AIBU to be disappointed in this cake…

[Notwhatiimagined]

I picked up dds cake today and it was not what I expected.

Would you be happy with this cake? I’ve attached two pics below, one was the pic I sent to the cake maker of what I wanted (a family dog) and the other picture is of the cake.

Also his head is made of Rice Krispies as apparently heads are hard to do. I wasn’t aware that it wouldn’t be all sponge.

It’s from a proper cake shop, not someone who does it as a hobby.

What do you all think?

Did you look at examples of their work? And especially, did you ask for a fondant sculpture type cake, or did you just expect it would be that?

TBH I disagree with some others as this sort of piping etc wouldn't have taken nearly as long as a fondant "lifelike" version and I really would take issue with the price being what it was. Yes, I'm aware of the miniscule profit margins on cakes so I don't need that cakesplained to me.

I wouldn't be happy with this, at this price, from a professional bakery.

But if you're saying it's 'not the price' you're taking issue with, well, then I guess YABU because it's not awful or anything. It's fine. I'd think a child would love it?

Probably could have got the same standard for less from someone who does it as a hobby or someone who does it as a full time business but from their home.

I think it's a lovely cake and great for a 9 year old.

It's quite a cartoonified depiction. What I was expecting would depend on what other cakes by the baker looked like. If example cakes Id seen had tended to be much more realistic, I would have expected something more realistic, but if none of their cakes were particularly realistic I wouldn't expect that. Not having commissioned a cake like that before I wouldn't have any idea what sort of price I'd have to pay for different levels of realism and I'd expect the baker to set my expectations appropriately.

That's so cute!

@PineappleTart

Were you expecting something like this?

Dear god, that would give me nightmares if I saw that on a plate staring back at me!

I don't think it's bad for the price. Bespoke cakes are really expensive. I remember having to pay £60 for my son's 1st birthday cake as I had a lot on and left it too late to organise. That was about 7 inches round and the decoration wasn't amazing. I remember thinking it was really expensive until I started asking around and I couldn't find anywhere cheaper. Especially as I needed a milk free cake because of my son's allergy.

Now I plan in advance and always make my own. It is time consuming. Baking, torting and levelling, crumb coat, icing, smoothing and then decorations on top. But I'd rather use my own labour and save myself money.

I'm sure your daughter will love it. But in future maybe go for something simple that you can either buy cheaper or make yourself. I wouldnt want to spend that much on a cake no matter what it looked like.

Yeah I think the eyes, nose and tongue look quite amateur.
The price itself doesn’t surprise me but then I’m in London and a personalised cake is bucks.

@Notwhatiimagined

I think the dog above from pineapple is abit more what I was expecting.

Which is fine but surely they gave you a cost first? That alone should have highlighted the fact it will be by no means a close replica

I'm a hobby baker and to do the kind of cake you were thinking of would have been hundreds and hundreds, I'm guessing minimum £500

Work out the cost of ingredients/ board/electricity to cook it etc you'll have circa half the cost left. Factor in many hours of work to make what you were expecting and the baker would earn next to nothing per hour

I think you're being unrealistic. Wedding cakes are expensive for a reason so why should any other highly detailed cake be any different

YABU, it's very sweet (and looks tasty)

TBH mine had whatever M&S or Sainsburys had in stock. It's expensive but I seem to recall their christening cakes 20+ years ago were £75 and they were just open prayer book thingies.

Any more lifelike and you might have had a mouthful of hair with your cake.

Wow that's expensive !!!!!!

Looks cute to me, but I wouldn't pay £110 for a cake!

It looks like a different dog. She should have done the fur on her face the same as the ears.

I think its nice.

By the by, a friend had one of the sculpture dog cakes done for her 50th. It was superbly done, a real work of art (although still a wee bit cartoony), but lordy the cake was crap. I suppose with the amount of work that needs to be done to decorate it, it needs to be made way too far in advance. It cost a bloody fortune too.

Give me a decent tasting cake any day. Have to say, it does seem to be a rule in life that the more impressively decorated a sponge-type cake is, the worse it tastes.

@Lulu1919

Wow that's expensive !!!!!!

It really isn’t.

It looks quite fun. It's not a replica of your dog but it's a cake version of your dog.

Yes, bespoke cakes are expensive. I've been surprised by this before.

Rice krispies are easier to mould and lighter than solid cake for a head. Looks fine tbh.

I think it's brilliant. What were you expecting?

It's amazing for that price

I think it's great. I'd be perfectly happy with that. There are more 'realistic' cake makers but the
Rices they charge make £110 look very cheap indeed.

@HerRoyalWitchyness

I think the dog above from pineapple is abit more what I was expecting

You'd have paid hundreds for that

It's also truly scary.

Would you want the cake to be a replica of your dog?
The white fur on your dog photo shows up saliva stains around the muzzle ( totally normal) and some less "attractive " features that would look horrible on a cake- a bit like these ghastly reborn dolls.
A cartoon style of you dog is a great idea for the cake.

It's brilliant

It’s great! Pervasive you’ve been watching too many professional baker shows. A 9 year old will love it.