Cake Ingredients, Special Diets and Allergens
Before placing an order, you should inform Pumpkin Cakes of any possible allergies to ingredients. We are happy to accommodate but cannot guarantee special dietary requirements such as nut-free, lactose-free, gluten-free and vegan. Please be aware that whilst every effort is taken to keep ingredients separate, all our cakes are made on premises in which other ingredients are used. All fruit cakes contain nuts, or traces of nuts or nut oil.
Our kitchen handles all the main allergens of dairy, nuts, peanuts, gluten (wheat), egg, sesame, nuts, sulphites, and soya. If you have a serious allergy to any of these allergens, or one which could cause you to have a major allergic reaction, the only way for you to be 100% safe is not to order your cake with us.
A full list of ingredients for our main cakes is available in our Ingredient and Allergen Guide. If you are unable to view the guide, please contact us and we can email to you. If you request a cake made with special ingredients we can provide you with a full ingredient and allergen list applicable at time of request; this is because specialist cakes are not on our main ingredients list and suppliers may change.
Deposits and Payments
As cakes are made individually to your specification, they are unsuitable to ‘sell on’ should you cancel your order. As such, we require a non-refundable deposit on placement of order for all cakes. We ask for 50% of the total order cost in advance or you can choose to pay the full amount.
The deposit is payable by bank transfer (preferable) or we can accept all major credit cards via our payment link . Please be aware the order will not be confirmed until funds have cleared. Full payment is required upfront for orders placed with notice less than 14 days.
Celebration Cakes: We ask that you pay a 50% deposit to secure your order. The outstanding balance is due no later than 7 days before collection. If you wish to have alterations after this date that affect the cost, the balance will be adjusted accordingly.
Wedding Cakes: All orders require a 50% deposit. The outstanding balance is due no later than 28 days before collection. If you wish to have alterations after this date that affect the cost, the balance will be adjusted accordingly. Please note, that if full payment of the wedding cake is not received 28 days prior to the delivery, collection and/or set-up date, it is assumed that the cake has been cancelled. The cancellation policy, therefore, applies in all cases.
If full payment is not received by the specified dates your order will not be fulfilled and it will be assumed that the order has been cancelled. The cancellation policy, therefore, applies in all cases.
Cancellation Policy
With all orders, the deposit is non-refundable in all circumstances. Once your order is confirmed this prevents further orders from being booked on your required date. As soon as your order is confirmed work starts on your cake in the form of design and product ordering so costs will be incurred well before your collection date. After full payment is received you may be entitled to a refund for the balance amount only under the following terms:
Celebration Cakes – Balance payment is not required until 7 days before order completion, however, if you cancel your order less than 7 days before order completion, we regret no refund can be given. As before, all deposits are non-refundable.
Wedding Cakes – If cancellation is between 28 and 21 days before order completion your balance payment will be refunded in full LESS your initial deposit. If cancellation is between 21 and 14 days, you will be refunded 50% of your balance payment only. If cancellation is less than 14 days before order completion, we regret no refund can be given.
In the unlikely event that you have problems with your wedding arrangements, which may include payments for services from Pumpkin Cakes, it is recommended that you take out wedding insurance to cover all eventualities.
Your Cake
Before your cake is cut it should be kept in the box it was supplied in and kept in a cool, dry place. Soft icing and many frostings are not designed to be refrigerated as this may cause colours to run and icing to become soft. Sponge and chocolate cakes, once cut, should be eaten on the day of the celebration, and ideally should not be stored. Should leftover cake need to be stored please keep in an airtight container in the fridge – be aware this will cause any icing to become soft but will keep the cake as fresh as possible. See below if your cake has sugar models.
Occasionally, for certain designs, it is necessary to include inedible items such as food-grade supports or wired sugar flowers. Pumpkin Cakes will alert the customer to the presence of these items, but it is responsibility of the customer to ensure that all such items are removed from the cake before it is served.
Sugar Decorations
Sugar decoration and toppers should not be placed in the fridge, or in plastic containers as they can reabsorb moisture from the enclosed environment and begin to ‘sweat’, becoming soft. They are best stored in a cardboard cake box as it allows air to circulate. Store in a cool, dry place away from light and odours. Decorations intended for consumption should be eaten with the cake. Decorations made for decoration (not to be consumed) can be kept indefinitely if kept in the right conditions. Sugar decorations that have been stored should never be consumed. For preserving decorations indefinitely there are specialist glazes available should you wish to use one at your own risk.
Notice
We prefer notice of at least three months for wedding cakes however we will accept short notice orders subject to the availability of the date required. For celebration cakes and cupcakes, please give notice of at least three weeks. We are a small company and as such are limited to the amount of bookings we can accept at any time, so please book early to avoid disappointment. Personalised toppers should be ordered as far in advance as possible as they are time consuming to create.
Wedding Cake Viewing
Cakes with sponge tiers may not be completed until the day prior or the day of the celebration to ensure the cake is as fresh as possible, so please prearrange viewings. No liability will be accepted by Pumpkin Cakes for any omissions or errors on wedding cakes if they are not viewed by the client prior to the wedding. Due to Covid-19 precautions, viewings in person are currently not possible. We will send detailed photos of your cake for your appraisal and approval.
Delivery and Collection
Local delivery can be arranged. Orders can be collected from our premises at a prearranged time and date. You may be asked to sign a satisfaction form before you leave.
Once you have collected your order, the cake becomes the responsibility of the client and Pumpkin Cakes cannot be held liable for any damage your cake may suffer thereafter.
Artistic Licence Disclaimer
Decorative finishes are created by hand and are subject to the artistic interpretation of our cake decorators. We cannot guarantee to match up exact colours and designs since every cake is handmade by us in our kitchens and may vary despite every effort being made. You may provide us with a photograph for inspiration; however, we will not entirely duplicate work by other cake decorators.
If Problems Occur
If you are not completely happy with your cake for any reason, please contact us in the first instance. We will make every effort possible to ensure your cake meets your expectations. However, in some instances the finished product may differ slightly because each cake is individually hand made.
We will not be held responsible for any damage caused to the cake, where it has been placed in unsuitable conditions following collection.