Woman claims Sam's Club refused to put cross on son's cake

SOUTHGATE, Mich. (WJBK) - Backlash from a bakery when a woman's religious themed cake order doesn't go as planned.

She asked for a cross but received criticism.

"I was taken aback because I didn't understand why they would write 'God bless' on there but couldn't use a little bit of frosting to put the cross that I wanted," said Brandi Dypka.

Cake wars meets the culture wars. Brandi Dypka's went to Sam's Club bakery in Southgate wanting a cake like the one she got there before, celebrating her son Drake's dedication at church.

"She said 'I'm sorry we can't do that' I said is there a reason," Dypka said. "And she said 'Yeah we just don't do the religious crosses on the cakes. We don't pipe them.'"

Dypka says the bakery also refused to put a silver cross on the cake even though Sam's Club offers it in their catalogue.

Upset, she then contacted corporate about her experience and got this email in response: "If you don't like the cake, don't purchase it."

"And then again, I'm like wow, what a response," she said.

A spokeswoman from Sam's Club agreed, calling it appalling and not an accurate reflection of the company which she says is inclusive and does not discriminate on any basis, let alone religion.

Dypka went back to the bakery a few days later where the store manager and workers relented.

"I don't know if it's because I was so aggressive about it," she said. "(I said) here's the emails and here's the pictures and he said 'Ok we'll go ahead and do it.' And the woman's like 'What color do you want?'"

The spokeswoman from Sam's Club says Dypka received poor service and the company wants to make it right, but she says that will be no cakewalk.

"I don't know that I want to go back and support a business like that," she said. "I'd rather support local businesses."

Sam's Club released a statement:

"This should have never happened and we have reached out to apologize to Ms. Dypka. We're proud to offer a number of cake options, including inspirational cakes with crosses. In this case, we could have done a much better job of communicating with the member about how to fulfill her specific request. We're grateful she allowed us the opportunity to provide a cake she ordered in time for her son's celebration."