskid drawer liner under the bottom board and another piece under the box, ideally in the back of a SUV or wagon. I haven't had one fail yet, even with the crazy way all my relatives drive.

I will try to answer all the questions. The dowel straws were smaller than the bubble tea straws. The cake was on a drum and in a 6" box. She showed up in a tiny Mercedes coupe and the backseat was so slanted, the only place to put it was on her lap. I have never had this happen before with all the tiered cakes I have make. I just want to make sure it never happens again. I am thinking something happened on her end but like to hear all of your input. I thought it was something I did wrong with the topsy turvy construction. You never know what you don't know!

What did you put your cake on? cakeboard? cake drum?

Here is a photo of the cake before the accident. Maybe someone will see if I did something wrong putting it together.

Your cake is absolutely beautiful! I don't see anything wrong with the way you put it together but is the base strong enough for that cake? If I use cardboard cake circles I tape at least 4 of them together to make them strong enough to support that size cake. I can't buy cake drums locally so I don't always have one available when I need it.

So.
The cake is in a box, sitting on this lady's lap...in a Mercedes coupe...and the cake somehow lept out of the box and landed on her dress?

Something isn't adding up with this lady's story.

I'm not sure I would have let the cake leave in a vehicle that couldn't safely fit it. Maybe if they signed an explicit waiver indicating that you do not recommend transport in said car and wouldn't be held responsible for any damage.


Okay, I just saw your pre-smoosh picture (gorgeous cake, BTW!). Good lord, it looks like someone sat on it!!! Your client doesn't happen to be....well endowed in the chest area, does she? It really looks like it got smooshed as if she leaned over into it during transport or something.

Thanks mamawrobin and piccolochellie for the compliments. You are definitely making me feel better. Something does not add up with her story either but the lady is so nice I feel bad for her - and for Gramma who is turning 99 with a smooshed cake. BTW, she was very tiny with no bosoms to speak of. Maybe her hubby got mad at her and slammed on the brakes! lol

You're welcome. You never did say what your cake is "sitting" on. Cakeboard? drum?

mamawrobin - sorry its a drum...3 heavy duty boards wrapped in contact paper then foil. She just said it collapsed, nothing about the board. Poor thing, she was so nice when she called. I think piccolochellie is right about the hard stopping thing.

What type filling did it have...the bottom tier inparticular?

Thanks again heddahope and mamawrobin for the compliments. Its hard enough to know all your labor is cut up and eaten but when its DESTROYED its even tougher. And it was a really yummy cake too. I would have liked to have some

It all had the same filling. Frostin Pride which is very firm with some strawberries. I still have some leftover and the berries did not leak.

You should post your photos to Cake Safe and see if you can win a free one! Your cake was SO gorgeous before the fall.

Thank you and what is Cake Safe?

The reason I asked is it looks like the bottom tier had slippage and it looked like a fruit filling...I was actually thinking it may have been a sleeve-type filling (not that that by itself would've created an issue.)

Could it be a combination of the supports, the way it traveled, the filling, and heat? It had been refrigerated but if it was introduced to even the temps here (mild today though), could cause sweating and slipping.

I don't use fruit that often. Because of that, I didn't put much in. But now that you mention it, that could have been it. Dang! I was starting to feel better. I did want to make sure this does not happen again.

Tracy...go to the website...you'll be hooked!

If the "cake collapsed onto her dress" had not been mentioned, I would not be so suspicious. But I bet they got around the corner out of your sight and she took it out of the box because the box was too awkward. Then she set it on her lap and they drove away. Then the brakes got slammed. And now she is blaming you for her stupidity.

When my clients pick up a cake, I tell them that once it is out of MY hands, it is now THEIR responsibility.

I agree...that is what I tell my pick up clients as well AND it's in my contract. If I deliver then I'm responsible, if they pick up then they are responsible. Suddenly my delivery charge makes sense to them.