Welcome to the Cake Decorators Q&A

I made a cake for a customer and she collected it yesterday. She has sent me a message tonight saying the cake was under cooked! Along with a picture (the cake looks fine). I know it wasn’t undercooked, I sliced it in half to fill it myself. What do I say? I feel sick thinking about it and don’t know what to do or say as have never had anyone come back to me and say that! 🙁

Here’s what I would do. Once you’ve tasted it, if it is undercooked then apologise and refund all her money. If it is as it should be, explain that is how your recipes tastes but as a gesture of goodwill you will refund her £20 or something as she wasn’t happy with it. To me, it is better to placate her somehow so you part on good terms and you can forget about it and move on, even if she’s wrong. If there’s nothing wrong with the cake and she doesn’t accept your goodwill offer though then tell her you will contact trading standards about what to do (and go ahead and do so, they are there to give advice to traders as well as customers). x

I have terms and conditions that are given with my order forms. it is something you could look into for future cakes. I adapted mine from the pro section.
customer Satisfaction. if you believe that the cake inside is not up to standard then as long as 80% of the cake is returned within 48 hours a full refund will be given.
dont worry about it hun- you will never please every one all of the time. seen how much of the cake she actually brings back! If you don’t wish to refund hilaryb’s idea is good get someone else to check it- you could post the picture on facebook here there’s enough of us here to support you.
sharon x

Ask her to return the cake or part of it,so that you can examine it yourself.a photo is ridiculous.

Thanks, I just feel horrible inside because I know it wasn’t undercooked. I cut the end off it as it was too large and gave my kids it to eat lol

She has said she will bring it back. But what do I do now? Obviously I don’t think it’s undercooked so what do I say to her when she brings it back? I’m so confused and worried 🙁

Do you have any baker friends who can give a second opinion.don,t stress the worst that can happen you lose money.but don,t give in easily tell her to leave it with you and ask someone to look at it

When I was a mobile hairdresser a clent accused me of over perming her hair when I told her my insurer insisted on a second opinion she backed off.turned out she mde a habit of suing and thought I,d be easy.as a one man operator.I,m sure you,ll be fine if you get a second opinion.good luck

My understanding from the Pro section is to contact trading standards in the first instance for advice before making any goodwill gesture if there is nothing wrong with the cake. They may advise in this situation that a small gesture would be conducive to good customer relations. I don’t think you have anything to worry about, we’re all human and sometimes things are not as perfect as we’d like them to be. I can understand your worry. x

I completely understand how sick this has made you feel, but please feel reassured that there are people out there who enjoy complaining for the sport of it. My daughter owns a shop and is sometimes in tears with people who make the most ludicrous complaints then come back a few weeks later. If I were you, I’d stick a very professional smile on my face, say that as a goodwill gesture she can have back x amount of pounds, then never, ever do business with her again. If you can afford it, give her the whole lot back, but if not, work out the ingredients and arrive at something that doesn’t leave you out of pocket. There are horrible people out there!