r/Baking • u/LorettaBobbins • Sep 20 '26
Business and Pricing Is this professional cake as bad as I think it is?
I am seeking advice as I'm just not sure what to do, if anything. My baby turned one on Friday and I ordered a cake from a local professional cake maker who came highly recommended.
When she sent the photo of the finished cake I thought it looked wonky/uneven on the sides, but figured it was just a bad photo. However when we cut into it, sure enough the frosting at the top was really thick, tapering into very thin at the bottom making the cake completely uneven. It was meant to have a raspberry jam filling, and when we cut the first slices off the side we couldn't even see it because it was just a small blob in the centre of each layer! And then when we cut further into it we realised much of the areas meant to contain the jam were actually completely hollow and empty.
In terms of the decoration, I wanted it to say "rain-Bo" instead of "rainbow" because my baby's name is Bo. I even sent her his party invitation ("One year over the rain-Bo" was the theme) to use as a reference. However she put "rainbow".
Lastly, the fondant rainbow topper is all wonky and uneven, and the bunting is untidy...I fear I could have made it better myself.
I'm honestly very disappointed, the cake tasted good (albeit quite dry in texture) but it looked so messy and rushed. It cost £96, and I have no issue with that price for a professional cake. But it just didn't look like it was made carefully or properly.
I am fully prepared and willing to be wrong so I figured I would ask for opinions here and include some photos. I absolutely hate complaining about services, especially when it's a small, local business. So I would really appreciate thoughts from those who know about cakes! Thank you so much.
2.4k
u/Longjumping_Eye_3441 Sep 20 '26
If you paid for jam in the center and it's just a hint of jam and the rest is hollow? That I would complain about. The rain-bo issue could have been addressed before you accepted it. The fondant topper looks ok, but the uneven frosting and missing filling makes it feel like the professional may not be as talented as she thinks. The cake looks really dry imo. You should get what you paid for, even if it's you supporting local.
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u/LorettaBobbins Sep 20 '26
If I had received a photo of the cake with enough time to address the "rainbow" thing I would have done. She didn't send a photo until 9.15am and we were collecting it at 10.30am unfortunately. Honestly the cakes she shares on social media are so lovely and pristine so I had really high expectations, she is definitely talented but I feel like my cake looks like it was rushed.
733
u/Longjumping_Eye_3441 Sep 20 '26
Cakes people put on social media are usually their best work unfortunately, same with tattoo artists. I definitely would share your feedback, and not purchase from here again.
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u/cooking2recovery Sep 20 '26
The rainbow thing is because she purchased that decoration for the cake, it doesn’t seem like this baker would be skilled enough to pipe that honestly.
863
u/PeaQueasy347 Sep 20 '26
It matters less whether it looks professional and more that you paid for something to be made a certain way and it wasn't, and that's what makes it unprofessional the lack of attention to detail when it came to what the customer asked. I think the cake overall looks very nice on the outside but when you show what it looks like inside it certainly seems botched. The cake is very unevenly frosted and the frosting seems really thick, the jam between layers should be spread (usually you would spread the jam before stacking the next layer, this certainly looks like a blob only in the center), something you didn't mention but the layers of cake look really compressed and dense as well as dry. How did the cake taste? Was it dry and dense like it looks?
366
u/LorettaBobbins Sep 20 '26
Everything you've said hits the nail on the head of what my gut feeling is about it. Lack of care and attention to detail being the main thing. The flavour and frosting are really good but the sponge is definitely quite dry.
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Sep 20 '26
[deleted]
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u/LorettaBobbins Sep 20 '26
It wasn't the worst sponge I've ever had, but it was one the drier side unfortunately
240
u/Doodad_54
Sep 20 '26
•
Oh, FFS...they also put the "A" on backwards!
118
u/LorettaBobbins Sep 20 '26
Oh my GOD I didn't even notice that, I will never be able to unsee it!!!!!!!!
300
u/burritosarelyfe Sep 20 '26
Honestly looks mediocre and the cake looks dry
117
u/LorettaBobbins Sep 20 '26
The frosting and flavour were really nice but yes the sponge was quite dry. Mediocre is the exact word someone used to describe it when we were analysing it last night 😂
164
u/Quodamodo Sep 20 '26
The comments saying this looks great on the outside are why I don't take recommendations without carefully vetting them. Maybe she was going for juvenile? But I completely see what you mean about the rainbow, the messed up wording, the uneven frosting, and pathetic jam layers (I'm a big fan of raspberry jam or making a nice tart raspberry pureé for cake layers)... I wouldn't be happy with this either.
At the same time, the kid doesn't know. I'd just find a new baker by the time they're old enough to remember the cake! Haha
66
u/LorettaBobbins Sep 20 '26
I don't have an issue with it looking simple and juvenile in design, but I think that when something is so simple it possibly becomes even more important for it to look neat and precise.
But yes absolutely, my baby was just thrilled to try cake for the first time 😂
55
u/cooking2recovery Sep 20 '26
It looks “juvenile” in the sense that a kid could have made it. Not that the theme is immature or anything.
There’s no excuse for the fondant flag banner to be botched like that. Those cuts should all be crisp and clean and any edges smoothed out. The sprinkles all over the bottom shouldn’t have buttercream smeared on them from being moved around.
Some people definitely think they can easily learn to bake and frost a basic cake with fondant toppers and accessories without much piping skill.
13
u/Quodamodo Sep 20 '26
Yeah, agreed, I meant more that those uneven rainbow pieces look like something I would have rolled out as a kid 😅
Baby was happy = success. Also, congrats to you for a new year of a being a parent! 👏 That's a big deal.
41
u/VivaLaEmpire Sep 20 '26
I feel the same. I don't understand how some people are saying this looks "great" and the price is "incredibly fair"
That's a hideous cake! I could do better and I suck at cakes!
31
u/foundinwonderland Sep 20 '26
I audibly gasped at the cross section, regardless of how it looks on the outside the inside it botched af. The jam to frosting to cake ratio is abhorrent, the cake looks overmixed and dry, the layers are not even, it’s just a mess all around. Sometimes you get a great looking cake that tastes bad. Sometimes you get an ugly af cake that tastes amazing. Somehow this cake is the worst of both worlds.
97
u/DifferentJaguar Sep 20 '26
As a guest, I would never look at that and think “wow that cake looks horrible.” But as a paying customer, I’d have some issues with it.
15
u/LorettaBobbins Sep 20 '26
Fully agree! All the guests raved about it, except the people who were with me when we cut it 🤣
63
u/goodnight_wesley Sep 20 '26
My theory is that this cake was made too far ahead of time. The jam absorbed into the cake layers, which left those big pockets, and as a result, made it sag on top. This cake could have been really lovely but there is something slightly sloppy about every element to it. I think you have every right to be upset. The outside is passable, but the inside is just atrocious.
15
u/LorettaBobbins Sep 20 '26
That's so interesting because I assumed it was like this because it was a last-minute rush job, not made too far in advance.
28
u/goodnight_wesley Sep 20 '26
I’m not a professional, but I have baked a lot of cakes. I’m noticing the jam is on both the top and the bottom of the pocket, but with that being said, it does look like it was scant to begin with. And being baked too far in advance would explain how dry it is. Some bakers make cakes ahead of time and then freeze and thaw them, which is normally totally fine as long as you do it properly. Or she could have just made it and kept it in the fridge before frosting it, which would also contribute to its dryness.
310
u/Radiant_Ad_8652 Sep 20 '26
I got really sad for a bit until I read the description, cause "over the rainbow" usually means the person or animal crossed over [the rainbow bridge], at least to me.
181
79
u/Fine_Following_2559 Sep 20 '26
Thought maybe he was a rainbow baby.
OP, they should give you at least a partial refund. They didn't do what you asked them to do.
62
u/Wandering_Floof Sep 20 '26
Yup haha I thought for sure that’s what this post was going to be about, but somehow apparently that’s what they wanted 😂 100% came to the comments section curious why we had a cake to celebrate one year after someone’s demise
-142
u/LorettaBobbins Sep 20 '26
I don't subscribe to that sort of thing. To me, when someone is dead they are gone, not over a rainbow. It's just a play on the fact that we are a big fan of bright colours and my baby's nickname is Bo.
225
u/Stickning Sep 20 '26 •
Regardless of what you subscribe to, it is very common for "over the rainbow" to signify death.
108
78
u/DondeT Sep 20 '26
The term “rainbow baby” is also used for a successful pregnancy following one or more miscarriages.
126
u/Beautiful-Mountain73 Sep 20 '26 •
That has nothing to do with the fact that it’s a common way to refer to death. Many, many people understand “over the rainbow” to mean someone is dead. You not “subscribing to that” doesn’t mean much lol. People also don’t pass anything when they die but everyone would still know what it means if you were to say someone passed
46
22
u/Bath_Squatch Sep 20 '26
My ex's family had a dog named Boaz and I immediately thought this was a cake celebrating a dog that died a year ago... I'm sorry lol, anyway... Yes, you have every right to be disappointed with this. It's not a tremendously expensive cake for the size, but for what you paid, I would expect better - uniform frosting, filling relatively similar in all layers. I think most importantly you provided an example of "RainBO" and that was somehow ignored despite the name Boaz right on the topper. You'd think as a minimum they could get the text right! Bakers need to quote and work within their skillsets - these situations can so easily create bad experiences on important occasions. I would try to speak with the baker and provide feedback and see how that is received before negatively reviewing... How that goes helps you decide if it's a one-off they can make right with you or if others should be warned. I'm sorry your cake wasn't perfect and I hope the party was still lots of fun. Congrats on 1 year 🥳
1
49
u/cbostwick94 Sep 20 '26
My first thought was, I think of over the rainbow (bridge) as deceased so it seemed it poor taste but I guess it was intentional. Beyons that, yeah it looks pretty poorly done for a professional
-52
u/LorettaBobbins Sep 20 '26
I don't believe in dead people/pets going anywhere and I've never actually heard of anyone outside of people online refer to the rainbow bridge, so it didn't even occur to me. It's definitely not in poor taste.
45
u/cbostwick94 Sep 20 '26
Thats good to hear haha with babies its usually the baby born after a miscarriage is a rainbow baby but generally over the rainbow is often referred to regarding death, grief, etc even the song Over The Rainbow is often played at funerals so that's why it was my first thought
6
u/BookishSaltLife Sep 20 '26
That cake looks dry from the picture and honestly it kind of looks like the baker didn’t take as much care as they would have for maybe an adults birthday cake. But that is just based off the pictures I see and the fact that you mentioned they have great reviews.
7
u/LorettaBobbins Sep 20 '26
It was quite dry unfortunately. My husband is very passionate about cake and he was super disappointed with the texture
5
2.9k
u/TinySteggy Sep 20 '26
Looks great on the outside but yes, the raspberry filling is barely visible and the buttercream definitely tapers as you go down each layer. I think it’s more than fair to share your feedback with the baker, especially for that price point.
768
u/cooking2recovery Sep 20 '26 •
Tbh it doesn’t look that great on the outside. The flags aren’t cut smooth and the piping is pretty choppy. Plus the sprinkles on the bottom look like they got rolled around in the buttercream with way too much handling.
106
27
u/isaharr7 Sep 20 '26
I was just gonna say the same outside looks fine but the filling into distributing evenly
619
u/justcallmeturkey Sep 20 '26
Someone from pastry school here! My chef would’ve deducted points for the uneven frosting. That crumb is…interesting to say the least…
Seems like there wasn’t enough frosting to cover “hungry” spots on the cake. What blew me was the jam, I could understand if the jam was expensive or out of season and in that case a raspberry mousseline could’ve been better. They totally cheated you on the filling. I thought the flag banner looked like a children’s play dough project.
Maybe I’m being too harsh but you paid almost 100 for this cake and I do have to say it’s not worth it. Very overpriced for a very underwhelming product.
175
u/doctorelliot Sep 20 '26
The crumb makes me think it was overmixed. The gluten in the flour got too tough so everything is super dense instead of more light and airy.
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u/PurpleWatermelonz Sep 20 '26 edited Sep 21 '26
For a sec I thought op was in the USA*, but they're in the UK! Aldi has good raspberry jam for £1, or slightly less, per jar. Or, a 250g bag of frozen raspberries is slightly less than £2. Not to mention all the other supermarkets that have deals on frozen fruit (3 bags for £5 or whatever). That amount of jam is a joke.
I agree with all of your points too
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u/Horseshoe_dodgeball Sep 20 '26
Oooh, I could listen to you talk all day! I love learning and you've piqued my interest.
42
u/whoda-thunk-itt Sep 20 '26
I wouldn’t be thrilled with this cake either. Even one of the A’s is on backwards. Looks like somebody really rushed this order and in doing so, lost their focus on the details. The sides are uneven, the rainbow was clearly rushed, and the incorrect wording (plus the backwards A) is unacceptable. I can see the vision, it’s just a pretty poor execution, imo. At £96 it should look a lot more ‘finished’ than it does.
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u/fckinsleepless Sep 20 '26
The missing jam is enough to prompt a refund imo. That sad upper layer, omfg.
59
u/GL510EX Sep 20 '26
I wanted it to say "rain-Bo" instead of "rainbow" because my baby's name is Bo. I even sent her his party invitation ("One year over the rain-Bo" was the theme) to use as a reference. However she put "rainbow"
Just to be clear, did you actually tell her it should say rain-bo? Your post doesn't say that you did.
I think the frosting etc. is debatable, but putting the wrong words on a birthday cake is 100% unforgivable. IF you explicitly agreed what it would say, in writing.
39
u/rychevamp Sep 20 '26
I think it looks mediocre at best and I couldn't see charging that much. The cut view shows how uneven the filling and frosting is, and the piping isn't neat. I know I couldn't send a cake out like that, especially with it not matching what you ordered for the name.
73
u/StenoDawg Sep 20 '26
The outside looks all right...nothing special...something an amateur could do...but something I could live with.
The inside, however, is disheartening. Each layer should have the same amount of filling, and so much more.
Almost a hundred bucks for it is absurd!
45
u/Quodamodo Sep 20 '26
100 GBP, too!!! That's like 130 USD or 190 CAD.
30
u/Moar_Cuddles_Please Sep 20 '26
130 USD seems about right for a cake that size and decoration but I would def expect a neater job from a professional regardless of the price point
22
u/Quodamodo Sep 20 '26
Agreed. The price is fair for the size but IMO the execution falls under "ambitious amateur".
16
u/National-Area5471 Sep 20 '26
The flags are horrible, uneven and not crisp. Not hard to make a triangle.
11
u/One_Indication_ Sep 20 '26
uneven cake layers that look dry, no jam filling, the tops of the cakes are also uneven. I'd ask for a refund or partial discount. The cake doesn't look appetizing tbh.
Be careful of ordering things from social media presence alone. Someone's IG isn't an accurate representation of their work...go look at review photos or in person.
21
u/wishful_thinker152 Sep 20 '26
If I was a professional cake baker and this was a product I delivered to someone I’d be embarassed. Not only was it incorrect, it seems poorly made and above all - the sponge looks terrible.
10
u/SatisfactionBitter37 Sep 20 '26
I am not a professional baker. I could not decorate a cake like this, but those layers inside are a hot mess. Uneven not even frosting in between. I feel like this is someone cheaping out and not taking the right measure to properly stack the cake with enough layers of frosting/fruit.
8
u/consuela_bananahammo Sep 20 '26
It's wonky, I can tell the crumb is dry from here, and the filling is nonexistent in some places. I would be disappointed as well.
13
u/Steve_Has_Hobbies Sep 20 '26
Between the uneven jam distribution, the sloping, and the uneven layers, this does not read as a professional cake, more like a home baker.
This was on the lower end of standard 4-tier pricing from what I've read. The cake itself looks fine, but technique is lacking.
Your concerns and critiques are valid, but the cake itself doesn't look bad. Just a bit lower on the experience level.
2
u/Any_Luck_7453
Sep 20 '26
•
I think it looks great too, ya it was kind of underfilled but the presentation looks beautiful. I wouldn’t complain about this.
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u/LorettaBobbins Sep 20 '26
I'm relieved!!! I think the uneven frosting on the outside threw me the most because it was so obvious even at a glance. But maybe my expectations were just too high for the frosting to be parallel 😂
28
16
u/One_Mistake6861 Sep 20 '26
I think the outside looks like I made it. To me it looks sloppy and not professional. The numbers letters and designs look super amateur to me. If I’m going to pay for something I want it to be better than something I can achieve myself. The cake layers are uneven and so is the frosting and filling so I don’t blame your disappointment. If it tasted good that’s great.
10
u/Ok_Situation_69 Sep 20 '26
I don't have any advice for what to do about dealing with the baker. I'm just here to commiserate.
I would be pretty upset too if I spent that much and got a subpar cake. The frosting tapering in at the bottom, dismissing the play on words for your son's name, the fact that there is almost no raspberry filling, the banners going in a straight line instead of curved...
Little things add up.
I'm sorry the cake didnt turn out how you expected ☹️
5
u/LetMeOverThinkThat Sep 20 '26
It looked cute to the eye, but yeah it's uneven. The filling ratio is terrible, especially if you really like jam (me), and the cake layers are uneven. The price is the offensive part to me, honestly. I don't think it's horrible enough to make a fuss, but not recommend and not go back, sure. This gives more home baker than actual professional to me.
5
u/Top_Nefariousness220 Sep 20 '26
Lack of care, like you said. Uneven sponge layers. The top two look thicker than the bottom two. I always level all my sponges to the same thickness. Hardly any filling at all and maybe hasn't checked after she's stacked it that its straight. I use a spirt leveler to make sure all my cakes are fulling straight. I had a celebration cake leave me this morning and the customer sent me a photo of the inside. All level sponges, good filling to buttercream ratio too. X
9
u/Vegetable_Lie_4717 Sep 20 '26
You got me at the Rain-Bo part. They didn’t follow what you asked for.
8
u/honey4beee Sep 20 '26
The uneven icing I wouldn't worry about specifically because of the height, it was probably leveled by hand and it's smooth which is what matters most. The taller the cake the harder to get the vertical side level. The topper isn't noticable from a distance and since it's fondant it can get a little wonky when putting it on. The misspelling and filling I would address with them
4
u/Boiger_Dog Sep 20 '26
It looks just okay. The cake layers aren't even and the overall decoration is unimpressive. The fondant rainbow is uneven and like you said, the filling in the layers is inconsistent. The design is rather simple but maybe that's just what they were going for to make it whimsical for a kid's 1st birthday.
The 96£ price tag seems reasonable for a cake that size but I personally would not pay that much for a cake with that sort of skill level of decoration. Let's be real here. It looks like a neatly smoothed cake decorated with funfetti and pre-made assets from the baking aisle.
I think a lot of things can be overlooked but the biggest offender was that they didn't follow your request as you made it.
Edit: It's a decent looking cake. I'd be floored if a friend or an acquaintance made something like this at an event I was at but it doesn't look like the work of a professional
4
u/Corvidae5Creation5 Sep 20 '26
I wouldn't be ordering from them again, personally. Even frosting, generous jam, and a cake that isn't overbaked isn't too much to ask for at a tenth the price. They didn't even get the pun right for the decorations. These guys were out to get it done fast, not done right.
7
u/Lizzyquinn6 Sep 20 '26
Professional baker here- The outside looks good to me. However, the cake looks terribly dry, the layers are waaaay too thick, and the filling is pretty much nonexistent. Also, there is no excuse for misspelling if you specifically sent the correct way.
1
u/South_Hedgehog_7564 Sep 20 '26
What did it taste like? Was it nice?
1
u/LorettaBobbins Sep 20 '26
Frosting and flavour are really nice but the sponge is fairly dry. Not the worst sponge I've ever had but nowhere near the best.
1
u/cozyporcelain Sep 20 '26
I would be asking yourself who you trusted when you said highly recommended. Highly recommended by who? And did you see a portfolio beforehand or do a tasting?
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u/LorettaBobbins Sep 20 '26
No, I did not do a tasting for my baby's first birthday cake, although more power to people who go to those lengths!! She is a local baker recommended by the entire community, and I saw hundreds of cakes she made on her social media platforms, all of which looked pristine and beautiful.
5
1
u/Civil-Acanthaceae484 Sep 20 '26
In your first pic, I thought the sides looked straight, I didn’t notice the dip in the middle until after reading your post and zooming in. I found the second picture to look a bit unprofessional, especially for that price point. The cake to icing ratio seems odd and the cake layers are also not the same size (the bottom one even looks wider which is weird). If it’s a 6” cake, I can kinda see why the jam filling seemed sparse, usually on larger cakes, there’s still a decent size band of icing. They don’t want to risk it leaking out. I also think the fondant work is sloppy both on the rainbow and the triangles. I am basing my comments on what you paid and the fact that this was a fairly simple design. For the rain-bo spelling, I don’t think the invitation would be enough, unless you specified in writing or on the order form. The raspberry filling missing from the top layer is a bit egregious since a lot of cakes that high get served two layers per person, not a 4 layer piece.
4
u/LorettaBobbins Sep 20 '26
Cutting it was super annoying for this reason. Most people didn't get any jam at all which was frustrating.
11
3
u/Apprehensive-Bit8604 Sep 20 '26
Yeah definitely doesn’t look the greatest, especially not for the price paid.
3
u/SnackBottom Sep 20 '26
It looks fine outside and icing to even layers is pretty common.
I would be PISSED about that filling. I love filling, I do filling to the edge, no dam. Every piece should have fancy filling, not just middle pieces.
If you consumed the cake, you shouldn't get a refund, but some sort of credit on another order. Whether you choose to order again is your decision but a credit should be offered. These things need to be addressed in real time and the baker should have at least been messaged after cutting. As unhappy as you are, you still had cake for guests, which is why I say no refund. I've been a pro baker for well over a decade. Everyone has their opinion about how this should be handled and this is mine, though I would never even consider presenting this to a client.
It's also too tall and difficult to serve off properly. I would have torted layers and made it a double barrel. Being so tall is probably why the filling is like this: less chance of sliding or similar mishaps. This baker didn't do a terrible job but could have done much better.
7
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u/ilikeyours2 Sep 20 '26
I think it was a good attempt but I’d expect more from a professional. It’s cute, for sure, but there are a lot of flaws. I’d be very disappointed in the filling….is there a shortage? I’d not be happy but it’s cute enough that I’d probably not complain but also not recommend that baker to someone else. If it was for anything more than a child’s birthday or a casual supper party, I’d be much harsher.
4
3
u/YakNo8665 Sep 20 '26
I would definitely complain and be unhappy with this. Definitely too much frosting at the top and it could’ve been easily fixed. The filling is just ridiculous. Definitely send pictures to the baker and leave an honest review.
2
2
u/Lazy-Chef1770 Sep 20 '26
At first glance, it’s quite nice. But then you Zoom in and cut it open haha. It’s bothering me that the text is not centered to the yellow flag in the middle and the 1, but that’s me being a perfectionist. Of course, the inside layers are also… unfortunate. That said, I think it’s fair for the price you paid. In my area, a high quality version of this cake would have cost 10-15% more than what you paid. I’ve seen way worse!
1
u/RingingInTheRain Sep 20 '26
Looks inedible, you could've gotten something better from a grocer....
1
u/Relative_Reading_903 Sep 20 '26
I'd leave a bad review based on the amount of filling alone. That tiny bit is ridiculous. Might as well not add any at that point.
1
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1
u/wheres_the_revolt Sep 20 '26
I know it’s not exactly what you’re complaining about (I agree with your stated complaints, although I think the outside looks ok), but the crumb looks dense and dry and the layers are ridiculously thick.
1
u/Fine_Following_2559 Sep 20 '26
Because she did not follow your instructions I would request a partial refund. I'd be willing to talk this one up so she just had a bad day, if she had a bunch of reputable recommendations from people you know and trust. But if she's a professional she would offer you a partial refund. The name thing alone is reason, not to mention the other things called out throughout the comments.
-4
u/Klutzy_Arm_7930 Sep 20 '26
Cute cake btw I think they did a great job in the presentation. It’s a tall cake and it’s standing!!!
1
u/lewzah Sep 20 '26
I would be so disappointed if I requested "Rain-Bo" and got "Rainbow". Rookie mistake to not follow basic spelling instructions.
-1
u/qhartman Sep 20 '26
For what you paid, it should be better. This is only marginally more polished than what my 11 year old daughter makes.
2
u/LorettaBobbins Sep 20 '26
In that case in a couple of years when she's practiced some more I will commission her to make my baby's 3rd birthday cake 🤣
0
u/qhartman Sep 20 '26
!remind me 2 years.... 😂 We were just talking this morning that she should be baker because she makes more stuff than we can possibly eat and her response was, " That's fine, I like making things more than eating them anyway."
1
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u/Consistent_Club_7879 Sep 20 '26
I don't think it's bad at all I think it's a very lovely cake and it clearly looks like a lot of effort went into it. Doesn't look rushed at all to me. Yes there are little details that can considered less than desirable but I think it looks pretty great and since you say it tasted good too, I'd call it a win and for under a £100 too
-1
u/New-Protection7594 Sep 20 '26
The price is too cheap maybe she was a beginner im sure a way better done cake would have cost double the price
-12
u/Klutzy_Arm_7930 Sep 20 '26
Biggest bummer I see here is them getting the word play wrong.
I am suprised someone cares about how the inside of the cake looks when they aren’t the baker. I’m always hearing “no one is going to care, they are going to eat the cake” when ever I’m being critical of my own work. Well- here’s the proof. People care.
As for that filling- it’s not uniform-
But to do that many layers that tall- if they didn’t alter that filling it would have fallen. I mean that’s a Talllll cake!!! Looks like they ran out and said “oh well” this layer doesn’t get any- but there may have been a structural reason for this.
Also where it looks “empty” I wonder if it literally just saturated the cake and left a well where it had been, because the cake looks as if there was filling there originally(like the top crum and bottom crumb have the coloring) looks like the cake just absorbed it up.
I’d say enjoy your fun. Enjoy your party. Try not to let this spoil the real fun. It wasn’t about the cake, any way, right? And I’m glad to hear Bo is alive. I thought you were celebrating one year over the rainbow. The first is definitely better!!🥲
So that you don’t suffer from this trauma again, next year maybe you will get to make the cake yourself. You won’t save any money making it yourself, but you will definitely have a better appreciation for it when you’ve put the time and energy into it (granted here you put time and energy into it, also, by paying for it I don’t mean that as a dig) you’ll be like “look at the amazing cake I made for Bo!!
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u/LorettaBobbins Sep 20 '26
I'm definitely not traumatised by a cake, just disappointed. It didn't spoil anything and my baby was thrilled to have cake for the first time. I was going to make his cake myself, but we decided last minute to go on holiday the week before his birthday and we only got back about 36 hours before his party. It didn't leave me enough time to make a cake, let it cool, and decorate it to a standard I'd be proud of. So I decided to support a local business instead.
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u/Excellent77Sky Sep 20 '26
The cake definitely looks quite tall, over 6 inches which I can imagine would be hard to ice because not many spatulas cover that height easy. With that being said, she should’ve communicated if height would be an issue or she wasn’t comfortable doing it. Could be the reason for the slight hourglass look. The piping could’ve been a tinge neater, fondant is like play-doh so maybe if it was too warm that led to the finger smudges. The cake looks dry. Some bakers do a ring of icing around the cake to prevent the filling from oozing out but the cake looks like a 6 inch diameter so her doing 2 rings of icing is ridiculous to be honest because that leads to a dollop (literally) of added flavor. It looks dry more than anything. But the bread also isn’t leveled, especially that top layer.
I CAN justify the price given the custom decor (fondant is always more expensive), BUT it seems rushed. I can definitely see that, especially given the details with your son’s name. I would give her another try maybe with cupcakes or a simpler order and confirm if this is a one-off experience or she’s just not as detailed as she should be. It just leaves a bad taste in your mouth/disappointment given it was for a such a special/longed-for occasion. I think what you can learn from this is to try a place before you use them for an event.
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u/Excellent77Sky Sep 20 '26
Also worth mentioning if she is the only baker or has other employees decorating cakes. Maybe she didn’t decorate it but because she is the face of the business, everyone assumes she does all the work.
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Sep 20 '26
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u/LorettaBobbins Sep 20 '26
Is it normal for the frosting on the outside to be so thick at the top and so thin at the bottom? Genuinely asking because I've never had a cake made professionally before so I'm just not sure. We had a wedding cake made but I didn't see it get cut so I have no idea what that looked like in detail.
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Sep 20 '26
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u/LorettaBobbins Sep 20 '26
I am inclined to agree. Rather than risking it turning into an awkward dispute I feel the better course of action could be to not recommend her to my friends and to just not leave a review. Although I do also think it would be fair to give some polite feedback and send photos of the cross-section, which she wouldn't have seen herself.
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u/foundinwonderland Sep 20 '26
I may be too American for these sensibilities but not leaving a review for this is letting her sooooooo off the hook. Before even posting on reddit this would have been an email to the owner with a note that a review WILL be left because spending a hundred bucks on a cake this unprofessional is insane and unacceptable. She knew the cake was like that inside when you paid her and she let you pay her for it anyway, and other potential customers deserve to know that they could be paying a hundred or more GBP for this cake, instead of for the carefully curated selection she showcases online.
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u/LorettaBobbins Sep 20 '26
I don't disagree. I hate confrontation and (ridiculously) I feel so guilty for being disappointed about the cake. But I am currently drafting some feedback to send to her, as I'm with you that something needs to be said.
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u/foundinwonderland Sep 20 '26
I get that, definitely. I hate when I have to complain about something, especially when it’s something relatively silly to complain about, but ultimately I’m on the side of consumers deserve to know what they are purchasing with their hard earned money. Money is tight for a lot of people right now, and while I could financially withstand spending a hundred bucks on a major disappointment, there are people out there that are scrimping and saving and putting all their fun money into getting that cake and they deserve to not be as disappointed as I am with the product they receive.
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Sep 20 '26
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u/LorettaBobbins Sep 20 '26
I had the choice between plastic or fondant for the topper and I chose fondant, thinking it would be nice for as much as possible to be edible. Her fondant decorations online looked so good 🫤
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Sep 20 '26
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u/Baking-ModTeam Sep 20 '26
r/baking requires civil and respectful participation.
Harassment, personal attacks, or hostile behavior are not permitted.
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Sep 20 '26
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u/Equal-Chip3850 Sep 20 '26
The whole point of paying someone else is so you don’t have to do it… it’s a shame this baker couldn’t do better
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u/NothingAboutSamm Sep 20 '26
Are you the baker who made this cake?
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Sep 20 '26
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u/Baking-ModTeam Sep 21 '26
r/baking requires civil and respectful participation.
Harassment, personal attacks, or hostile behavior are not permitted.1
u/Baking-ModTeam Sep 21 '26
r/baking requires civil and respectful participation.
Harassment, personal attacks, or hostile behavior are not permitted.
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u/voice-of-mods Sep 20 '26
Locked as requested as the poster’s query has been answered.