A Norton bakery is in cleanup mode after posting a photo on Facebook of a customer-ordered cake that showed a "South Park" character dressed as Adolf Hitler alongside the words "HEIL KATIE!!!" The image went up over the weekend, drew immediate backlash online and was later deleted. The shop says the design was created at a customer's request and that it regrets the hurt the post caused.
Bakery deletes post and issues apology
According to Boston.com, the deleted Facebook post showed Cartman from "South Park" in a Hitler costume next to the message "HEIL KATIE!!!" In a follow-up statement on its page, the bakery wrote, "We hadn't considered the feelings of the greater global community. Please know that we would never willingly wish to disrespect any portion of the world population." The shop told the outlet the cake had been made for a customer over the weekend and that it took the image down after the online outcry.
Town reaction split
The apology landed with a thud for some and a shrug for others. Longtime customers rallied to defend the business, while critics questioned both the choice to make the cake and the decision to broadcast it on social media. A Jewish Norton resident told Boston.com the image was "offensive and disturbing" and said the apology "did not feel like enough." Comments on the bakery's thread ranged from support for a small local shop to calls for a more direct response aimed at the town's Jewish community.
About the shop
Sweet Stuff Bake Shop operates as a Norton-based, made-to-order bakery and lists ordering information and contact details on its website. The contact page directs customers to reach out via Facebook, email or phone for custom orders and questions. A 2018 profile on BostonVoyager identifies owner Melanie Barrick and notes that the business started as a home-based bake shop focused on custom confections.
What’s next
As of publication, the Facebook photo was removed and the apology was posted, though some residents said they want more explicit outreach to those most hurt by the image. The bakery continues to list contact options on its website for anyone with questions or concerns.
