Warning: This is a duplicate post from Cake Decoration but I wanted to get as much feedback as possible. Please excuse my poor forum etiquette.
I delivered a beautiful two tier (6 in and 10 in) cake inspired by Finding Nemo this morning (I'm about to post a picture so go check it out). My customer just emailed me saying that everyone loved the look of the cake but: "it was way to sweet, there was so much frosting in the middle it overpowered the taste of the cake and the pieces just fell apart. So a lot of people didn't eat it, and that was a bummer. But it did look awesome."

I know I can't be everything to everyone but I really want to learn from this. It was a chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting for the filling (same cake and frosting I use for my Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffle Cupcakes, which my customer tasted). The cake was going to be outside in about 90 degree heat so I used my butter/shortening recipe for the frosting (which my customer also tasted and even preferred over my all butter vanilla buttercream, which she thought was too sweet).

I baked two 10X2 and two 6X2 and torted and filled them, giving me four layers of cake and three layers of frosting. I put four bubble tea straws in the bottom (10 in) tier and one long wooden dowel through both tiers.

What I think happened: the cake:filling ratio was too high for this customer. I typically have four layers of cake and three layers of frosting because I like the height and look of the cake. Until now, I haven't received any complaints about it. Do you think I should offer my cakes in two ways: the current way and one with more cake?

Any feedback would be great. I'm really bummed about disappointing her. But hey, on the bright side: everyone loved the look of the cake, including the birthday girl!

I m no cake expert but I think you did great. We can t please everyone. If someone likes less sugar on their cake, they should communicate it. More details about what they like and don t like = less miscommunication. So maybe from now on you can ask clients if they d like less sugar on their cake or a lot that way you can know more clearly what they re expecting. You re not a mind-reader so, the more info you get, the better. You did great!

I also am no expert, she did taste the cakes and consent to the flavors and fillings. I also think the sweetness of the icing should balance the cake. When I do a "sweeter" cake I do a less sweet icing/filling. I usually throw in butter, cream cheese and/or crisco when I am trying to decrease the sweetness.

Everyone has different tastes and previous poster was right...Unfortunately you can't please everyone. As much as I hate negative feedback, I try to grow from it and tweek my recipes or toss them!

The cake tasted "way too sweet" and fell apart BECAUSE IT GOT TOO WARM TO HOLD TOGETHER.

Many pastry chefs have refused to place cakes outdoors in this very hot summer for the simple reason that a warm cake is guaranteed to fall apart regardless of whether it is shortening or butter, they are both too soft to hold up when the middle of the cake reaches 90F. Not to mention that any cake at 90F tastes gross compared to the same cake at 60F...cake recipes are developed for the "room temperature" around 68F or cooler.

Thank you everyone for the feedback. It has been pretty hot and humid lately, which is unusual for Ventura county.

I did use a cake board under the 6 in cake.

The other thing I'm thinking is how my customer cut the cake. If she tried to cut the 10 in cake into wedges instead of squares like we all know.

It probably did get too warm. But I know for me torting puts too much frosting in a cake for me. But I have a friend who eats cake just for the frosting, while I'll leave half the frosting on my plate. So it is a matter of taste. Maybe at your tastings you could ask, something like are you a cake lover or a frosting lover, do you prefer a lightly frosted cake or do you eat cake just for the frosting,lol. And your cake was adorable, love it.

I agree. "Hot" cake does not taste as good as room temperature cake. NO CAKE should EVER be left for more than 15-20 minutes in a room or outside where it is 80 degrees or higher. Share this information with your customer if anything further is said. Refer her to this video if needed: