Don't eat that cake: Takashimaya looking for customer who bought sample at bakery

SINGAPORE – A Japanese bakery at Takashimaya Department Store in Orchard found out that you cannot have your cake and eat it too, when it accidentally sold a cake sample on Sunday (Jan 14).

In a Facebook post on Jan 15, the mall said bakery DonQ at its basement food hall had accidentally sold a sample of Galette des Rois, also known as a king cake, on Jan 14 at 11.18am.

A Galette des Rois is a puff pastry cake filled with a sweet almond-flavoured custard. Variations of the cake can include a chocolate, apple or candied fruit filling.

“We wish to advise the customer who has purchased the product to contact our staff immediately. Please do not consume it.

“We apologise for the inconvenience caused,” the statement said.

The mall also posted the same statement on its other social media channels.

In response to The Straits Times’ queries, a Takashimaya spokesperson explained that the cake was baked and put on display on Jan 9. The cake has an expiry date three days from its manufacture date, which explained the mall’s urgency in wanting to recover it and prevent its consumption.

It was accidentally sold after a customer took it from the display and put it into a box before paying for it, the spokesperson said.

ST has contacted DonQ for more information.

Netizens were amused by the mistake, while others were concerned about food safety.

A Facebook user said: “Good luck to whoever scored a limited edition cake!”

Another wrote: “(Isn’t this statement) posted a bit too late? (The cake) is probably all eaten by now.”

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.