Spencersmom I suggest when a friend or family member ask you to do a cake, right away ask them what they want , how many people, and then politely say,"Great, no problem, it's gonna cost x,y,&z". That way you don't let it go & get that awkwardnesslater on about not discussing price & them assuming it's free. But as what you going to do right now, you just got to go for it, & bring it up!
That's great advise! She's gone back and forth soooo many times on this cake. She still doesn't know how many servings she needs. lol I guess the next time she brings up the cake, I'll ask her about servings and quote her a price. I don't mind doing the labor for free (as her wedding gift), but I don't want to be out $150 from the ingrediants, either!
indydebi, you crack me up with the Cadillac reference... I could just see the salesman's face when you tell him, "Yeah, I'd like that Cadillac SUV for $20,000 and I can't pay a penny more than that... that's my top price".... people think prices for cakes are high, but in reality, we put so much work into them they do not begin to understand .. I tell them to price at other bakeries and get quotes from them .. some come back, some don't .. you win some, you lose some 
Spencersmom I totally understand someone going back & forth on a cake & it can be quiet frustrating. What I have notice is when people tend to be that way, it seems a lack of appreciation of your time, at least in my opinion. I've been there. I know how helpful you are to everybody on CC (including me, let me say thanks now ) so I can only imagine how you are with the people in your personal life!
indydebi, you crack me up with the Cadillac reference... I could just see the salesman's face when you tell him, "Yeah, I'd like that Cadillac SUV for $20,000 and I can't pay a penny more than that... that's my top price".... people think prices for cakes are high, but in reality, we put so much work into them they do not begin to understand .. I tell them to price at other bakeries and get quotes from them .. some come back, some don't .. you win some, you lose some
on top of that cadillac reference, would you mind dropping it off at my house because I don't want to hurt it on the way over, for free of course,.. and then I only have a check for $15,000 but ill pay you tomorrow I promise...
I charged $75 for this one:
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1176679.html
Not realizing I'd have to bake two 12x18" cakes to carve it from, and never imagining the $200 it would cost me to make it, or the 10 hours it would take me to finish it. 'doh!
OMG! Wow...you won't make that mistake again, eh?? Beeyootiful cake!
Thank you! And you're right, definitely lesson learned on that one...just wish it wasn't such an expensive lesson!
I charged $75 for this one:
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1176679.html
Not realizing I'd have to bake two 12x18" cakes to carve it from, and never imagining the $200 it would cost me to make it, or the 10 hours it would take me to finish it. 'doh!
OMG! Wow...you won't make that mistake again, eh?? Beeyootiful cake!Thank you!
And you're right, definitely lesson learned on that one...just wish it wasn't such an expensive lesson!
That guitar cake is awesome & I am shocked at how much you charged (or should I say how little ). I have to admit, I'm kind of shocked at how generous everyone is & how litttle appreciated they are by the people they have beed generous too. All this is definitly great motivation & guidelines on pricing:0)
Thanks LaBellaFlor!! I need a wake up call!! The most I have been paid for cakes are....
$150 >>>
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1274622.html
$100 >>> Which a shop owner here on CC reproduced this cake and told me she wouldn't sell for less than $500!! But, in my 'defense' my mom gave me some money since it was for my Nanny's 80th birthday...
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1220410.html
$150 >>>
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1300359.html
Most of my other cakes have been between $55 - 80.00.
Does anyone out there have advice on how to charge for sculpted fondant figures?? Almost all my cakes have some form of fondant molding and I 'lose' myself in the charge!?!!?!?! 
~ Jaime
The first few cakes I did for friends and family I didn't charge more than $20 total for. Granted they were small cakes with basic decor because I was still a cake noob then, but still. It was not a good idea. This led them to believe I would do ANY sort of cake, no matter the size, for that cost.
The worst hit I got was a bridal shower cake I did for a friend who told me "money was no object! Use the best ingredients!" and asked for a two tier cake with one tier triple chocolate with cherry filling and the other white chocolate with raspberry filling. The cost of ingredients alone was almost $50 cause I had no supplies on hand at home at the time. (EDIT: she wanted it covered in fondant flowers too, hence why the base cost was that much) When I told my friend, she freaked out because she thought the cake wouldn't cost more than $30. $20 for the cake and $10 extra for my time....
yeah, it was not a good time.
After that, I am up front about what I would charge for a cake. Tho, one of my co-workers still gives me grief because I charge way too much in her opinion. She thinks bakers who charge more than $1 a serving are rip off artists and no cake should cost more than $100 tops, no matter how many servings. >_<
She thinks bakers who charge more than $1 a serving are rip off artists and no cake should cost more than $100 tops, no matter how many servings. >_<
You couldn't even go to a Ma and Pa type diner on the corner and get dessert for $1.00!!! Although I should practice what I preach, cakes take on an art form and people love to oohhh and ahhhh at parties -- that costs time and ingredients and talent.
Boy... this forum is like a pep rally to my pricing. Keep it coming!!
~ Jaime
I did this cake for the cost of ingredients because it was for a charity event. But I was asked to keep the cost of ingredients down. http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1201637
I was paid around $44 for ingredients. It took me days to make all the gumpaste flowers. I was asked very nicely again to make the cake for this year's charity event, again for the cost of ingredients. I was too busy this time, both because I am really busy and because I really can't justify getting so little in return for so much time. Obviously, I love making cakes, but that shouldn't take the place of payment.
Thanks LaBellaFlor!! I need a wake up call!! The most I have been paid for cakes are....
$150 >>>
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1274622.html
$100 >>> Which a shop owner here on CC reproduced this cake and told me she wouldn't sell for less than $500!! But, in my 'defense' my mom gave me some money since it was for my Nanny's 80th birthday...
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1220410.html
$150 >>>
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1300359.html
Most of my other cakes have been between $55 - 80.00.
Does anyone out there have advice on how to charge for sculpted fondant figures?? Almost all my cakes have some form of fondant molding and I 'lose' myself in the charge!?!!?!?!
~ Jaime
First Jaime your cakes are lovely!! Secondly, you need to raise your prices or I'm going to order 25 cakes from you and turn around and sell them for 5x the amount!! Finally, I would charge separately for the figures....."The cake will be $400, and the figures are an additional $70 & $95."
It's funny that this is coming up today because I just had a lady contact me on Monday wanting a Pooh cake for her granddaughter to feed 40 people this weekend. I did research, sent her some ideas and yesterday she asked me what the one she picked would cost. The pic was a 2 layer 6 inch round on a 2 layer 10 inch round, iced in buttercream with fondant bees and butterfly all over. The cake topper was Pooh on a swing and I had found it online for $10. So, I told her it would be $60 if I bought the figurine or $50 if she had figures she wanted to use (I know, I know, I can tell what you're thinking--am I crazy?!) Anyway, she didn't respond to that email so I sent her an email a little later telling her to let me know about flavors and if she also wanted a smash cake. Still never heard from her. Last night her niece (who is a good friend of mine) was at my house so I asked her if she had decided anything b/c I needed to order the topper. She didn't know but told me she'd find out. So she (my friend) emailed me today and told me that they had decided to go with Kroger!! My friend said "Sorry, I told you she was cheap." The kicker was that she had asked my friend how much I charged for her daughter's birthday cake (the cowgirl cake in my pics) which was $40 but part of that was my gift to them. I had also done a cake for this lady's other daughter (the Cars cake in my pics) and charged $50 (again I'm sure too low) but she should have known it was going to be more than Kroger. I mean what is up with some people?! Ok, just had to vent as I read this topic. Sorry to hijack!
Angela
I charged $90.00 for this cake, it was a 10" & 8" vanilla with cookies & creme filling. I did all the baby monkeys and accents.
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1257752
Lomikesa
This one too, only in this case, they didn't even have the decency to return my cake hardware. Free cakes are now a thing of the past for me! Starting this week!
Free cakes are now a thing of the past for me! Starting this week!
lol @ THIS WEEK!
your cakes are beautiful 
Ohhh darling...your cakes are fabulous!! And Cheap! My small 2 tiered 9 and 6 inch round not near the effort you put into yours and mine start at $90 and I think thats cheap some days.
I wish you were closer...I would order me a tea-cup cake!!
Let her go to kroger....cheap cake usually tastes cheap...now raise those prices!! lol
Laura
Okay Ladybug76 I'm back on & saw your other cakes...AWESOME!!! And for those prices I wanna be your friend too! Really, your work is unbelievable, but like I said, get paid your worth. To me an average sculpted cake (and I'm thinking on the low end here) starts at (& I do mean start, so depending on how difficult, ingredients, etc. the price may start significantly higher) $5 a slice. Remember, everything is priced at a slice.
You couldn't even go to a Ma and Pa type diner on the corner and get dessert for $1.00!!! ~ Jaime
I think you can get an apple turnover at McDonalds' off of their dollar menu?
Last time I checked, a plain piece of carrot cake was $3.99 at O'Charley's. A piece of Chocolate cake with a warm center was $5.50 at Bravo's. So when they complain that two bucks is two high ... uh, too high .... send them to Bravo's for their dessert!
I'm notorious for this too, BUT am learning. Now if someone mentions the dreaded "W" mart or complains about the price... I nicely tell them to just hop in their car and head on up there and pick up their pre-frozen cake iced with premixed icing LOADED with preservatives! It will be everything they hoped it would be for 50 cents a slice.
This was one of the first wedding cakes I did. She was a friend of a friend of a friend. She was trying to plan a small wedding and everything was going wrong for her. I quoted her $140 but when I went to pick up the money and deliver cake she only had $100. So I took it with the agreement that she would pay the rest later when she delivered the equipment. And yep you guessed it, that was a year ago. Haven't seen the balance or my equipment. Thats one lesson I learned the hard way.
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1199183.html
You couldn't even go to a Ma and Pa type diner on the corner and get dessert for $1.00!!! ~ Jaime
I think you can get an apple turnover at McDonalds' off of their dollar menu?
Last time I checked, a plain piece of carrot cake was $3.99 at O'Charley's. A piece of Chocolate cake with a warm center was $5.50 at Bravo's. So when they complain that two bucks is two high ... uh, too high .... send them to Bravo's for their dessert!
LOL!!! Indydebi that is hilarious! We should tell people who complain about pricing that they can take the McD's pies & stack them up for their cakes if they feel they should only pay $1 a serving!
You couldn't even go to a Ma and Pa type diner on the corner and get dessert for $1.00!!! ~ Jaime
I think you can get an apple turnover at McDonalds' off of their dollar menu?
Last time I checked, a plain piece of carrot cake was $3.99 at O'Charley's. A piece of Chocolate cake with a warm center was $5.50 at Bravo's. So when they complain that two bucks is two high ... uh, too high .... send them to Bravo's for their dessert!
I did my coworkers wedding cake for free! At first I had planned on giving them an additional gift as well but throughout the process I decided that the cake should be gift enough! It was my first wedding cake so I didn,t think I should charge but I had no idea how expensive it would turn out!!! It was a 14, 12, 10 and 8 all wrapped with ghirradelli white chocolate collars, satin ribbon and fresh roses, it was absolutly stunning in the end! Incredibly time consuming as well, much more so then any other cake I've made!
Lisa78332...What ungrateful wretches! Your cake is lovely by the way!
Oh, I have so many, many cakes I have underpriced! I get so nervous to say the price and then when I do everyone says "oh okay!" Like they are surprised I am so cheap. I then kick myself for not asking for more. All that time and energy wasted! Grrr! I am learning though and lately have been asking for more.
Sorry I can't seem to post the photos??
If you feel like looking in my photos:
R2D2-$50.
Barbie doll-$40.
Butterflies w/ initials-$15.00- ouch, stupid girl!
Oh I could go on and on and on..... 
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