When I first found CakeCentral, I was so excited! Like a kid with a new toy. I was looking at pictures, looking up recipes.... I was in awe! Then, I discovered the forums. I wish I never had! Again, I was excited at first. I've gotten some good information, and thought it was great that people shared their knowledge. But, the more I read, the more discouraged I got. There is so much holier-than-thou crap on here that it isn't even funny!

You put people down if they can only afford WalMart, Costco or Sam's Club cakes. Someone was "annoyed" because a woman who lives in a trailer (gasp!) and has 6 kids had the nerve to ask to rent her kitchen in the off-hours so she could earn some money for her family. If someone hires you to make a cake, they're supposed to let you dictate who else is allowed to bring goodies to the wedding. If you don't do that, you're not "reputable". Miss High and Mighty KimmyKakes4me thinks her s^*t don't stink and you should be honored to have her consent to bake for you.

I am just getting completely off here, I would never post a pic, because if I baked a white cake with a blue flower, and someone else did also, I would be accused of copying. There is so much more I want to say, but have decided not to give you any more of my time. I would just ask that you think about the way you put things so that you don't chase anyone else away.

Now, I'm going to go to sleep, and when I get up in the morning, I may make some cupcakes. FROM A CAKE MIX! Yes, that is how low class I am. I do what I can afford.

FOR THE RECORD--I know that not everyone on here is like this. And for you, I wish nothing but the best. The rest of you can start putting me down now, whatever it takes to make yourselves feel bigger. I will never see it.

Goodbye, CakeCentral.

Sad, but I don't think op is the only one feeling this way...

I don't think the intention for EVERYONE is to put down those who cannot afford our cakes, but rather vent about those who think we should charge less for our cakes.

WalMart and other big box stores can charge much less for their cakes because they can buy them in bulk, and they're delivered already baked and frozen. No one here can compete with those prices. And it's quite often (at least from stories on here) that many people who can only afford to purchase these cakes become angry and upset over our prices. But I ask...do they have the RIGHT to a fresh, custom cake for that same price? No.

And yes, many of us do put down those CAKES (not necessarily those people) because sooo many cake "muggles" believe that they SHOULD be the same price. But the actual fact is, Walmart is not our competitor: other custom shops and bakeries are.

And many many people came to the defense of the baker you mentioned, wanting to rent out the kitchen.

As with any venue, online or in person, you're going to have a large mix of personalities and attitudes. Judging this entire forum based on those who may have the worst attitudes of all is a bit unfair, IMO.

Oh, and indydebi also baked with mixes when her business was going.

But if you can't take the heat, I guess stay out of the cake forum. *shrug*

Posts like these make me wish there was a counter for the number of times the OP checks back in to see what kind of response they are getting. I'm betting he/she is checking in. This reminds me of another post where one responder kept saying (repeatedly!!) she wasn't going to give us another minute of her time, and then kept responding to her critics for hours (several times saying she was leaving!!

If you are checking in Angelwings1, did you notice all of the wonderful, encouraging posts??

Wow. I am new here as well but I can honestly say I have never felt the way the OP has. I've only found the people here to be supportive, helpful and generous with their knowledge. As far as the posts pertaining to business subjects...like the home baker or the wedding cake contracts, I dont see a problem with those posts at all. As a business owner myself I know only too well all the red tape and licenses and fees involved in owning a business and its annoying when people try to take short cuts or get around the law in some way. As a business owner, I am very protective of my reputation and I can understand when others are too.

OP, Its a shame you feel the way you do. CC is a great resource filled with wonderful and talented people. I guess the only advice I can give you is to just dont read the posts by the people that are troubling you so.

As the founder of CakeCentral.com I have to say it always breaks my heart to read these kinds of posts.
On a daily basis l get to participate in this overwhelmingly generous and supportive community. But it is also a public forum, and a lot of people have a lot of different opinions. I personally try to "keep the peace" whenever I can and I know the mods do a fantastic job, but there are some days where it does get negative.

I think the most important thing for all of us to do, is stay positive and speak up. Then eventually everything that is great and helpful about the cakecentral.com community will drown out the negative.

I am sorry that any one person has ever had a bad experience on cakecentral.com, and I do wish everyone could have the incredibly positive experience I have on a daily basis here.

I hate to see you go, it was fun getting to know you.

Maybe you will change your mind and come back to CC soon.

Wishing you the best.

I believe I welcomed you when you first posted, now I'm sorry to say goodbye.

One must do what one must do, and not every forum is for everyone.
If you haven't been happy here, I hope you find a place where you are at home.

Most of those heated debates are in the business forum. Even when it looks like things are turning negative, the people who respond are giving good information that can be debated.

Even in the case of the "trailer", I believe the person was trying to set a scenario, not pass judgement. It would be very hard, if not impossible to keep a kitchen up to health department standards in a small space with six children. I couldn't do it.

This business is hard and expensive and some people are very protective of their investment , as they should be. But just like face to face, you may not agree with everyone you talk to, but this is a forum. I have learned so much from people who are willing to share, and I give back when I can.

I am pretty new to this site also and I love to read everything..sometimes it is fun to read the drama and hear the different opinions of all the people that respond. But I also click on a different forum post if the one I am reading goes against how I feel about things. It is like a movie or tv show. If you don't like that thread go to a different one.

I feel the benefit of this site out weighs the drama that I don't want to participate in. But if I have an opinion on something I am glad that I can express that here. If everyone had the same opinion there really wouldn't be much to discuss.

So you either have to except that everyone is different with their own view on things from their own life experiences, some positive and some negative and just read on and realize that or just turn to a different thread that looks like something more along the lines that you want to read about.

I do understand where the OP is coming from. I think the topic that I tire of most is " ARE YOU LEGAL" ???

Someone will ask a simple question and more times than not (it seems to me, anyway) the whole are you legal, someone should report so-and-so... my neighbor sold a cake and now I'm out to get her fined mentality.

When my personal life gets so boring that all I have to worry about is someone on Craigslist selling a cake, I'll be looking for something more to keep me busy.

Just my 2 cents.

OP, I hope you stick around and hang out with us some more.

There are some personalities here that stand out a little more than others, but like the real world you just can't let everything get to you. In life there are people that you just don't like much, happens online too. And since everyone has this cloak of anonymity here some people may take things to the more extreme or come off harsher than they really are.

There are topics that I won't even read any more or bother answering because I know how they will turn out and I just don't want that 'drama' in my life.

And in the business section you are dealing with people that have worked hard to get their business and are very passionate about it. Not always a bad thing, sometimes you live and learn and create your policies from there. Sometimes you have policies based off of insurance issues. And sometimes you have polices because they just work for you. Doesn't mean everyone has to agree with them or follow them themselves.

The site in a whole is a great place, don't let a few people ruin it for you.

i must say i love cake central and have been a member for some time now. And while I adore the advice and knowledge I gain from being a member I realize that this is the internet and people aren't always going to agree with me. Negativity is a reality in our world and it's going to be on all sites...not just cake central. I personally would rather soak up all the wonderful things I can and ignore the idiots than leave and sacrifice the learning and supportive experience I find here.

I just can't understand taking any posting personally, unless it's specifically directed at you...by name, I mean (and then it should be handled privately in my opinion).

I use box mixes too and Nestles morsels and Wilton colorings, some people think those suck...but why on earth would that upset me? They're entitled to feel the way they do. It's not a battle...they're allowed to have a different view...and if they express it disrespectfully, well that reflects badly on them, doesn't it...

You can't expect harmony at all times with this many members, but you can absolutely make a choice not to participate.
I see the looong threads with people fighting back and forth, and I always imagine their kids trying to get their attention, or dinners not being made, or grumpy husbands waiting, as mom is glued to the computer trying to out clever someone with words. It's just such sad a waste of time.

angelwings1...if you love decorating, you shouldn't leave...
Be grateful for all that this site gives so freely, but in return for that...stay out of the muck...I'm telling you, you won't be able to live without this place.

LOL...point taken.


I just noticed that I mixed up *sad* and *a*...Good grief!

When there is drama and I don't want to be a part of it, I leave that topic and go to another one. There is lots to learn on here and no one makes me read anything I don't want to.