What started as a simple baking experiment quickly spiraled into cake pop drama, pulling in hundreds of thousands of viewers, major creators, and a heated debate about ownership.
The situation first gained traction through a breakdown video posted by @sipteawithbrittney, who summed up the unfolding between two creators: a smaller account, @sweetreatsbyashley, and a larger baking influencer, @cake.by.kaity.
At the center of the controversy is a Fruity Pebbles cake pop.
Ashley (@sweetreatsbyashley), who had only been making cake pops for a couple of weeks, shared a video of her version of the treat. She explained that she was inspired by Kaity’s content (@cake.by.kaity), particularly videos where Kaity shared general cake pop ratios and techniques. Using that publicly available information, Ashley said she improvised her own version, using ingredients she already had at home like cake mix, eggs, sour cream, and water common staples for many home bakers. She also tagged Kaity, giving credit for the inspiration.
But what might normally be seen as a typical TikTok “inspired by” post quickly escalated. According to Ashley, Kaity accused her of copying a copyrighted recipe from her cookbook and demanded the video be taken down, even allegedly threatening legal action. She later posted an emotional response denying the accusations.
“I didn’t steal your recipe,” she said through tears. “I don’t have your cookbook. I just improvised.”
Her video quickly went viral, drawing overwhelming support. Many viewers argued that Ashley had done nothing wrong, pointing out that Kaity regularly shares cake pop tutorials and ingredient ratios online. To them, Ashley’s version seemed like a natural extension of that content, not a violation.
The conversation grew even louder when larger creators, including Snooki, publicly sided with Ashley. With the internet watching closely, Kaity responded.
In her initial statement, Kaity explained that her cookbook is copyrighted and that she takes protecting her work seriously. She clarified that her issue wasn’t with people recreating what they see in videos, but with full recipes from her paid content being shared publicly. However, she admitted she wasn’t entirely sure Ashley had actually accessed her cookbook.
Still, her response received mixed reactions, and the video was taken down.
As backlash grew, Kaity later posted a second video taking accountability. She admitted she handled the situation poorly and acknowledged a key misunderstanding: while a cookbook as a whole can be copyrighted, individual recipes are much harder to legally protect. She apologized directly to Ashley, stating “I didn’t lead with kindness,” and wished her well moving forward.
The apology, while more direct, came after the situation had already escalated significantly. Kaity also revealed she had received extreme backlash, including threats and harassment, highlighting how quickly online conflicts can spiral beyond the original issue.
When creators monetize their work through cookbooks, courses, or exclusive content, they may feel a stronger need to protect it. But when similar information is also shared freely online, it becomes difficult to distinguish what is truly private versus what has already entered the public domain.
Ultimately, the drama has cooled with no legal action forward and both creators attempting to move on. But the conversation it sparked continues to resonate.