I just have to vent a little bit. I bake from home, and receive orders from friends and word of mouth. I really only do one to three cakes a week, so it's really just a hobby at this point. I KNOW that I undercharge, but I'm working on that.
A friend of mine always has me do their monthly office birthday cake, and I discount her because she's my best friend, and the cakes are easy.
A friend at her office asked if I would do a cake for her wedding shower, and she wanted it to look like a mini wedding cake (very simple, white buttercream, I was going to do 8, 6, and 4 inch rounds).
I quoted her $35, because I REALLY need the practice on tiered cakes. And YES, I know, I should have quoted at least $60. Anyway...
Here's the kicker...SHE WANTED TO KNOW IF I WOULD COME DOWN ON THE PRICE!!! 
Of course, I said no, and she is NOT having me do the cake. 
Who in the heck thinks they should get a tiered cake for $20????
Okay, I feel a little better now!
She has some nerve! I think that $35 was a awesome price and if I were here I would have jumped on it before you changed your mind. Once she shops around and finds out that you gave her a "steal" she will probably come back to you.
OK, even $60 is way cheap, imo and $20??? that wouldn't cover your costs?!?!?!
I charge $45 for 8" and for that set up I would charge $100!!! And I'm not even that good! LOL
melissa
I had almost the same thing happen to me. I cant believe the nerve of some people. A guy wanted a birthday cake for his daughter. It was two tiers, covered in fondant and had fondant figures all over it and I said $50 ( which I think is really cheap considering the cake was all fondant and it would take forever to make all of the characters he wanted) and he refused. Good luck trying to find that somewhere else!
Good for you! It's too easy to gain a reputation of being easy to "talk down".....
"oh, just offer her some ridiculous low price....she always comes down!"
You don't want to go there.
To paraphrase Marie Antoinette, "Let them eat (crappy) cake (from walmart)!" 
I feel for you. I still do favors for some of my original customers (as in, I barely chage them the ingredient costs) but sometimes they take advantage and it makes me want to scream. One lady emailed me more times about a birthday cake then my brides do on a cake 20 times the size and price. It's unreal.
Good for you!!! I'm glad you stood up for yourself. So many of us underprice our work just trying to get our names out there, and then you have customers who want fabulous custom cakes for next to nothing just because we're not REAL bakers with a storefront. Don't worry... if your cakes taste as good as they look, you'll soon have plenty of customers who are willing to pay whatever you ask!
HAHA, that is hysterical. I bet she will shop around and realize that she can't find anything comparable to you and then come back to you, personally I would say that I have been booked for that day and will charge an additional fee for taking another order if she wants you to do it 
Good for you! It's too easy to gain a reputation of being easy to "talk down".....
"oh, just offer her some ridiculous low price....she always comes down!"
You don't want to go there.
To paraphrase Marie Antoinette, "Let them eat (crappy) cake (from walmart)!"
That's TOO FUNNY!!
Oh puh-leeeease... you wouldn't do it for $20? What's wrong with you? Let me show you...
Cupcake on top of jumbo muffin, frost... voila... $20 tiered cake!
Oh, I bet you feel foolish now, don't you!! 
Teasing of course! I would've laughed so hard her phone would've disconnected. 
You hit the nail on the head with knowing that $35 was already unrealistic.
I believe she thought she would get her cake at your bf's discount price. Tricky thing about discounts, that price usually gets broadcasted.
I did a 2 layer 9' round covered in buttercream roses for my neighbor for only $20. I did it because it was my first paid for cake and I figured it was "good luck" to bring in more business. BUT, I told her that she had to tell everybody she paid $50 I figured this was the smartest way to go because it allowed me to be generous to her AND let her know just how much the cake is worth so she is not shocked on any future orders.
I'm doing her son's 13th birthday sheet cake next week 
*Don't sell yourself short! Start charging what you are WORTH now. I know I'm inexperienced but on the few cakes I've done...I've had nothing but compliments. My time away from hubby and daughter while I'm slaving away in the kitchen all day is priceless!! No matter how experienced I am*
Too funny that she thinks she is going to get a cheaper price! What are people thinking, lol!
Ok, Ok, here we go, do this, bake a 12 "square cake, cut out 10" in center of the cake, insert a cardboard square the size you cut out, frost as usual, layer in the square piece you cut out, and frost as you normally would. and Voila... $20.00 cake. In other words don't ever, ever ask me for a $20 cake. 
and I'm not that good, just devious!!! LOL
If people are not part of the "cake world",they are generally clueless as to how much of our time effort and money(not to mention stress 
),it takes to do what we do.you were right on saying no to her,but you are going to have to let us know if she comes crawling back to you and your 35$!!!!!!!!!!
I see Bridezilla in the making. .... RUN! I also say, if she comes back, like a few others mentioned, say you have a few other orders for that date and would have to charge extra, so the price just went up to $70!
What do you think she would expect to pay for her Wedding cake if she wanted to pay $20.00 to serve 24 people for her wedding shower? Say $80 to server 100. .... RUN it's not worth you time or effort! She is the one loosing in this equation!
Good Luck!
Whatever you do, don't underestimate yourself! You are worth way more than you are already charging and she's a complete moron! Some people's children just don't get it!
I just wish I could be there when she comes crawling back to you to BEG for that price.
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