A terrible Minion cake spurred a viral frenzy when a mom posted about how the store messed it up

February 2024 · 3 minute read

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A mom's disappointment at a botched Minion-themed cake from the grocery store turned into a viral spectacle on TikTok.

Viewers shared in the upset of the mom — who gave her name only as Sonja — after her purchase from the Texas chain HEB.

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The cake looked nothing like one of the famed "Despicable Me" characters — it was green in places, and had none of the trademark Minion features.

@babygirls0s0

HEB explain yourself ! #failedcake #fail #HEB #fyp

♬ original sound - bbygir1soso

Sonja's TikTok post did not hold back, calling the cake "the ugliest fucking thing I've ever seen."

She said the cake was for her son's birthday party the next day. She said she took the cake because she considered it fixable — but wanted to warn her followers all the same.

"This is so not what I asked for," she said. Her video amassed 14.5 million views.

Sonja showed the reference photo she gave to HEB, clearly depicting a Minion's face. She said the store staff member asked if she wanted the colors in a gradient — also known as "ombré" — but that she asked for solid blue and yellow.

Sonja then showed the cake in the box which was graduating in color between yellow, green, and blue, and had eyes placed on the side, with no characteristic Minion goggles, and no mouth. It did not look like a Minion.

"What the fuck is this?" she said. "Where are my swirls? Why is it ombré? Why is it green? What happened to the goggle circles?"

In the comments, people shared similar experiences with HEB cakes. One woman said the store "messed up" her wedding cake and she had to fix it herself. Another said she ordered a cake for her baby's first birthday and cried because "it looked so horrible."

HEB also responded in the comments, asking Sonja to get in touch via direct message. Meanwhile, people have flooded the company's TikTok with comments about the Minion cake, campaigning for Sonja to receive an apology and a refund.

"JUSTICE FOR THE MINION CAKE," one comment said.

A HEB spokesperson told Insider that its stores "strive to provide quality products to our customers and to ensure they are satisfied with their purchases."

"We understand the customer's frustration and apologize for the inconvenience," they said. "We are working to make things right."

Insider reached out to Sonja for comment but didn't immediately hear back.

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