Without all those details, I would just let her know that you are aware that it is not your cake. Just a simple reply stating, "I'm sorry, but on closer inspection, I realize that the picture you sent me is not even of a cake that I could have made. My layers are not put together that way. Did you have more than one cake at your event? It seems you have confused the two. I hope you are able to resolve this with whomever it is that baked the cake in that picture."
This lets her know that you can see her scam and see why it is not yours without getting into the dirty details. Of course you can always pull those out if it becomes necessary later.
This is exactly how you should handle it. If you're baking one cake and then torting it, there's no way that photo could be of your cake.
cakesdelight, good point about the vast difference in the height of the two layers. Good question for the OP. Plus, it just seems odd to me somehow, how the larger of the two layers is so very rounded on the end where is should have been straight from baking in the pan. I don't recall ever having a cake with that much of a curve, but maybe it's just something I never paid enough attention to before??????????????
So your cake should of had at least 4 layers of cake and 3 layers of filling correct?
So your cake should of had at least 4 layers of cake and 3 layers of filling correct?
I think she was saying that she bakes one 3" tall cake and splits it in half so she has two layers and one of filling per tier.
Oh okay, totally confused me there for a sec. Then that can't possibly be her cake because that one layer alone is more then 1.5" and if she splits a 3" cake that's what her layers would be right?
So your cake should of had at least 4 layers of cake and 3 layers of filling correct?
I think she was saying that she bakes one 3" tall cake and splits it in half so she has two layers and one of filling per tier.
Texas_Rose, explained it just right! Thank You! 
I wouldn't send her any additional information. If you're certain it wasn't your cake and you don't need to give a refund, you'll be best to just ignore her. You don't have anything else to tell her.
This is the best advice. Unless your spouse is an attorney, don't even start the whole attorney thing. An attorney is not going to be bothered with a cake dilemma...not enough money in it for them. You know their pictures don't match up with yours, so save your evidence for small claims court if it comes to that. Don't give her advance notice of your strategy. Save it for the judge, otherwise, IGNORE, IGNORE, IGNORE!
Plus, it just seems odd to me somehow, how the larger of the two layers is so very rounded on the end where is should have been straight from baking in the pan. I don't recall ever having a cake with that much of a curve, but maybe it's just something I never paid enough attention to before??????????????
The rounding on the bottom layer was probably caused by the weight of the top layer.
When I fill and settle my cakes with a weight on top, sometimes the lower layers will bulge a bit. I always trim that away, tho.
Looks to me like the baker didn't let the cake settle properly.
I find it strange that the cake is very crusty, even on top, yet it is purported to have an underbaked spot under the crust? The top of a raw cake would not crust.
Or would it?
WASC will get a dark crust like that when it still has a raw spot in the middle. I think it's the extra sugar in the recipe. Once I started using that recipe, I learned to poke the cake in a few places instead of just the center.
Plus, it just seems odd to me somehow, how the larger of the two layers is so very rounded on the end where is should have been straight from baking in the pan. I don't recall ever having a cake with that much of a curve, but maybe it's just something I never paid enough attention to before??????????????
The rounding on the bottom layer was probably caused by the weight of the top layer.
When I fill and settle my cakes with a weight on top, sometimes the lower layers will bulge a bit. I always trim that away, tho.
Looks to me like the baker didn't let the cake settle properly.
That would certainly explain it. Thanks for that explanation because I just couldn't figure that one out.
I find it strange that the cake is very crusty, even on top, yet it is purported to have an underbaked spot under the crust? The top of a raw cake would not crust.
Or would it?
WASC will get a dark crust like that when it still has a raw spot in the middle. I think it's the extra sugar in the recipe. Once I started using that recipe, I learned to poke the cake in a few places instead of just the center.
The cake I made for my customer was top tier: vanilla cake and bottom tier was: butter yellow cake.
I poke my cakes in a "X" to make sure the whole cake is baked throughly... I don't know why I do that, I just always saw my granfather (he was a baker all his life) and my mom do that, so I thought thats how you are suppose to do that, and I use a butter knife, because some times a toothpick or a bamboo skewer wont pick up on an under cook area(s)...
(just to clarify: I dont cut my cake in an "X" I just poke different areas of the cake in an "X" poke....) 
Just my 2 cents about calling people's bluff. I owned a childcare back in 2001. There was this problematic couple with twin 3 year old boys. Not a week went by that they didn't have a complaint. One week the complaint escalated to the idea that they were going to pull their boys out of the school. I became a bit upset because, like the op, I am obsessive about being perfect with everything I do. Needless to say, my thinking process went into full gear and I decided that they were not going to run my business on a daily basis with their threats. So the next morning I was ready with their children's folders and said that they didn't have to think about it any longer and that having them find a more appropriate school for their family's needs where they will be happy is what I wish for them. They never pulled the boys out, their complaints stopped, and everyone "got along" after that. Their "reason" for ultimately not taking the boys elsewhere was that they wanted them to be in the school Christmas play a month later. Some people.
Cute cake BTW OP!
THANK YOU! but I CAN NOT take full credit as the customer had brought a printed copy of a cake just like the one I re-produced for her event.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I ALSO WANT TO THANK EVERYONE THAT HAS SHARED THEIR OPINIONS ON MY SITUATION, AND I WANT TO LET YA'LL KNOW THAT EVERY SINGLE PERSON HAS HELPPED ME LOTS! I'M NOT THAT WORRIED ABOUT THE CUSTOMERS OR HER ATTORNEY, I HAVE ONE TOO. 
I AM NOT GOING TO EMAIL HER ANY FURTHER; IF/WHEN HER ATTORNEY CONTACTS ME, EITHER OVER THE PHONE,LETTER OR EMAIL; I'M JUST GOING TO REDIRECT THEM TO MY ATTORNEY. (OF COURSE I'M GOING TO CONTACT MY ATTORNEY ON FRIDAY TO MAKE HIM AWARE OF THIS SITUATION.)
YOU ALL HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL! I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT THANKSGIVING! AND I WILL BE KEEPING EVERYONE POSTED IF THE CUSTOMER DOES HIRE AN ATTORNEY...
TO YA'LL
WOW! $210.00 for that cake.... where in the world do you live?!?!
Is it a 10" and 8"? If so; I'd charge $110 in buttercream with decorations... and people would STILL complain.
WOW! $210.00 for that cake.... where in the world do you live?!?!
Is it a 10" and 8"? If so; I'd charge $110 in buttercream with decorations... and people would STILL complain.
$210 includes delivery and tax. Delivery alone was $35 because the venue was real far from me and tax where I live is 6.75%
May I ask what sort of support you used in the cake? When I look at the picture that she sent, it looks to me like the top layer is not so much undercooked as flattened. If the layers were originally the same size and then the top layer was pancaked by the weight of the top it would look like that.
WOW! $210.00 for that cake.... where in the world do you live?!?!
Is it a 10" and 8"? If so; I'd charge $110 in buttercream with decorations... and people would STILL complain.
$210 includes delivery and tax. Delivery alone was $35 because the venue was real far from me and tax where I live is 6.75%
Also, before the order is placed they meet with me for a design consultation and if the amount I charge is out of their budget then they have the right to go to another bakery... when we met was Sept. 06th and she didn't actually place the order until Oct.21st. so within that time frame she probably went to other bakeries and got quoted..... and as I have been told thousands of time by other bakers here in my area that are in the same cake club I am in, that I "under price" my cakes. 
WOW! $210.00 for that cake.... where in the world do you live?!?!
Is it a 10" and 8"? If so; I'd charge $110 in buttercream with decorations... and people would STILL complain.
$210 includes delivery and tax. Delivery alone was $35 because the venue was real far from me and tax where I live is 6.75%
Also, before the order is placed they meet with me for a design consultation and if the amount I charge is out of their budget then they have the right to go to another bakery... when we met was Sept. 06th and she didn't actually place the order until Oct.21st. so within that time frame she probably went to other bakeries and got quoted..... and as I have been told thousands of time by other bakers here in my area that are in the same cake club I am in, that I "under price" my cakes.
Where are you located???
May I ask what sort of support you used in the cake? When I look at the picture that she sent, it looks to me like the top layer is not so much undercooked as flattened. If the layers were originally the same size and then the top layer was pancaked by the weight of the top it would look like that.
I use bubble tea straws and foam core board. (sharron zambito's stacking method) I cut the bubble tea straws just a lil'bit higher then the cake (but not tooo much higher so it doesnt wabble and its stabble; I only do that when I know there is a border being used) BUT My cakes never get squished/pancaked on the top like that cake in that picture.... hmmmm thats another clue as to know that that is not my cake.... THANK U FOR NOTICING THAT!
I came into this conversation late and I think it's already been solved but I have to put my 2 cents in too.
In the pic she sent you of the undercooked cake it looks to me like it is a 2" cake on top of a 3" cake with icing in between. You can see that the smaller top portion of cake is crusted on the side and a little bit into the cake. Like that was probably the top of a 2" cake and the rounded bit had been shaved not all the way to the edge.
WOW! $210.00 for that cake.... where in the world do you live?!?!
Is it a 10" and 8"? If so; I'd charge $110 in buttercream with decorations... and people would STILL complain.
$210 includes delivery and tax. Delivery alone was $35 because the venue was real far from me and tax where I live is 6.75%
Also, before the order is placed they meet with me for a design consultation and if the amount I charge is out of their budget then they have the right to go to another bakery... when we met was Sept. 06th and she didn't actually place the order until Oct.21st. so within that time frame she probably went to other bakeries and got quoted..... and as I have been told thousands of time by other bakers here in my area that are in the same cake club I am in, that I "under price" my cakes.
Where are you located???
Ooops, sorry I forgot to input that in OHIO.
WOW! $210.00 for that cake.... where in the world do you live?!?!
Is it a 10" and 8"? If so; I'd charge $110 in buttercream with decorations... and people would STILL complain.
$210 includes delivery and tax. Delivery alone was $35 because the venue was real far from me and tax where I live is 6.75%
Also, before the order is placed they meet with me for a design consultation and if the amount I charge is out of their budget then they have the right to go to another bakery... when we met was Sept. 06th and she didn't actually place the order until Oct.21st. so within that time frame she probably went to other bakeries and got quoted..... and as I have been told thousands of time by other bakers here in my area that are in the same cake club I am in, that I "under price" my cakes.
Where are you located???
Ooops, sorry I forgot to input that in OHIO.
also in case you're wondering its 1.00 per mile ( the mileage rate we can charge here in ohio is .49.9 cents per mile... so I charge $1.00 per mile (which covers round trip; I use to say it .50 cents per mile each way... and people would think its too much, so when you say $1.00 per mile to some people it doesn't sound too much and it covers your gas to go home)
May I ask what sort of support you used in the cake? When I look at the picture that she sent, it looks to me like the top layer is not so much undercooked as flattened. If the layers were originally the same size and then the top layer was pancaked by the weight of the top it would look like that.
I use bubble tea straws and foam core board. (sharron zambito's stacking method) I cut the bubble tea straws just a lil'bit higher then the cake (but not tooo much higher so it doesnt wabble and its stabble; I only do that when I know there is a border being used) BUT My cakes never get squished/pancaked on the top like that cake in that picture.... hmmmm thats another clue as to know that that is not my cake.... THANK U FOR NOTICING THAT!
Hmm, just thinking out loud, but going on the idea that this could have been your cake...could the cake have been dropped. Or maybe someone sat on it!
Regardless, sounds like buyer's remorse to me. 
May I ask what sort of support you used in the cake? When I look at the picture that she sent, it looks to me like the top layer is not so much undercooked as flattened. If the layers were originally the same size and then the top layer was pancaked by the weight of the top it would look like that.
I use bubble tea straws and foam core board. (sharron zambito's stacking method) I cut the bubble tea straws just a lil'bit higher then the cake (but not tooo much higher so it doesnt wabble and its stabble; I only do that when I know there is a border being used) BUT My cakes never get squished/pancaked on the top like that cake in that picture.... hmmmm thats another clue as to know that that is not my cake.... THANK U FOR NOTICING THAT!
Hmm, just thinking out loud, but going on the idea that this could have been your cake...could the cake have been dropped. Or maybe someone sat on it!
Regardless, sounds like buyer's remorse to me.
LMAO!!! 
THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT THE MOMENT I READ THE EMAIL FROM THE CUSTOMER.... 
That's exactly how I do it, too. Now, let me tell you why I asked.
Referring to the top layer of cake in the photo - if you put it into the windows viewer, and spin it around, you can see that it has a bottom crust on it, along the frosting line, near the outside edge of the cake. The cake in the photo is obviously made from two separately baked layers.
Also, the top layer of cake had fallen in the oven. Cakes do not fall only on the top, they fall all the way down. There is no way that a cake baked and torted from a 3-inch layer made your cake.
This is not your cake, and now you have enough evidence to prove it, even in small claims court. If it goes to small claims, go there prepared to do a demonstration of how you torte, frost, and fill your cakes for the judge. That might be the only way you can prove it's not yours.
Theresa
The bottom tier of that two tiered cake does look like it has a filling line about where that slice of cake does. And furthermore there is plenty of space in between those stripes to take a clean slice with no decorations. If the nincumpoops cutting the cake had not removed the top layer of cake when cutting the bottom- then the slice could have gotten mushed on top like that.
For all the ding dongs saying that sliced cake is on a spotted table cloth... it's on a speckled counter top, most likely marble or corian or something right in the kitchen. And there are no plates on the pink table cloth who's to say they didn't have black paper plates in the kitchen?
The top layer of cake looks to have been squished really hard right after it was baked to produce a level surface for decorating or the cake fell.
However....
*If the OP is certain she torted and filled the cake then her slice would have had three layers of frosting in the middle not one in the middle. So then it isn't her cake.*
That is all from this Nancy Drew
Now I have a question- how does one get such weird rounded baked sides on a cake layer like the slice of cake in question...? I have never seen that. Unless they baked in Pyrex casserole dish or something. Even a contoured pan doesn't have that side like a budging wheel of cheese.
Now I have a question- how does one get such weird rounded baked sides on a cake layer like the slice of cake in question...? I have never seen that. Unless they baked in Pyrex casserole dish or something. Even a contoured pan doesn't have that side like a budging wheel of cheese.
I see you've never baked in a silicone cake pan. I bought two of them, used them twice. There's no support on the sides, so both times, the sides bulged like that. I cut the sides off them, and now use them as liners for the glass tray in my microwave oven.
Theresa
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