How Many Cakes Per Week??

Business By k_dub Updated 4 Sep 2009 , 6:18pm by leah_s

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k_dub Posted 4 Sep 2009 , 2:42pm
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As a brand new start up operation how many cakes per week would someone expect to bake??

Or - how many cakes per week did you bake when you were starting out?

I'm trying to get my head around what I should expect as someone just starting out. I will be legal and I will be advertising. To begin with I will not be doind wedding cakes.

How fast does the business grow, etc?

I know there are a lot of variables that can drive all of this but I'm looking for ballpark or your past experience.

8 replies
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Motta Posted 4 Sep 2009 , 3:08pm
post #2 of 9

I'd like to know too! Bump.

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CakeInfatuation Posted 4 Sep 2009 , 3:16pm
post #3 of 9

I don't think anyone can answer that question for you. There are too many factors.. price, reputation, word of mouth, how many requests you are already getting, location, demographic, your speed....

I've been debating getting started for a while. I don't advertise. But I have a blog and I'm on facebook. Just word of mouth and friends and family... I have some days where I get 2 phone calls. Other times I'll go a week with nothing. Then I get a weekend where 3 different people want cakes.

Whatever I can't take in good conscience because I don't know the person, I refer to the bakery I work at. I still get to do it... but not at home.

Even I don't know what I'd be able to expect if I legalize.... And I know my current circumstances...

I hope you get some answers but don't rely to heavily on them. I think it is all relative and everyone has a different scenario.

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leah_s Posted 4 Sep 2009 , 3:16pm
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Hmm . . . well since I pretty much only do wedding cakes, my experience may not help. My first year in the biz, I did one a month.

This weekend I have five weddings. Most in one weekend = 7. Most in one day = 4.

Yeah, that probably didn't help.

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indydebi Posted 4 Sep 2009 , 3:46pm
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What shill said. Too many factors.

8" rounds? 12" rounds? all birthday sheet cakes? wedding cakes?

I'd rather do one $1000 wedding cake a week than do ten $100 cakes or twenty $50 cakes.

Overhead costs will make a difference in what your financial goal should be so you can cover monthly costs. A business plan will help you determine that.

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KHalstead Posted 4 Sep 2009 , 3:58pm
post #6 of 9

it all really depends..........between May and July w/ weddings and graduations I was doing around 10 sheetcakes a week with maybe 1 wedding cake and a couple small 8" rounds with cupcakes.

That was TOO MUCH for me. I'm one person, with 3 kids....it was a lot

So far it's just started to slow for me (which I'm thrilled about). Last week I had only 1 sheetcake and 1 4 tiered wedding cake

This week I have NO cakes.......first weekend this whole year that I didn't have a cake order......and we're going camping today and I'm thrilled not to have to meet up with my DH and kids at midnight tonight once I'm done decorating and then leave first thing in the morning to come back home to deliver the cakes and then not get back until dinner time, only to have to hear about the swimming, catching frogs, the butterflies they saw, and the hike in the woods I missed! This weekend, no cakes = swimming, frogs, butterflies, and a hike.........can't wait!! i hate bugs, but I love my family!

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cakesweetiecake Posted 4 Sep 2009 , 6:02pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by leah_s

Hmm . . . well since I pretty much only do wedding cakes, my experience may not help. My first year in the biz, I did one a month.

This weekend I have five weddings. Most in one weekend = 7. Most in one day = 4.

Yeah, that probably didn't help.

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Just curious, when you first started out, were you also doing just wedding cakes?

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Mensch Posted 4 Sep 2009 , 6:05pm
post #8 of 9

It depends. I have to say no to 10-20 cake orders per week. I just don't have the capacity, as most cakes are ordered for the weekend.

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leah_s Posted 4 Sep 2009 , 6:18pm
post #9 of 9

Yes, I started out only doing wedding cakes. Nothing like jumping in with both feet, eh?


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