Rant: A client asked me to bake a cake with a 'secret ingredient' for her kid's party

I was doing a job for a regular client in her home last month, and she wanted a birthday cake for her son. She pulled me aside and said, 'I want you to put a cup of pureed beets in the batter, but don't tell anyone.' I told her that would change the texture and moisture a lot, maybe making it gummy. She insisted it would be fine and said it was for 'hidden veggies.' I made it her way, and the cake was dense and damp, almost like pudding. The kid took one bite and pushed it away. Has anyone else had a client ask for a swap that just ruined the bake?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_kai28d ago

That beet cake story is a whole mood. Reminds me of a time my aunt tried to hide spinach in brownies, turned them into weird green bricks. @the_charlie has a point about the good intentions, but man, some swaps just don't belong in a birthday cake. Gotta know when to hold the line for the sake of the dessert.

the_charlie28d ago

Honestly, sometimes the client's weird idea is the whole point. That mom wanted to sneak in veggies, and a cup of pureed beets is a pretty standard swap in some healthy baking circles. Maybe the texture was off, but that's a risk with any substitution. The real win was her trying to get something nutritious into a party food. Next time, a bit less puree or mixing it with applesauce could fix the dampness. A failed cake isn't the end of the world if the kid got some vitamins.

wyattc7627d ago

Hidden veggies" in a birthday cake is a war crime. That kid pushing it away was the only just outcome.