Cake decorator calls out employer, refuses to bring glitter or fondant to work: 'The store... expects [me] to use my own money to decorate a cake'

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Jan 15, 2026 3:00 PM EST

This cake decorator is refusing to pay for their own supplies, and they have a great reason for that decision.

Working as a cake decorator is a special job that requires a lot of icing-related skills, not to mention plenty of practice. It's one of those careers that I'm absolutely in awe of. You're telling me you can make realistic flower petals out of fondant? You can make dozens of perfect, identical icing puffs around a cake? You can write "Happy 40th Birthday Jessica!" in perfect cursive, without messing up a single letter? I humbly bow down to people with these skills, as they are more talented than most people walking the earth. Their skillset should net them 6 or 7 figures per year, but I fear a lot of these workers are making minimum wage or like, $20 per hour. They're being far more useful and talented than any CEO or CFO, and yet they're incredibly undervalued. Just think about the many times in life you need to buy a cake from a bakery and have it professionally decorated. Birthdays, anniversaries, baby showers, weddings… the list goes on. It's one of those services that we all utilize, but almost never get to see the face of the person who made it. 

This cake decorator gave us a peek into the lives of these crucial yet underappreciated behind-the-scenes workers. It's fascinating that they'd be expected to prepare cakes without being provided the actual ingredients. You'd never show up to a job and be told to bring your own hamburgers to cook for customers, or to bring your own pens and staples to the office. Not to mention that for a bakery, there are rules and regulations relating to food safety that they must follow. You're telling me this bakery lets bakers bring in their own decorations? Just as a thought experiment, what would they do if a baker brought in craft glitter to sprinkle on the cake, then served that to customers? Obviously that cannot be allowed to happen! Or what if they brought in a handful of pecans to decorate a cake, when the area is supposed to be free of allergens? 

This whole thing seems like a massive liability for the bakery, and I hope this person finds a way to tell that to their bosses. I don't blame them for their refusal to "go above and beyond" without being given the proper tools to do so! All they can do is stand their ground, ice those cakes to the best of their ability, and maybe seek out an employer that has higher standards than this place does. 

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  • 01

    'Unpopular opinion. I don't bring my own personal supplies to decorate grocery store cake. Others may do, but I don't.'

    Woman in black with brown and red hair smiles and shrugs, behind her is professionally decorated rainbow cake with macarons along the bottom
    via Anthony DeMarino on Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 02
    I work in a grocery store as a cake decorator. The store don't supply the extra stuff like edible glitter. Luster dust gum paste flowers. They expect us to bring out own personal supplies to do cake orders. I do not, I don't get paid a livable
    via u/Suspicious_Pound3956
  • 03
    wage but the store and sometimes customers expect to use my own money to decorate a cake they seen on Pinterest, or Instagram. Things lie glitters dust gumpaste or
    via u/Suspicious_Pound3956
  • 04
    fondant flowers. I know a few cake decorators do buy this stuff to decorate cakes at their location. I do bake amd decorate privately but my store don't pay me to bring my own glitters and fancy sprinkles
    via u/Suspicious_Pound3956
  • 05
    LogicalH... Workplaces should provide any supplies needed for the job, or it should allow reimbursement. I've never understood how places get away with it.
    via u/Suspicious_Pound3956
  • 06
    Suspicious_Pound3956 OP I agree there's a lot of cake decorators in my district they buy these things. I get they want to give customer good cakes but glitters dust fancy sprinkles are EXPENSIVE im not getting reimbursed. What extra frustrating is when customers from the last cake decorator do they they expect me to. I litterally told the customer I understand the last cake decorator spent their own money to give you the vision you want but I won't for personal reason... its crazy they want priv
    via u/Suspicious_Pound3956
  • 07
    Paksarra That's absurd. I sometimes brought my own tools when I was in retail (not as a cake decorator.) I ended up leaving them for my successor when I
    via u/Suspicious_Pound3956
  • 08
    got promoted because I had no use for them. But no one made me buy them and I was well within my rights to take them with me when I left; I just got them because I wanted to make my life easier.
    via u/Suspicious_Pound3956
  • 09
    But expecting you to supply your own consumables out of pocket without getting repaid is insanity.
    via u/Suspicious_Pound3956
  • 10
    Suspicious_Pound3956 OP I really feel it the old cake decorator fault including the store. It usally the repeated customers expecting private bakery work for grocery store price it always been well the other cake decorator did this... well they not here and im not spending my own money for a cake they going to only charge you 10 dollars for the cake is a lil under 50 percent of my hourly rate...like no
    via u/Suspicious_Pound3956
  • 11
    Cheezburger Image 10596868096
    via American Heritage Chocolate on Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 12
    rysedg If I order a cake from a grocery store they either can or cannot match a photo. I would never, EVERR expect an employee/ decorator to come out of pocket, that's insane
    via u/Suspicious_Pound3956
  • 13
    QueenOf... Well now you know what it feels like to be a teacher and need to buy supplies you need in class because the school or parents won't get them.
    via u/Suspicious_Pound3956
  • 14
    Biteme75 Don't do it. If your workplace doesn't provide the supplies. for a particular design, you can't do that design.
    via u/Suspicious_Pound3956
  • 15
    I've gone over and beyond, and it has never worked out in my favor.
    via u/Suspicious_Pound3956
  • 16
    Suspicious_Pound3956 OP Its that give them an inch they take a mile situation. The last cake decorator went above and beyond and when the customer come back and see a new cake decorator they expecting the same. And when they come back they become entitled and asking for bolder and extravagant cake...
    via u/Suspicious_Pound3956
  • 17
    Woman in black shirt with brown and red hair smiles and shrugs
    via Chris on Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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employee bakery decorations food service workplace birthday cake
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