To think a full refund should have been offered

[wowzawoo]

I picked up cake today for DC birthday party - looked gorgeous but it stunk of smoke! The house smelled too but I thought maybe the cake would be okay - but when I checked at home it really smelt strongly.

I messaged the lady and said I thought the cake was wonderful looking but I wouldn't eat it or serve it because of the smell of stale smoke and asked for a refund also said happy to return the cake to her.

She has apologised and said no one smoked around the cake, she said she would refund my money minus the deposit.

Now, I am okay with this because actually I feel sorry for her, clearly she doesn't know how bad her house smells and then in turn the cake. But really I feel she should have offered a full refund.

Aibu to think this? Every time I look at the cake I feel sorry for her and then doubt my thought that she was being unreasonable to, one sell a cake like that and two that she should have offered a full refund.

I am out of pocket because I have lost the deposit and had to go to a supermarket and buy another cake.

Seller sells through FB page and has five stars!

I did nothing with the cake. It's in the box in the utility room.

I would have insisted on a full refund and given her the smelly cake back. Also I cannot believe the poster who thought people should check beforehand to make sure it wont smell of smoke. How ridiculous. This is why I get cakes from bakeries or supermarkets where you know that they comply with health requirements. Making cakes in peoples houses where you have smokers, kids and pets is not something I would want to risk unless I knew the person concerned. I would leave an honest review on FB so other people know they may end up with a smoke smelling cake.

I had similar with a birthday cake - not that it smelt of smoke, but the sponge was as dry as anything and totally inedible.

The people who made it offered my money back minus the deposit - I refused to accept that as the cake went in the bin, it was awful.

You should get a full refund.

I think you should have rejected the cake before you took it home. But l you accepted the goods and I think you were quite lucky to get a refund at all. But on the other hand you could report her as it doesn't sound as if her hygiene standards are good enough to be offering cakes as a business. However I am not convinced that a cake could smell of smoke.

Ffs!
If someone is running a business from home making cakes the least you can expect is for them to follow basic hygiene rules.
A stinky cake is not acceptable at all and i say that as a smoker. There should not be any smoking inside the house when you are making a cake for someone else and charging you for it. Its not something you should remotely consider when ordering a cake!

Would all the posters be ok with going into a clothes shop and all the clothes stank of smoke and being told just suck it up? I doubt it.

Yes of course you should get all your money back. I would also put an honest review on Facebook.

I used to make cakes for people. I don't smoke. I think it is possible that fondant icing could take on smoke from a heavy smokers house. I think she should have returned the money. I would take the cake around and ask for a complete refund. Seems strange she doesn't want it back. I would want to check it if it was me. I think she knows. Do you know anyone in catering who could give their opinion? If she refuses to give you the deposit then I am afraid I would leave unfavourable feedback. If you are catering at home you should be making sure everything is clean including the air. I cleaned down all my worktops with spray before starting. Smokers often don't realise how much the smoke penertrates.

OP - What a horrible thing to happen! I hope the smoky cake looked good and the Tesco one tasted good.
On second thoughts, there could be a problem if the cake (picture please?) looked so fabulous that all the guests tell their DMs that they want one just like it! Noooo!!

Not entirely sure icing, marzipan etc. can absorb that amount of smoke to

1. Contaminate your car
2. Continue to smell when you took into your home
3. Is the cake still intact and in your poccession?
4. How was payment made?

These are a few items you would need to consider if you wish to continue with your complaint.

for you OP,to answer your question,yes you are entitled to a full refund.
I don't know if you signed any agreement but it is irrelevant,she sold you a cake that was inedible so she has no right to keep your money.
Tbh,if she is that lax about smoking near food,it does make you wonder how hygienic she is as a whole.
Sorry you had other problems at the party,hopefully you can relax tonight

i would report her op

if thne whole house stinks of smoke she shoujldnt be trading business there

I've missed a few pages but LOVED the joker suggesting you must stipulate you want a non smoke infested cake at point of order. Brilliant! 'yes, i'd also appreciate it if you can wash your hands after using the loo, clean the dog poo from your kitchen floor, refrain from sneezing in my cake, keep the cat off the work surface etc etc' as a pre cake purchasing contract.
Report the dirty skutter to Environmental Health. Offer the cake as evidence. Message once more for the prompt return of your deposit - SHE broke the contract by providing carcinogenic lung cancer flavoured cake. Say something such as 'i'd hate to have to leave negative feedback but the cake was inedible' wording.
M&S do lovely pre order cakes reasonably priced.

Oh memories!!

When we were kids(40 yrs back..) the neighbours had a party. They gave mum a cake for us kids. It was a gateau that had sat in a room with smokers. It looked delicious. Smelt ok. Tasted like an ashtray. We all gagged on it! Mum never let on.

Smokers cake is rank😅

You didn't return the cake. You should not have had any refund.

You didn't return the cake. You should not have had any refund.

Did you miss the bit where the baker didn't WANT it back?

To be honest I am feeling really sad for the lady, she did such a good job with the design of the cake but ultimately it wasn't eaten and she shouldn't be running a business like that, maybe this incident will make her look at that.

Honestly it's been a hard week with DD being unwell and work being hectic along with trying to get food in for party, presents picked up etc. I ordered some wonderful decorations for her and they didn't turn up even though I had paid for a specific day.

Today she has been so clingy and unsociable because she hasn't been well, so it was quite hard. She is clingy anyway mind you.

Then the cake debacle. Much needed glass of wine tonight I can tell you.

The Tesco one was pretty good actually - I bought some chocolate animals to decorate it and some glitter spray and butterflies- it looked okay. Not as special as the smoky one sadly.

I’ve had that problem too piknmixer. A lady near us does beautiful cakes, but it was dry and completely inedible. She has excellent Facebook reviews so maybe it was a duff one. But it does put me off using home bakers.

I can’t believe some posters are doubting that the cake smelt so strongly of smoke that the OP couldn’t serve it.

Given that you pick cakes up almost at the last momen, I presume the OP would much rather she had a useable cake for her child’s birthday than any form of refund..

I am definitely not lying - why would I? I spent ages looking for a design and talking it through with her - it was special to my DD and what she likes, it was personalised. I also had already paid for it. Instead I ended up with a bog standard shop one that I tried to spruce up to look a bit special.

I'm still laughing over Freudian suggesting it's easy to blame someone else because the OP didn't check whether the cake came from a smoke/pet free house!

I have not pursued the full amount but I have told her she shouldn't be baking in a smoky house. I did it in a very polite manner with the hope she doesn't waste her skill by producing inedible cakes.

Radio - yes I must remember to check next time