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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Birthday cake disaster, what would you do?

156 replies

Cakeybreakyheart · 01/03/2015 21:41

I bought DP a birthday cake for a v special birthday, we didn't have a chance to cut it at his party.

We cut it today to start giving it out to people.

The cake itself looks fab but it's totally inedible. Dry, very very heavy consistency almost bread-like.

It doesn't taste very nice at all and I'm just gutted about it. You really couldn't even force a piece down.

Would you tell the person who made it? I paid over £50.

What would you expect them to say/do?

OP posts:

forago · 01/03/2015 22:50

I know someone that makes cakes at home as a business. They look great, fancy icing etc. But every single one I have tasted has been really, really dry. Even freshly baked (many separate occasions, we attend the same social occasions that she always bakes for). I do wonder what the external clients she gets thinks of them. I think a lot of people are trying to do cake making as a business and get very involved in doing theme cakes, amazing icing etc, but maybe don't actually pay much attention to tasting the cakes or getting the recipe right.

mrsdiddlydoo · 01/03/2015 22:57

Nothing worse than a disappointing cake. Even more so when you have paid for it and can't blame your old oven or inaccurate scales

You must say something. Hope for a refund of some kind or replacement

Original poster

Cakeybreakyheart · 01/03/2015 23:03

Thanks all. Will let you know what happens.

I was sooooo looking forward to a nice slice of cake and it's such a big one, it's a massive waste.

OP posts:

CrystalCove · 01/03/2015 23:06

Confuddled is right, when a cake us iced with fondant it acts as a seal and protects the cake to keep it moist. I bake cakes for friends and family as a hobby and I know from feedback how soft and moist mine still are even says after it has been cut up so something went wrong in the first place. I stick to a good recipe ( funnily enough recommended by someone here) and have never had a dry cake. I always taste a bit anyway as I cut it off to level it - don't understand how someone wouldnt know how bad it was!

ConfuddledPickle · 01/03/2015 23:10

I always taste a bit anyway as I cut it off to level it

This. However good you are, no one can make a cake rise in a perfect horizontal. When dh does a cake, we always have a bowl of offcuts so it's always tasted before it goes out.

Original poster

Cakeybreakyheart · 01/03/2015 23:17

What do I do if they refuse though? Or say the cake tastes fine to them?

Probably over thinking it.

OP posts:

SweetValentine · 01/03/2015 23:36

I had this once, it was beautiful to look at, good value but tasted awful. worse than awful - dry cake i can cope with but it had a weird porridge-iness to it

Never complained but never used again

Original poster

Cakeybreakyheart · 01/03/2015 23:50

I would describe it as porridgey as well - very dry and crumbly, sort of a heavy crumb if that makes sense. And totally tasteless (was supposed to be lemon sponge and cream)

DP has sent a message about it and been kind about the way it was decorated but that it's inedible.

OP posts:

SweetValentine · 01/03/2015 23:53

do you live in the North West by any chance??

SweetValentine · 01/03/2015 23:53

Mine was also lemon

Original poster

Cakeybreakyheart · 02/03/2015 00:01

Not in the NW no, sorry.

OP posts:

SweetValentine · 02/03/2015 00:07

For a moment i thought it must have been the same baker! They must have used the same recipe and both never tried it

Whippet81 · 02/03/2015 03:19

Please be brave and complain. I paid £120 (I know!) for a cake for DP last year. I was so disappointed but was too wimpy to complain.

I sent loads of pictures of
DP competing in his sport (an unusual one) and when I went to pick it up it was nothing like. I was mortified as loads of people who compete in his sport were coming to the party. It ended up being hidden at the end of a dark buffet table. It tasted ok - but not the best cake I've ever had. Lesson learnt - never again - I've just paid £25 for one for my mum and it was fabulous.

I know there is a cake shop not far from us that has won countless awards for it's decorating - but I have heard that the cake is actually crap.

I think some people get it in their heads that they are better then they are - probably because we don't complain!

calmexterior · 02/03/2015 06:25

Agree with forago there is a real glut of people who have been on cake decorating courses and put all the effort into that and then bake a hard dry Madeira cake underneath to scaffold their artwork. I've been caught out before too - make my own now. Looks 'homemade' but tastes much better and I like cake to eat not look pretty!

Lagoonablue · 02/03/2015 06:30

I buy M and S celebration cakes and get them iced if necessary. Both their chocolate and fruit cakes are bloody delicious and don't taste shop bought. I bought three of their fruit cakes for my wedding.

I always think if you haven't tasted someone's cake then it can be a bit hit and miss regarding the outcome.

paxtecum · 02/03/2015 06:34

I know of someone who buys cheap, nasty sponge cakes and then decorates them beautifully.

MeeWhoo · 02/03/2015 06:49

This is precisely why I hate icing-decorated cakes. It seems the whole point is to "hide" the cake to make it look like whatever else. I personally prefer to eat cakes that look like cakes where you can see at least some of the ingredients!
Having said that, I hope you get your money back OP!

Original poster

Cakeybreakyheart · 02/03/2015 13:02

They've replied nicely, said sorry, that they're disappointed we're not happy and that it's not happened before. That the cake was fresh and tried by them and other people to "rave reviews".

They've asked how it was stored and for us to take it back for them to try, so will see what happens.

OP posts:

CrystalCove · 02/03/2015 13:09

Let us know how you get on Cakey. There is nothing wrong with storing the cake at room temperature, remember if it had to be stored a specific way they would/should of told you.

DamselNotInHerDress · 02/03/2015 13:25

Disappointing.
Was it covered in a huge sickly layer of thick icing?
I love a cupcake with soft buttercream but hate the current trend for a dry cake masked underneath tonnes of horrible icing.
Hope they reimburse you.

Original poster

Cakeybreakyheart · 02/03/2015 13:49

Yes it was an iced sponge cake Damsel.

OP posts:

TheIronGnome · 02/03/2015 14:15

I do a pound cake mix when I make cakes, they can then be flavoured vanilla, chocolate, lemon etc. I have always been co plimented that not only do they look good, but they also taste good! Though the cake is quite dense, it's moist, and can be made up to about 2 weeks before the event, as long as it's iced within the first 2-3 days after I've made it.

There is NO excuse for crap cake, honestly. Many bigger cake decorating companies use packet mixes for speed and to keep costs down, and cake decorating shops also sell packet mixes for cake decorators to use. I would never use them, cakes are so easy to make that there's no excuse when you're expecting people to pay that amount to provide rubbish cake.

Concretekitten · 02/03/2015 14:46

I'm a bit of a baker and cake decorator and it sounds like the cake was under cooked.

From a professional outlook I think you should say something.
It takes hours and hours to make and decorate a cake, the cake maker is probably totally unaware that the cake tasted rank. They need to know otherwise they'll never get repeat business and they're little business will probably never take off.

I'd say it nicely, deliver it as a shit sandwich - bad news delivered in between compliments.
" the cake was fantastic thank you, everyone commented on how great it looked...the only thing that let it down was the sponge, it was a bit heavy...if the sponge was nicer it would just be perfect".

Cake decorators put so much effort, time and love in to their cakes, honestly it's one of the most under paid jobs unless you're at the top of the game...she'll probably be a bit gutted that it wasn't perfect, so just be gentle about it.

Original poster

Cakeybreakyheart · 02/03/2015 14:51

Thanks ConcreteKitten - we've been in touch with them and DP is taking it back to them either later today or tomorrow.

OP posts:

blueberrymuffffin · 02/03/2015 14:54

Was it an individual baker or a shop?

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