Darlene has terrific customer service, answering the phone herself, and enthusiastically answering every question. She couldn't have been nicer, and only 2 day notice is usually needed, and pickup is easy, because the Donut shop she distributes out of is open 18 hours a day! She is happy to do taste tests, which in retrospect I should have done, but I really didn't think I needed that, since she said her most popular flavor is 1/2 vanilla & 1/2 chocolate, and that is what I wanted.
All that being said, my cake was a real disappointment. Thinking back there were many things I should have done differently - so I am sharing this to hopefully help another person from making these same mistakes. Let my inexperience help you...I should have gone to Foxes Donut Den and seen her work before blindly trusting that what I had in my head, even though we discussed it twice, was what I was going to get. Having not ever ordered from her, I wish I had known to request a sketch of what she was thinking of doing. Darlene has no website. I should have known when I asked if there was a book at the shop that I could look through to get an idea of what she did, and she said no, because she has never done what I was asking for, that I might need to go the extra mile to insure success. Too bad, really. I was excited to share this successful long time Nashville business's yummy creation's ( that I had enjoyed a number of years ago) with my coworkers and friends. I ordered the baby shower cake to feed 25-35. I wanted a baby blue Bear holding a green light saber and the words "May the Force be with You" written in white on the dark navy blue background (since that is how it is in the movie, floating back into space). Darlene asked me how much I wanted to spend, and based on my answer then suggested said they could do a bear in pale blue on the side of a sheet cake - he would be raised up 1/2 inch off the cake. Then the rest would be normal sheet cake with the words. Sounded perfect. Below pic is what was made. Ok. The fact that it looked nothing like what I envisioned took me a minute to get over...but it was ok. The fact that it looked like it was done by a 10 year old was a problem. But the party must go on....and Darlene Cakes are supposed be the freshest and yummiest...so once I got over the design, I tried to console myself that it was going to be really moist and delicious, and that was what really mattered, right? Well, It was not fabulous. It was merely ok. The vanilla had hardly any flavor and was somewhat dry, but the chocolate was better than the vanilla, and more moist. The icing was way too heavy and had no butter flavor in the buttercream. Super dissappointed. Somewhat embarrassed, and many lessons learned from Darlene. I wish her well, but heed my warning...go have a taste test and bring what you have in mind for her too see, and have her draw out for you what she is thinking she understands you to want. read more