Hello Fellow Bakers,

I am a hobby baker that mostly do cakes for my family and friends. I have never had a complaint from anyone before but last night after spending 14 hours preparing a masquerade cake for a Sweet 16 party for a coworker of my cousins I was told they were disappointed in the finished product cause it looked awkward. Now I am no professional but was really proud of the work I did on this cake and now I am so disheartened I don't even want to bake anymore. I only charged her 125 because I take every job as a learning experience. It would be nice to know I'm not alone in this

I dread the day somebody tells me they have a problem with a cake I have made them.

In hindsight its always easy to tell somebody after the fact what to do, 

but give yourself a break,  look at the cake to see what the customer was seeing  and figure out how to improve it the next time around.
Don't give up as you enjoy creating cakes and every cake is a learning curve to improving yourself

So this might not be the right advice but sometimes support is what you need and no you are not alone

chin up

Caz

Thank you very much, I wish I could figure out how to upload the photo.

you have to load it into your gallery

there's always room for improvement for each of us all the time -- with that said i have a couple questions

• since this is a coworker of your cousin had the coworker seen your work before?
• did she know you are a hobby caker and consider your work to be a learning experience?

i'm sorry you got a disheartening review -- 

I hate to have to point this out; but you said you are a hobby baker, yet you are selling cakes to cousin's coworkers. If it's a hobby then that's absolutely fine, but you sold a cake that you may not have had the skill or expertise to do properly. So I can see their point, if they paid for a custom Sweet 16 cake (no matter how discounted that price was) and they were expecting something straight off Pinterest. There are some great hobbist bakers out there; but if it's a hobby it's a hobby and you can't take money for a cake if you don't have the skill level, insurance, or licensed kitchen for. 

It is very hard when you know you have done a great job and the person doesnt think its up to par.  I have had it happen a couple of times only,  BUT out of all the cakes I have done,  those 2 times are nothing compared to the ones who loved and raved about the cake I did.  I get compliments all the time on my cakes, design, creativity, and especially taste,  I hear so many times that others can decorate, but their cakes don't taste as good as mine do,  and they are just as pretty if not better than some of the professionals.  I am also a hobby baker per say,  being completely self taught,  doing this on the side for extra income.  There is nothing wrong with being just that, a hobby baker,  I am very proud of my work and how far I have come.  and I stay very busy all the time with people giving my name out all the time, with lots of repeat customers.  So do not let one person bring you down.   One person does not define what type of decorator you are.  Keep the pride, and your head up.  its not easy, but you will get through this ,  its a learning experience,  learn and move on to the next cake.  I promise you will do just fine.  

well said, caz888 and lamcakes

professionals at all levels including the highest/most famous level across the globe get similar complaints/reactions, mariadorable -- i've read them -- it's an occupational hazard -- it's ok -- it's a right of passage we could all do without but put it behind you as best you can --

some hobbyists start out in the 90th percentile and improve from there -- some pros never break through the 50th percentile -- there's no formula of hobby/pro that applies when it comes to complaints  --

There are some wonderful home bakers out there; no question, but did you make it clear that you are only taking $125 because you take every cake as a 'learning experience'? It's up to you to manage and set expectations for them based on your knowledge of your own work and abilities.

i agree with you gingerlocks i asked the same thing -- it would be most miserable for op to go through this painful experience without learning a few things from it -- important stuff

mariadorable -- i hope you keep on baking/creating -- the only difference between success and failure is that success tries one more time --

best to you

and wait, i apologize for saying that -- i think that came out wrong -- i just meant keep going because you said you wanted to stop baking -- i didn't mean that you failed AT ALL -- you just got a complaint -- it happens, dust your self off and what i meant was KEEP GOING because you will get sweet success which will comfort and repair you only as you continue --

(((big hug)))

Im curious to see it, why dont you upload it to your gallery and then copy and paste it as a comment onto this forum!