Hi everyone

I've just had to give a full refund to someone who's cupcakes had gone off. She had ordered Peaches and Cream cupcakes as well as Strawberry and Cream cupcakes. 

I've just had a messaged from her, saying that that the cream had gone off and that she wanted a full refund. I suggested that she scrap the cupcake off to see if that was any better but she then said there was a smell. I did tell her that with cream cakes you have to eat them on the day because of the cream, which is what they tell you at supermarkets.

I've offered a formal apology, I've given her a full refund, I've apologised countless of times, I've apologised for even suggesting that she scrap the cream off, and I've emailed the food safety people at my local authority so they can come out and see if there's a fault with any of the equipment used. I've posted on my personal Facebook and my business facebook stating all things that I've done, plan to do and apologise.

She has stated that she will give a formal complaint to the local authority and while I'll welcome that, I'm just sad that I've ruined her son's birthday and a little worried that this will affect any future order. I've also removed the cupcakes from the price list so no one can order them until I know what's happened.

I should also state that I gave leftover cupcakes to the girls at work and they ate them fine, no complaints. I've also looked at the same cupcakes that are in the fridge and while the cream has hardened, they haven't gone off.

Is there anything else I can do?

AOkay, first, was it straight cream, did it gave sugar or any stabilizers? Second, how long did she have her cupcakes before serving? Did she store the properly between pick up and serving time? You said you shared with coworkers and they were fine, so what was the tine frame between when they ate them and the customer ate hers.

Were all cupcakes topped with the same batch if cream or find you have to make multiple batches and perhaps the customer got a batch of old cream? Was there a lengthy transport for the customer?

All of these need yo be looked into yo determine an answer, it could be a fault on the customer if others you made are fine, or you could have unknowingly see spoiled cream.

Me personally, I NEVER ice anything with straight cream, I make a buttercream base, with a small amount of cream cheese and gently fold my whipped heavy cream into this, it helps stabilize it to hold up, and the extra sugar keeps it from falling and going rancid as quickly.

Everyone lives my version of whipped cream icing, probably because most people here think of whipped cream as the cool whip stuff, which is sweet, not light like true whip cream, but I refuse to even allow cool whip any where near me.

It was double cream whipped into stiff peaks and I made peaches and cream cupcakes in the morning, straight into the fridge. I used the rest of the whipped cream from the peaches cupcakes on some of the strawberry and cream cupcakes which I gave to my co-workers. They were left in the shop, not in the fridge, and were fine at the end of the day.

My Mum whipped more (fresh) cream for the strawberries half an hour before they were to be delivered, placed in the fridge until I placed them in the box so they could be delivered. I don’t know what the customer did with them after that, as she wouldn’t tell me anything. They were delivered at 6:30pm Saturday and 3 hours ago, today, she posted on facebook that the cream had gone off. The delivery took around fifteen minutes.

I know tinned fruit (the peaches) has a tendency to curdle cream and the peaches also have a tendency to go black if not eaten on the day. I can’t find anything out from the customer as she has now resorted to swearing at me, saying I haven’t done enough, etc.

I have offered a formal apology in the newspaper and my blog; I have given a full refund, etc.  If the peaches and cream were my fault, then I would have fully accepted that but apparently all of it went off. 

I haven't written a formal apology as she didn't accept one. She did also start on a friend who said I did everything I was meant to and more. This customer has also stated that they will be going to the local authority/environment agency to report me which I said I welcomed as I have also emailed them as I want to make sure there's no fault in my kitchen.

I've defriended her on facebook as well as banned her on the facebook page.

Sorry, I should have said that I have offered to write a formal apology because at the moment, I was trying to think of anything to please this woman but since then, I have defriended her and banned her.

I just don't know what could have happened to those cakes. The only thing that I can think of is that she didn't put them in the fridge but then I would have assumed she would know to put them in the fridge overnight for today.

AI think you might have jumped the gun a little with everything you've done. I was under the impression that you also suspected the cream had turned. You're just taking her word for it? Is there anyone else that mentioned it to you. I think you were right to acknowledge her concerns. But you're the professional...if you stored then correctly then you should stand firm in that and be as polite as possible

I did try and get more information from her but she went completely mad, saying that I had ruined her son's birthday party and she would have to find a new cake and just kept arguing with me while I remained polite with her, giving her the refund, etc. Anything with cream that I have bought has always warned people that you need to eat the item that day, something I forgot to tell her which I regret. 

If I had known properly that they weren't going to be eaten that day, then I would have told her that I would deliver them the day they were meant to be eaten but she wanted them delivered the day before. 

I've gone over it several times and I've thought if there was a way to change it. 

AAgree with everything Mimifix said. FWIW, it sounds more like her taste buds are off than anything else.

Usually people will stop when they get something in return for the mishap, no matter who's fault it was.

The fact that she's being so bent on not accepting your apology is downright disturbing...I'm so sorry you are having to deal with this.  It does seem  like there's more to her side of the story....like her best friend is your main competitor or something!

Curious as to why you apologized in the newspaper.  Did SHE put something in the paper about you?  Sadly more people read FB than the newspaper.

With any luck, the people that know her will know how dramatic she is and that she's overreacting and will ignore her.

And was she told to keep them refrigerated?  She should have known since it was cream, but you have to err on the side of caution and state the obvious.

To clear things up, there is nothing in the paper (yet). I only offered to put a formal apology in the paper if she wanted me to, which she didn't accept. When I think now, I did send her a message Saturday (the date of delivery) as I realised I had made 36 instead 24. The order was 12 set of cupcakes, such as 12 peaches and cream, 12 strawberry and cream and 12 hot chocolate. I messaged her to see if she wanted these 12 sets because that meant the order was 36 and not 24 as she had originally put. It's very confusing but I messaged her to see what she wanted and she did seem a bit off then.

She has accused me of putting her personal business on Facebook but she had put on her facebook, not to order with my business again....it's all very weird.

Forgot to add, I forgot to tell her to put the cupcakes in the fridge but then I thought common sense would have told her. I believe I posted on the cake pictures on my FB page that they have to be eaten within a day or so.