Friday, August 17, 2007

My first disappointment

I know it happens to everyone, but I have my first disappointed customer and it's mostly my fault and it has made a great "learning" moment. I have a cookbook that makes a GREAT chocolate cake. It also has a very similar recipe for a yellow cake, so I gave that a whirl- without trying it before selling it. I made a spare for my family to try, but I had frozen it for when my son came back, so I didn't try it.

Maybe it was cockiness, but I've NEVER had a flop in American style cakes and same with regular cooking too (I'm sort of a gourmet cook). A DAY after I sent this cake off, someone said that they made the cake from this book and it turned out dry.... EEKS!! So, for the following week's cakes, I made yellow cake from my tried and true recipe.

Well, I spoke with the Mom who had bought the cake from me and she said it wasn't as good as last time and then I asked, "Was it dry?" and yes it was... OMG, I hate that I disappointed someone. The worst part is that I spent OVER 4 hours decorating that cake (not baking, not cleaning up, just decorating it) and it was dry.... when I pride myself on moist cakes. So, I took out the "spare" in my freezer and while the cake is flavorful, and not bone dry, it is MUCH drier than normal. I'm offering a partial refund and just to make good, I'll make a small cake or cupcakes with the "good yellow cake" recipe, but it shouldn't haven't happened in the first place. I should have tested this recipe first.

What makes me REALLY mad is that I trusted the cake would be good, but now that I admitted my mistake to an online community of cake people, people are coming out of the woodwork saying how they have had the same problems with this and MANY cakes from this book - and it's a very popular cake book. But some professionals responded that all this "person's" cakes are o the dry side, so they don't recommend it. DARN IT.... I guess this baker likes drier cakes and assumes most of the consumer base does too... or something. Well, I know that some recipes are OK, but I will be TESTING before sending out from NOW ON... LESSON LEARNED!!! It seems my wonderful Better Homes and Garden cookbook which I keep around (since I got married) is a better book than this "bible". Sigh...

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