So I recently changed my pricing to where all cake flavors and fillings are the same. It seemed ridiculous to me to have extra charges for different flavors...I have raised prices a little anyway, the prices seem to cover okay, and alot of people still do tend to choose the basic cheaper stuff with me anyway for some reason (yellow vanilla with buttercream...out of my whole list! haha)

My question is....I am not generally a "tort-er". I do alot of 3D stuff but when I make layer cakes, I personally do not like all that sweet oozy stuff so I like one layer of filling and two layers of cake. Also of course its quicker/easier/cheaper.

I will of course torte for anyone who requests it...but I do charge a little extra/serving for the extra filling and work involved with the torte. Is that unreasonable?

I had a tasting with a bride who actually wanted the cake torted and two fillings in each tier. I had no problem with it but she didn't like the extra charge (I think .25 or .50/serving, can't remember how much) and felt it "unreasonable". She ended up never getting back with me but then she was really picky about what cake she wanted anyway...it was a particular chocolate wrap online that we could NOT find the correct pattern and she did not want to compromise it. Anyway...maybe she found a baker who could do it.

Rambling here...but the question is...IS it unreasonable for me to charge extra for torting/filling if it is not my "modus operandi"? I guess I'm probably the only person who does NOT torte layer/tiered cakes, eh?

i don't think it's unreasonable at all......maybe make the "torted price" you're standard and then offer then a "discounted, non-torted price" then they'll feel like they're getting a deal! and you might get out of torting! LOL

I'm not too far from you (Central NJ), have an actual "store" and all my tiered cakes are 2 layers of cake 1 layer of filling unless otherwise requested and I've never had a complaint. I have had people who wanted more layers and I've charged them. Been doing this for 10 years. Helps me keep my cakes affordable.

The exceptions are my single tiered cakes 10 inches and under-those are 4 layers of cake.

HA! Being that you're in Philly -they should be thrilled that you're offering them anything other than poundcake with a buttercream filling-that seems to be the norm with all the Philly bakeries

I don't charge extra for different flavors/fillings (it would feel like nickel-and-diming). I do two layers of cake and one filling. If they want an extra layer of filling I do charge extra for it.

LOL I do get pound cake requests...and I'm not a pound cake fan!

The reason I charged seperately is because its tons cheaper to make a yellow doctored mix with regular buttercream than it is to make a homemade pound cake with ganache and whipped buttercream....probably 3 times more in cost...but I decided I'd never get my good flavors "out there" if I always charged more for. SOOO I just make a better profit when they pick yellow cake. And they do alot!

Yeah-sometimes you just have to weigh- do I really make a profit when I factor the time and ingredient cost? I mean sometimes when you're really busy does it pay to stop everything and make another filling for an extra $25.? (100 servings X .25) Guess it really comes down to your own tolerance level- I was SO busy last weekend I wanted to cry -I scheduled everyone to get either chocolate mousse or strawberries and cream-no complaints, everyone was happy!

Bride: You want to CHARGE me for torting and filling?

You: You want me to do MORE WORK for the same money?

I know lots torte. I personally wouldn't want it. I'm sorry, but I like to eat filling with my cake, not cake with my filling.

Extra work in torting 4 layers , extra time = extra money in my book!!!! I keep my pricing at 2.50 which is on the lower side here so anything extra like that they are paying. I look at it this way if you want the look of Martha Stewart pay me like Martha..............yeah right. Hahahahahahaha

I know, one time I made some cake layers too thin and put the mousse too thick for a cake I was taking to a party. The people liked it but I could hardly eat it, all that icing and filling is too rich for me. Of course I love to just eat cake by itself with no icing at all.

And Indy, maybe its a midwestern thing. haha. I know when I got married 12 years ago (in South Dakota, although I'm originally from Indiana, myself) we only had cake/mints/nuts/punch. That would have been considered actually rude here in the northeast. Glad I wasn't married here. haha.

The lady who was talking to me about tortes said that when she pictures a slice of cake, she pictures like a nice four layers of cake (yeah martha stewart style), not just two.

I guess Indy would have said something about what she pictured...go ahead Deb....haha.

Wow. Well that explains howcome even though I have a pretty good sized list of flavors or fillings, everyone always picks vanilla and buttercream.

Hey I'm not complaining!