How Much Would You Charge For This Cake?
Decorating By awestervelt Updated 30 May 2009 , 5:24pm by sweet_teeth
I love doing cakes but the hardest thing for me is pricing them. I have a diffcult time figuring out how much to charge. How much would you charge for this cake? It is 2 white cakes with buttercream frosting and filling. They are 10 in cakes and the wilton diagram says it should feed 37 people but those have to be very small pieces of cake. I would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks for your help!!
I can't seem to get my picture to load but my user name is awestervelt. It's the K.U. cake
Most people on here charge per serving. You just have to decide how many servings you want to get out of your cake. Traditionally, Wilton's serving chart is for wedding size slices. If you feel those slices are too small, you could try a different serving chart like Earlene's http://www.earlenescakes.com/ckserchart.htm
The deal about serving sizes is that the cakes we decorate are not your momma's cake. It's not family dessert time. So I use Wilton's wedding chart for all my cakes three bucks a serving 3x39=$107 I think. It gives a very nice sized reasonable serving.
Typically these cakes are served where people are gathering so many servings will be needed.
Serving size and pricing thoughts for you.
I know you are suppose to charge by serving but for a 10" round for my area I would charge $40. I know it cheap compared to others but thats what I can get in my area.
see... I could never see myself paying $107 for a round cake with polka dots, shell border and edible image (no matter how great).......even if it serves 40...then again I can make cake...
I would say maybe in the 2 per serving (no support, no stacking.. no torting (i think)) and $10 for the edible image. which is still like $90.. i know only $17 different.. but my head says over a hundred for a 10 rd!?!?!
Depends where you are... you could also say you have a minimum cake order (which is what I do, its $125 or 25 servings which ever is more) this gets rid of the people who think they are doing you a favor....and who don't want to pay for custom!
Good luck... if you feel you are worth, $2 a serving, $10 a serving or $50 a serving..... you need to feel good charging for your cakes. Also, if you charge too little, you will regret that you are only making $1.13 an hour 
It is tough but good luck!
Thanks angelcakes5. I was thinking 35 or 40. I just can't charge 3$ a slice I think people would have a heart attack.
Sorry to hijack but K8 your signature is hilarious!
Thank you. It took my weedy brain a long time and many revisions to perfect that one. I'm quite proud of it.
I'm glad you like it. 
<highfive>
I guess maybe if I had more experience I would feel better about charging more. I guess the more I do the easier it will get. ( hopefully) I'm always afraid I'm charging too much based on my experience. You guys have been very helpful. I wish I had your confidence rocketgirl899.
Thanks angelcakes5. I was thinking 35 or 40. I just can't charge 3$ a slice I think people would have a heart attack.
Why did you ask if you already knew?
I've been decorating for 5 mths. The first couple of cakes I made, I would get nervous every time i quoted a price. I thought that if the customer thought my price was too high, they would walk away! Then one day, I quoted a customer $100 for a cake....a crazy thing happened...he didn't ask questions, he paid me the money and loved the cake!!!! From then on, I have lost that insecurity of not getting the order. I have lost only 2 orders, and it doesn't bother me at all! I have a good flow coming in so If I lose one, that just frees me up to spend time with my family!!!!
edit: I forgot to mention another thing....after doing a cake for a neighbor, I sat down and wrote a list of everything I used...every-single-thing...and how much it cost me. I realized that I didn't just give her a cake for free!....I PAID HER to make the cake!!!!!!!!
I asked because I needed some confirmation that I wasn't completely out in left field. I wanted to hear opinions from people who do this more often and for longer than I have.
I guess maybe if I had more experience I would feel better about charging more. I guess the more I do the easier it will get. ( hopefully) I'm always afraid I'm charging too much based on my experience. You guys have been very helpful. I wish I had your confidence rocketgirl899.
One dollar a slice is pretty weak--how bout $1.50 or two bucks--at least head off in that direction ok? You literally discover what cupcakenbuttercream discovered that you not only give your work away you pay them too!!!
This sh*t (ingredients, products and time) ain't cheap huh.
And you and your hard work are worth more than that. I mean just try & head in that direction. No pressure. Just a thought for the future, the near future I hope.
Just some thoughts for you--no worries.
...but my head says over a hundred for a 10 rd!?!?!
Why not? If that's what it costs that's what it costs.
I have practiced the big numbers in the mirror. Literally in the mirror. Try saying "that'll be two thousand dollars" confidently.
Charging/saying a hunnerd bucks can come a little easier after that.
Do like the car salesmen do/did, write it on a piece of paper and hand it to them--on the back of your business card or on a post it.
I can't believe a cake that size is suppose to feed 37 people? Heck I make that for my family of 6 lol
I've only been decorating cakes for 5 months too. I only make them for friends or coworkers and I usually charge $1.50-$2.50 per serving. But I always tell them if they were going to order a custom cake from a profesional, then I'm not the one to make there cake (considering my expereince), but if they were going to get a grocery store to make their cake anyway, then I definately can do better than that. (and charge more than your local grocery store too)
I created a spreadsheet that calculates how much the ingredients cost for each size cake I do and then I have the Wilton # servings and my # servings per cake. I charge my expenses plus $1 or so a slice. I'm sure that's pretty cheap. The one I just finished tonight was a 10x3 with 2 layers buttercream, basketweave and 2 puppies on top and I charged $68. I'm sure I could have gotten more but I'm just starting out.
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1379606.html
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I can't believe a cake that size is suppose to feed 37 people? Heck I make that for my family of 6 lol
I agree!! I can't imagine how tiny those slices are. Maybe they just want to give you a taste and that's it! Down here in Kansas we eat more than that.
It's a one inch by two inch by four inch piece of cake. For example you get approximately 24 cupcakes out of one recipe or box mix. Take a cupcake, add your fillings and icings and morph it into one serving.
And you're right it's not supposed to feed 37 servings it's 39!
Thing is in Memphis if they want to serve a larger serving I get paid more.
[quote="awestervelt"]I guess maybe if I had more experience I would feel better about charging more. I guess the more I do the easier it will get. ( hopefully) I'm always afraid I'm charging too much based on my experience. [/quote
As one of my old bosses use to say, "Start out how you can hold out". If you undercharge now, your customers are NOT going to want to pay more later. They feel that since you only charged...fill in the blank...before then you are ripping them off when you increase your price. Experience has nothing to do with the way your customers think, they want quality and taste. Experience has to do with what type orders you are willing to undertake such as a birthday cake for a group of friends compared to a hugh wedding cake for a bride you have never met.
No way would that cake serve a descent slice of cake for 37 or 39 people..........my cakes are way too good to have such a teeny piece lol......my motto is betcha can't eat just one....slice hahaha..........from listening to all of you I know now I will always make them and give them away and keep it as a hobby....
...but my head says over a hundred for a 10 rd!?!?!
Why not? If that's what it costs that's what it costs.
If that is what it costs, i won't pay 
lol.
I guess if I saw a 10 in lambeth (is that how you spell it) or one with fondant, gp flowers... it would make more sense to me to be over $100..
also, i was just thinking.. if this was a stacked cake.. and you said that tier cost $100 I probably wouldn't blink.
The 10 rds I saw go outta the bakery I used to work at cost between $50-70 for a similar design so when I saw the OPs cake, this is what I based it on.
I still wouldn't pay it.. hehe.
hell my bf is getting box mix (not a big deal) AND CANNNEDDDDD~~~ frosting... $5 bux worth of stuff ---not my choice but he wants it. oh well.
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OP confidence is great... but I haven't made a cake in a month... mostly because I am moving on Monday, and have been packing... but still.
Its hard for me to price things because I know what I would charge (most times), what a popular bakery would charge, and what a grocery store would charge.... so it's not easy. I agree with those saying, don't undercharge because its harder to raise your prices. I basically figured out that it costs me $3 per serving to make the cake and BC and fillings plus baking and cleaning. just a round number. And right now, unless I really like you... and have nothing to do, I don't want to make a cake for less than $125.
Good Luck!
Yuni,
What are the two different serving charts you use? I have been using the wilton serving chart, but I don't think it is an accurate account for birthday party slices. I just made a cake for 30 people based off of the wilton serving chart and I don't think it is going to be enough cake for them...luckily they ordered cookies too but i'm thinking they are going to be bummed when they see the size of the cake. So I would love to have a chart for party cakes if you don't mind sharing.
... am I the only one using 2 different serving charts for different type of cakes? follow my chart, this is a party cake so it serves 21....
Please tell me you are charging more for party cakes then.. since the person is getting more cake from the chart.
I charge the same price for a party cake as I would a wedding cake.. if they want bigger pieces.. they have to order more cake. I'm not giving them bigger pieces because it's a party =)
...but my head says over a hundred for a 10 rd!?!?!
Why not? If that's what it costs that's what it costs.
If that is what it costs, i won't pay
lol.
Marketing is so much more than what would an individual caker pay for a cake. What value (is there on) me, my work? At what price point am I being not only fair to me but also making an income while attracting the clientelle that will support me going forward. That will say yes I want what she offers.
There's no challenge to get people to take cakes off your hands for less money than it took you to make it.
What question is there about giving people twice as much cake as they need for a menial price.
To me when someone asks how much, it's often their maiden voyage. We wanna be sure the steel is cured correctly (the Titanic was doomed before it ever left port y'know because of the ill made steel) and that the ship will have a happy properous lifetime of sailing. It's a very important question. Hundred dollar phobias not allowed.
I am priceless. How 'bout you? Let's work our way down from pricelessness to a viable number rather than plot course to hit the iceberg.
Marketing thoughts for you.
...but my head says over a hundred for a 10 rd!?!?!
Why not? If that's what it costs that's what it costs.
If that is what it costs, i won't pay
lol. Marketing is so much more than what would an individual caker pay for a cake. What value (is there on) me, my work? At what price point am I being not only fair to me but also making an income while attracting the clientelle that will support me going forward. That will say yes I want what she offers.
There's no challenge to get people to take cakes off your hands for less money than it took you to make it.
What question is there about giving people twice as much cake as they need for a menial price.
To me when someone asks how much, it's often their maiden voyage. We wanna be sure the steel is cured correctly (the Titanic was doomed before it ever left port y'know because of the ill made steel) and that the ship will have a happy properous lifetime of sailing. It's a very important question. Hundred dollar phobias not allowed.
I am priceless. How 'bout you? Let's work our way down from pricelessness to a viable number rather than plot course to hit the iceberg.
Marketing thoughts for you.
I get that.... I am not priceless (yet! I still have a long way to go).
I agree you gotta figure out what you are worth...
and I never said I wouldn't charge it... I just wouldn't pay for it. I guess this is why I make my own cakes.
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