Hi All,

How do you charge (if you do) for things like fondant ball borders,
simple bows, full loop bows, fondant cut out circles.....

yesterday i did my 2nd cake in two weeks where i initially intended to do ball borders - but didnt have the time and wound up just using a simple rope border. I know they are just fondant balls - but they take time to make.

So im just wondering, do you charge for every little detail of the cake?

You usually need to put a border on the cake so why in the world would one charge because you decide to make balls instead of a rope??
Now, loopy bows take time & fondant so that should be a charge included in the quoted price. That's why charging by the piece is a good way to do things. You charge say an extra 50 cents per serving if making bows or some charge $15-20 for a bow.
If it's *your* choice to put a bow on a cake then you can't really expect a customer to ante up another $20 just because you thought it would look nice.

I'm just interested in hearing what everyone else has to say!!

For me, things like piping and borders and floral arrangement will add to the base price per serving and sugar flowers and bows and figures are a single price per piece.

per serving examples: fondant ribbons (like just around bases) $.20
floral arrangement $.50
additional piping really varies: $.20-$2
hand placed 3D pearls: $.25

single examples: dress bow: $10
loopy bow: $15
suagr rose: $8
sugar calla lily: $5
custom base (disposable to match the cake): $30-40

included in base price examples:
real ribbon around bases or tied in bows
single dots
swiss dots
light freeform scrollwork


HTH

maybe i should have worded it differently. ball borders and bows are not really in the same category. i havent really done alot of cakes but, making 100+ fondant balls is more time consuming than making 3 rope borders. i wouldn't necessarily say oh you want ball borders thats another XXX$ but i think it should be considered when pricing the cake. right?

bows and flowers i understand.

Another thought is to buy the silicone mold maker that makes the ball ropes. You place your fondant/gumpaste mixture into it, close, wipe off excess, freeze for 2-3 minutes, and take out and place on the cake. Depending upon the millimeter size and the cake size, in four or five ropes you could have the entire cake bordered with a rope as opposed to hand rolling 100 balls.

HTH

Paul & Peter

I just recently made a fondant covered cake that had a ball border. I felt it was very simple and easy, maybe a little more time consuming, but I did not charge extra just because of the ball border. I price all my fondant covered cakes on a per serving basis too though, and that price varies depending on how extravegant the cake is. However, bows and so forth are an additional charge with me.