I recently made a cake for a budget bride who ordered a cake and cupcakes, then changed it to just a cake, the. Just a two tier cake a week before the wedding. She requested that I purchase premade icing from a specific store, as her family wouldn’t eat anything else (she paired whipped icing and carrot cake). Her Aunt paid for the cake, then the evening of the wedding her aunt emailed me and said the cake was dry and frozen in the middle. She also said that the carrot cake tasted like a spice cake First off, it’s impossible to be frozen and dry at the same time, but it’s especially impossible to be frozen when the cake was never in a freezer. Second of all, it was a spiced carrot cake so of course it tasted a little like a spice cake. It is in the agreement that regardless of who pays for the cake I do not discuss any aspect of the cale or my services before or after the sale with any third party, even the person paying. I’m going to be emailing the bride later today, as I do with every bride. I won’t be mentioning her aunts email and won’t be emailing her back, but what would you all suggest doing if she’s wants any type of refund? (she declined to have a tasting before purchasing the cake) 

carrot cake is typically spiced with cinnamon -- but good news, king arthur has a recipe with that plus cloves and ginger -- so there's a well known baking place for a similar spiced up formula https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/king-arthurs-carrot-cake-recipe

that seems like an unusual clause for your contract -- but if it's in there then you must be ok -- yeah just go with whatever the bride says -- get with another vendor if there was one there and ask them about the cake -- it's kind of awkward for the bride to complain about the cake because it was a gift -- strange situation -- 

please update when it's all over if anything does come up -- best to you

I would do exactly as you stated and speak to the bride. I will only deal with the person that signed the contract. I'm sure her aunt informed her that she would be contacting you; if she brings up her complaints, explain that the cake was never frozen, so it could not have been frozen in the middle, and what a carrot cake consists of. It sounds like a fishing expedition for a refund, but in my opinion, there isn't anything to refund for. Cake collapses, sure. Cake servings short, sure. Carrot cake tasted like a spice cake, no. 

I am sure all of the changes leading up to the wedding put you on high alert that a weird complaint about the final product was coming.  I would go ahead with your approach and speak directly to the bride since you are going by what the contract states.  I am sure that the Aunt (and probably the bride) are just fishing for a refund.

Ditto what others have said - just trying to get money back.  If they return the cake, a partial refund may be in order, but dollars to donuts, there is no remaining cake to return.  Don't let her ruffle your feathers.  She really screwed up when she said it was frozen in the middle, since it had never been frozen.