I bake for friends and family and will do the odd sale here and there. I got a call from a women yesterday who raved about how great my cupcakes were. She said she wanted to do 50 cupcakes for her daughters 1st birthday. Now mind you these are chocolate cupcakes, filled with white chocolate mousse and decorated to look like the birthday invitations. Because she is a friend of a co-worker I told her I would do it for $1.25/cupcake with free delivery (54 miles roundtrip). Well she said something along the lines that it was too expensive and she would probably just go to CostCo. I told her I certainly understood, but did tell her she wasn't comparing apples to apples. Now she tells me she'll just make them herself and she wants me to share with her my recipes and tell her how to do it. I told her no!

I hate it when people won't share recipes, but she just pi**ed me off! I'm not in business to do this, it's just a hobby, but don't you think its rude to ask for the recipe in this situation. Maybe I just need some perspective. I don't really need the sale, any time spent baking for money is time away from my family and I do expect to be compensated. Do you guys think $1.25/filled cupcake is too high? My grocery store sells a similar style without the filling for $1.95.

I HATE when people are like that. OR they rave about you cookies/cakes and then ask how they could do it. I had a bunch of people ask me about how I did my cake the other day and I was like, "err um." and then I told them since they could easily come here and learn like I did. But still. I want to see your ccs now!!!!!

And NO you are not mean!

Heck no!!! I think you handled it perfectly!!! Don't stress her or anyone else for that matter. You are right...and the nerve of her to ask for the receipe! Balsy move on her part if you ask me.

No, $1.25 isn't too much, especially for filled ones. And yes, she has a LOT of nerve to ask for your recipe because she asked you to do it in the first place, and made a snide comment to boot. (And you know where you can boot her... )

i'm not sure about the pricing but it is really rude to ask for a recipe in this situation. If she had just caleed and asked nicely thats different but to ask after she says you were charging too much is really rude. why would you give her your recipe, i dont even understand how she can even think of asking. some people are just crazy. You were not being mean, she was being dumb!! If she wants to do it herself so badly why dont she just search the internet for the recipe or buy a premade mix?? I'm POed for you.

People have made small fortune's protecting family recipe secrets. Why should you be different?

Or think of it this way, ya didn't end up hating her cause you are chasing down the money she owed ya.......

Or think of it this way, if she really wants to know, she should take the classes and start practicing like the rest of us did.

Or think of it this way........nobody got hurt in the verbal exchange -

She was absolutely rude and you were right to handle it that way! Actually the first thing I said after I read the first part was "Wow, what gall!" and my 3yo repeated it. LOL! I wouldn't have told her anything either. Your price was more than fair and what makes her think she could just do it herself anyway?

I haven't priced (or baked) cupcakes lately but $1.25/cupcake sounds more than reasonable to me, especially with the free delivery. 54 miles is quite a trip! I can't believe she had the nerve to complain about the cost! And she has to know that your cupcakes will be way better than Costco (and way WAY better than hers!) or else she wouldn't have tried to order them from you, being 27 miles away, right? Don't give her your recipe and don't feel bad about it. Keep it for those who can truly appreciate good, quality baking and decorating!!

The lady was out of line. She wants you to do work by telling her how you make them but doesn't want to pay you.

It may be selfish, but the cakes are the thing that I do. I don't want people I know to do the same thing I make. If I show up to an event with one of my items, I will be upset if someone brings the same thing. It was "my" recipe and I should have first rights......

Good for you saying no. She should go to Costco. We aren't trying to compete with them, we have a better product. If you want Costco pricing PLEASE go to Costco, I will not be insulted AT ALL!

In fact... I wont do kids birthday parties and stuff because kids are equally happy with a Costco cake. I encourage parents to go to Costco. They taste good. I'll do it if they REALLY want to spend the money... usually they thank me and get the costco cake.

I don't really know about the pricing issue but I'll tell you what, even I'm offended that she had the nerve to tell you that was too expensive and then turn around and ask for the recipe and instructions.

I'm all about sharing but there are limits!

I think you were right on with pricing and the nerve of that woman! Where is her tact???

I would have told her that it was your recipe and are flattered by the compliment, but you don't give out recipes. As far as the decorating...not sure what I would have said, but I know I would have been ticked off.

You are, hands down in the right here!!!!!

You are certainly not being mean! If I don't want to share, I tell people that it's a secret recipe. Usually my secret involves some insanley easy step--like using a box mix--that I just don't want to disclose. It sounds so exotic to call it a secret though, so that's what I tell people.

I don't think you were out of line for price either. First of all, you had to do fillings, and secondly, you had to decorate them like the invitations. Both very time consuming things. And that is time taken away from your family. People don't realize what goes into cakes and goodies. I think if she wants to do it herself and try to save money then she should by all means do that. I'm sure after all the time and mess--and money--she will be more than happy to pay you for your hard work next time around.

$1.25 per serving for a filled cake would be on the low end, so, as a cupcake is one serving, why would that be too much money? Especially if each one must be hand filled and decorated. That is a lot of extra work compared to spreading filling in a whole cake. You handled this well, you were kind, and you gave her plenty of information. Not that she shouldn't want to do it herself if money is an issue, but she should not expect you to teach her how unless she is willing to pay for such lessons. I'll put it this way, I am a WMI and in my class I give a LOT of great tips, but one thing I NEVER give is my top notch recipes. I will give them 'some' recipes, I will point them to a place like this where they can find 'other' recipes, but I will not give them my trade secret recipes that I use for my business. If a single person (not in bakery business) asks for one of my top recipes, I am vague at best and tell them to try such and such a recipe, then just 'play with it' until it suits their taste. If someone asks me that is running a business, I tell them in the most polite way possible that I am SURE they understand that I can't give out that specific information because it is what is keeping me in business. Sorry for being long winded, but I don't think not sharing a recipe makes you the "B" word, I think it makes you business savvy. I will share a lot of recipes though, don't get me wrong, and the atmosphere here is so conducive to sharing that I can't believe how much I have 'given away' here. I am just praying none of you move next door and open a bakery with my recipes! Hahahaha! Ah, I love you guys, I'd just come over and offer to work for you!!

People just kill me..... I charge $2.75 a cupcake with no filling at all. They are time consuming and I spend more time on 100 cupcakes than if I made a wedding cake that fed 200. You pay for what you get and nothing free in this world. Why does she think she can just get the recipe from you? People are just so rude. Charge her $50.00 for the recipe and tell her to give your regards to Costco. She's trying to make you feel bad and get you to lower your price. Are you a wholesale bakery? I'm guessing probably not. Stand your ground and don't let that ding dong treat you like that. Andrea

Sharing the recipe might have been ok, if she hadn't preceeded that by telling you that you were too expensive. I probably would have told her, that to ask someone that she considers more reasonable for their recipes!!You were definintely not being mean and have every right to be mad. The nerve of some people

Here's a devilish thought--how about giving her the basics of the recipe, but leave out a key ingredient? Oooh, I am so naughty!!!! But that was a really fun thought to have! I am just mad at her for you!

Ask her if Costco delivers.

She was terribly rude to ask for a recipe that way. I wouldn't have shared one if someone had gone to the trouble of asking that way. I will share recipes but that's just plain rude. Besides there are so many good recipes floating around that she can find something good without your help, if she wants something you've made that she's tried then she needs to pay you for it.

You definitely are not being mean, or in any way unreasonable.

I totally agree that your price is very, very reasonable - especially when you're delivering!!!!

It was also totally out of line for this woman to request your recipe - also for all the reasons previously stated.

Can you imagine telling Colette Peters that her prices were too high, and then asking her to give you all the info needed so you could duplicate her stuff .

Some people just need to catch a clue

Timeline --your price was too high even with free delivery - which technically would have meant that she saved $20 bucks, Costco's price was probably even higher, and now she wants you to do them by proxy, by giving her your recipes.

Yeah, right! Tell her that you do not share your recipes, as you may make this a part-time business some day. Tell her what I was once told, "It's a trade secret!".

Theresa

That reply wasn't rude. If she was not going to purchase from you she could just go to cosco. Do people ask Costco, Wal-mart, and not to mention all of the bakeries for their recipes? But they expect Home bakers to readily give them out. I cook a lot, not just bake and people are always asking for different recipes. I tell them that I get them from all over and just make them my own.

Not a bad price at all!

But, she may be one of those where no price is low enough, so......anyways, I think you handled it very professionally!

Your not being rude.People these days are just plain out disrespectful and I would have no problem with telling someone no if they acted like that.Tell her to go to the Hostess outlet and get some cupcakes that are filled and iced if she's worried about spending that much money.

She was being rude not you. She had no right to ask you for the recipe and tutoring after telling you that you charge too much. Stick to your guns!

i am not in the states but 1.25 sounds cheap to me...it sounded way more expensive than that. she was not being very nice about it....if you get a price you dont like you move on..sure....but you do not turn and ask for the recipe......go buy a cook book and find one.

Not a Bad Price at all I have been told that out in my area for $4-5 each filled and you have to pick them up or first 5 miles FREE which is not many miles after that it is .75 cents or a flat fee of $20 it used to be $10 but the gas out her in CA too expensive. I just resently did them for my sister's friend and charged her $3 because she did not want to pay $4-5 for them from the place she was going to order from. She said $3 was a bargin. And I just got another order for next weekend from one of the gals at the friends party four dozen for a skate party. And that lady was RUDE in asking how to make them. She should pay you for telling her how also. Some people just don't value quality and hard work. We use fresh not frozen and good quality products. She can have her Cost. cups & hopfully they deliver. ya right!

Thanks so much for all the support. I was starting to feel a bit bad about not sharing, but the bottom line is I have put alot of work into developing my recipes and techniques and don't want to share with potential customers.

Now sharing with you guys is another matter. I think of this as a support group and we are all here to help each other. Tip of the week-mix black cake sparkles into your crushed chocolate cookie crumbs for great graveyard dirt!

I have had customers taste something , pay for it and then ask for the recipe. I think it's kind of rude. What I do is give them the basic recipe (I alter 98% of every recipe I use). I do not share my secrets with them. If they want it to taste like what they purchased they have to keep doing just that. I do share with cc members.

$1.25 is CHEAP! for a cupcake. Heck, Wal-Mart and CostCo charge the equivalent of $2.00, don't they? Anyway, charge $3.00 a serving/cupcake for anything involving cupcakes, because it's so labor-intensive. Bake, fill, handle each individually, decorate........... it's a lot of work.

A friend of mine was at restaurant one time and liked something so much she asked for the recipe. The waiter said fine and brought her the recipe, she read it and put it away. She got her bill with an extra $500 on it!!!! She asked what that was about and they said that was the cost for a recipe, and she said then I'll give it back and they told her she already looked at it. She ended up having to pay!

How long would it have taken you to tell her your recipe and explain to her how to do it, along with possible phone call tutoring and your loss of business? I would say $250 for the recipe and being told how to do it and then she can just make it forever.

I'm with everyone else.........She was getting a great deal. As for giving out the recipe, I'm like the rest I don't share my recipes. People will find that by the time we buy our ingredients, make the cake or whatever and deliver them we're the ones coming out on the short in of the stick.