Delivery Policy
Delivery Policy – BuyCake Edinburgh
We take pride in making sure your cake is freshly prepared, carefully finished and delivered in excellent condition for your chosen date. Whether you are ordering a birthday cake, celebration cake, anniversary cake, a gift or simply something special for yourself, we will always do our best to make the process as smooth and reliable as possible.
Because our cakes are freshly made to order, please read the delivery, collection, storage, allergen, cancellation and refund information below before placing your order.
How Much Notice Do We Need?
We require a minimum of 3 days (72 hours) between placing your order and your requested cake date.
This preparation time allows us to source ingredients where required, bake your cake fresh, prepare fillings and decorations, finish the design and arrange delivery or collection safely.
We will always do our utmost to accommodate your selected date. However, availability may depend on our existing orders, the complexity of the cake and any bespoke decoration requested.
For larger, highly customised or event cakes, we strongly recommend ordering as early as possible.
Free Cake Delivery in Edinburgh
We offer free local delivery within Edinburgh for our cake orders.
Unlike many businesses that rely on third-party delivery platforms, we deliver our cakes using our own local courier service. This allows us to handle your cake with considerably more care and gives us greater control over the delivery time and condition of the cake.
By managing deliveries ourselves, we can also avoid third-party courier and delivery-platform fees that can often add approximately 30–40% to the cost of an order. This helps us keep our service personal and our prices more reasonable.
Because our own team handles local deliveries, we take direct responsibility for organising your delivery and doing everything reasonably possible to deliver your cake within the agreed delivery period.
Delivery Time
We will arrange delivery for your selected date and will make every reasonable effort to deliver within the agreed or communicated time window.
Please ensure that someone is available to receive the cake at the delivery address.
If circumstances arise that may significantly affect your delivery time, we will contact you as soon as reasonably possible.
Please note that exceptional circumstances outside our reasonable control — including severe weather, road closures, accidents, major traffic disruption or other safety-related issues — may occasionally affect delivery times.
Please Check Your Delivery Details
It is the customer's responsibility to provide a complete and accurate delivery address, postcode, telephone number and any relevant access instructions.
Please double-check your details before completing your order.
If we cannot complete a delivery because an incorrect address was provided, nobody is available to receive the cake, or we cannot reasonably access the delivery location, an additional delivery attempt may be subject to an extra charge.
Free Collection in Edinburgh
You can also choose Collection when placing your order.
Collection is free of charge.
Once your order is confirmed, we will provide or confirm the relevant collection arrangements and collection time.
Please arrive as close as possible to the agreed collection time so that your cake can be handed over in the best possible condition.
Transporting a Collected Cake
Once a cake has been collected, responsibility for transporting it safely passes to the customer.
For the safest journey, we recommend:
- Keeping the cake box completely flat and level.
- Using the boot or a flat footwell rather than placing the cake on a car seat.
- Keeping the vehicle cool during warm weather.
- Avoiding sudden braking, sharp turns and rapid acceleration.
- Never leaving the cake in a hot vehicle or in direct sunlight.
- Taking the cake directly to its destination whenever possible.
Delivery Outside Edinburgh
Our standard free delivery service applies within Edinburgh only.
If you live outside Edinburgh, you may still place an order and select Collection.
If you would prefer us to deliver your cake outside Edinburgh, please contact us. Alternatively, where we identify that an order is outside our normal free delivery area, we may contact you to discuss whether a special delivery can be arranged.
Where delivery outside Edinburgh is possible, we may offer it for an additional delivery charge. The price will depend on the destination, travelling distance, time required and practical availability on your chosen date.
Any additional delivery price will be agreed with you before the special delivery is arranged.
If an outside-Edinburgh delivery cannot reasonably be arranged, your order can still be collected from us in Edinburgh at no additional collection charge.
Changing Your Delivery or Collection Date
We understand that plans can change.
If you need to change your delivery date, collection date, delivery address or another important part of your order, please contact us as soon as possible.
The earlier you let us know, the more likely we are to be able to accommodate your request.
If production has not yet started, changing the date will normally be much easier. Once we have started baking, preparing fillings, decorations or personalised elements, a change may not always be possible or may involve an additional charge.
For major changes to bespoke cakes, we may need to confirm a new completion date with you.
If We Need to Change the Delivery Time
Because we manage Edinburgh deliveries ourselves, we can communicate with you directly rather than relying on a third-party delivery company.
If we become aware that we may not be able to meet the originally planned delivery time, we will contact you as soon as reasonably possible and work with you to find the most practical solution.
Our priority is to ensure that the cake reaches you safely and in excellent condition.
Allergies & Dietary Requirements
If you or the person receiving or consuming the cake has a food allergy, intolerance or specific dietary requirement, you must tell us before completing your order.
Please do not wait until the cake is being delivered or collected to tell us about an allergy.
Providing this information before production begins allows us to review the ingredients and determine whether we can safely accommodate your requirements.
If you have a serious allergy, please contact us before ordering so that we can discuss your requirements directly.
Allergen Information With Your Cake
We provide relevant ingredient and/or allergen information with your order as appropriate so that you can identify allergens associated with the cake you have purchased.
Please read the information supplied with your cake carefully before serving or consuming it.
If the cake is being purchased for somebody else, it is your responsibility to make sure that the recipient is made aware of any relevant allergen information supplied with the order.
Cross-Contact With Allergens
Our kitchen handles a variety of ingredients and allergens. Where applicable, we will advise you about relevant allergen information and any known cross-contact risk associated with a product.
Please contact us before ordering if you require detailed allergen information or need us to assess whether a particular cake is suitable for you.
Cake Storage
Correct storage is important for maintaining the appearance, texture, flavour and food safety of your cake.
Because different cakes, creams and fillings have different storage requirements, please always follow the storage instructions supplied with your individual cake.
General Storage Advice
- Keep your cake in its box until you are ready to display or serve it.
- Store the cake on a flat, stable surface.
- Keep it away from direct sunlight, radiators, ovens and other sources of heat.
- Do not leave your cake in a warm vehicle.
- If your cake contains fresh cream, cream cheese, mascarpone or another filling that requires refrigeration, keep it refrigerated in accordance with the instructions supplied with your order.
- Keep strongly scented foods away from the cake while it is refrigerated.
- Where refrigeration is required, allow the cake some time to come towards room temperature before serving, unless your cake-specific instructions state otherwise.
As a general guide, many refrigerated celebration cakes benefit from approximately 30–60 minutes at room temperature before serving, which can improve the texture and flavour. However, the instructions supplied with your particular cake should always take priority.
After Cutting the Cake
After the cake has been cut, cover exposed cake surfaces where possible and return any cake requiring refrigeration to the fridge promptly.
For the best quality, we recommend enjoying your cake as fresh as possible and following any use-by or storage information supplied with the order.
Checking Your Cake on Delivery or Collection
Please inspect your cake as soon as you receive it.
If there is an obvious problem with the cake, please tell us immediately or as soon as reasonably possible.
If your cake has been delivered by us and you notice visible damage at handover, we strongly recommend bringing it to the driver's attention immediately.
If you discover a quality problem after opening the cake, please contact us promptly and, where possible, provide clear photographs showing the issue. This helps us understand what has happened and find the fairest solution.
Cancellations
Our cakes are fresh, perishable products and many are made or decorated specifically for an individual customer.
If you need to cancel your order, please contact us as soon as possible.
If we have not yet started making or preparing your cake, we can normally cancel the order and arrange a refund.
Once production has begun — including purchasing order-specific ingredients, baking, preparing fillings, producing decorations or creating personalised elements — cancellation and a full refund may no longer be possible.
Where possible, we will always try to find a fair solution based on how much work has already been completed and what costs have already been incurred.
Returns
Because cakes are fresh and perishable food products, they cannot normally be returned simply because you have changed your mind.
However, we want every customer to be happy with the quality of their order and we take genuine problems seriously.
In appropriate circumstances, particularly where there is a genuine problem with the quality, condition or preparation of the cake, we may ask you to return the cake or the remaining portion so that we can inspect it.
Returns and remedies for quality-related issues are considered individually and do not affect your statutory consumer rights.
Refunds
We aim to deal with refund requests reasonably and fairly.
A full refund will normally be available if you cancel before we have started preparing or producing your cake.
If production has already started, the amount that can be refunded will depend on the work completed, ingredients used or purchased, personalised decorations prepared and other costs already incurred.
If there is a genuine quality issue, incorrect order or another problem for which we are responsible, please contact us promptly. Depending on the circumstances, an appropriate solution may include:
- A replacement;
- A partial refund;
- A full refund; or
- Another solution agreed with you.
We may request photographs or other reasonable information so that we can understand and assess the issue.
Nothing in this policy is intended to limit or exclude your statutory rights where goods are faulty, not as described or otherwise fail to meet applicable consumer-law requirements.
Bespoke & Personalised Cakes
Please remember that handmade cakes are individually created products.
Minor variations in colour, positioning, decoration, handmade elements or finish may occur when compared with photographs or reference images.
If you provide an inspiration photograph, we will use it as a reference unless an exact design has specifically been agreed. Handmade products will not necessarily be identical copies of another baker's work or a reference photograph.
If specific colours, wording, names, ages, dates or other personalised details are important, please check all information carefully when placing your order.
Fresh Flowers, Toppers & Customer-Supplied Decorations
If your cake includes fresh flowers, decorative toppers or other non-edible elements, please follow any instructions supplied with the cake and remove non-edible items before serving where appropriate.
If you provide decorations, toppers or other items for us to use, please make us aware of any special handling instructions when arranging your order.
Order Changes
If you would like to change the flavour, size, inscription, decoration, delivery information or another part of your cake order, please contact us as early as possible.
We will always try to accommodate reasonable changes, but once production has started some changes may not be possible.
If a requested change increases the cost of ingredients, decoration, labour or delivery, we will let you know about any additional charge before proceeding.
What Happens If Nobody Is Available for Delivery?
Because cakes are perishable and often time-sensitive, please make sure somebody is available at the agreed delivery location.
Our driver may attempt to contact you using the telephone number supplied with your order.
If nobody is available and there is no safe and suitable way to complete the delivery, the cake may need to be returned with us.
Where another delivery attempt is required because nobody was available to receive the original delivery, an additional delivery charge may apply.
Special Events, Birthdays & Celebrations
If your cake is required for an important event, we recommend ordering as early as possible rather than relying on the minimum 72-hour preparation period.
Earlier ordering gives us more opportunity to accommodate:
- Bespoke decorations;
- Specific colours and themes;
- Personalised toppers;
- Larger cake sizes;
- Special dietary requirements;
- Complex designs; and
- Specific delivery arrangements.
Our Commitment to You
Every BuyCake order is prepared with care, and our aim is simple: to make your celebration easier by providing a freshly made cake and a reliable local service.
We will do everything reasonably possible to prepare your cake for your selected date, communicate with you if anything needs to be clarified and deliver Edinburgh orders carefully using our own local delivery service.
If anything changes on your side, please let us know as soon as possible. The earlier you contact us, the more options we are likely to have available.
Need Help With Your Order?
If you have a question about delivery, collection, allergens, storage, changing your date, cancelling an order or arranging delivery outside Edinburgh, please contact us before placing your order or as soon as possible afterwards.
We are always happy to discuss your order and find the most practical solution available.
BuyCake Edinburgh
Freshly made cakes with free local delivery and free collection in Edinburgh.