Decorated treats are a common staple at parties such as birthdays or in this case, Valentine’s gifts. Vintage heart cakes inspired by Victorian piped pastries have come back into style for baked goods, but with custom cakes costing well over $100, many clients are deterred. These prices go even higher considering the current egg crisis caused by the bird flu, resulting in patrons seeking cheaper options at stores such as Walmart.
Bakers online were extremely upset, claiming Walmart bakers were stealing their business with undercut prices ranging from $7-25 dollars, more for custom designs, but still very cheap. Consumers online were upset to see private bakers attacking not only the customers themselves for seeking cheaper options, but attempting to discredit those employed at Walmart. The concerns from customers that private bakers were getting too big for their bridges reached a peak after one online baker claimed birthday cakes are a luxury not everyone should have access to.
A TikToker who goes by the handle @birdysbakery made a now deleted post on the controversy which sparked widespread anger from those who saw it, after the baker stated it was disrespectful to those who put time and effort into their cakes, especially ‘as having a birthday cake is a luxury, not a need’. This statement was followed by claims of Walmart bakers being undertrained, underpaid versions of private bakers like herself. The statement not only sparked outrage due to trying to gatekeep birthday cakes, a long-held tradition, behind a paywall, but the implication that Walmart bakers do not put in the same amount of work to decorate and are a lesser form of private bakers.
The private bakers questioning why people would purchase a cheaper option are risking losing their current clientele due to their bad attitude toward potential customers and corporate bakeries as a whole. They also don’t realize someone purchasing a $15 cake likely was never going to purchase a $400 custom design in the first place because it is not even remotely affordable. A custom private baker is a luxury, but to claim a store bought cake is one is an outrageous and showcases a lack of class awareness from these bakers.
