Maybe I'm just having a bad day but I'm thinking about taking my website down and not taking any more orders.

No one is ever satisfied with the price, even though I end up barely covering my costs.

I spent 25 working hours doing 130, individually packaged cupcakes for a charity bake sale, for FREE and when I dropped them off this morning the lady actually said "they're so cute, not 25 hours cute, but cute". I'm just not sure how to take that. It took me so long because I did 4 different flavors about 8 different designs and special kid cupcakes that were bird nests with baby birds in them...so yeah...it took a lot of time.

A friend of mine from high school asked me to price her a baby shower cake a few weeks ago. She wanted a two tier, stacked cake for 120 people. I know I'm gonna get blasted for this but..I quoted her $100. A couple of days later she posted on facebook "does anybody know where I can get a baby shower cake made for cheap?" Somebody replied to her, suggesting me. She posted, for everyone to see, "I asked her and her price was too high"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know, you're not gonna be able to please everyone but I can't seem to please anyone.

Sorry for the rant. I just wanted to talk to people who understand.

OK, I think I would have taken those cupcakes and left with them! How can people be so thoughtless, rude and inconsderate when you're doing THEM a favor and providing treats like that free of charge??? I don't get it.

Geez even our friends at times are just clueless.

Hang in there!

Believe me, I feel you pain. I've had 4 wedding consults/inquiries lately and none have booked. I'm new to the area and still getting familiar with prices. However, I already feel that I'm pricing low (1.60/slice for buttercream) and am hesitant to lower it. But, at the same time, it's frustrating.

As for the "not 25 hours cute" comment, it just needs to be ignored, as hard as that is to do. I don't know what motivated her to say that, but whatever it was is certainly not worth stewing over.

I am only a hobby baker but the cupcake comment just p^$$ed me off. I agree with newmansmom2004, I would have said yeah your right they aren't good enough, I'll be back in a few hours with better ones and laugh as walking away.

Some people are just so jealous because they can't do what you do that they cover it up with snorky remarks and it is just so ugly.

As for as the fb comment, I would have answered that with, my talent is high so my prices reflect it but by all means go to someone else with less talent, you get what you pay for.

I know that all what I said would hurt you down the line but I just can't stand RUDE

I don't have a business, so I don't know how practical this really is, but this is what I would do:

Figure out your costs and come up with a price per serving that covers your costs AND your time. Post it on your website, for example, "Price per serving starts at $2 for simple designs." That way they have some basic idea how much they're talking about before they contact you. And don't charge less for people you know, except (maybe) immediate family and your bestest best friend Having prices that show you're a real business should discourage moochers.

And I would have been tempted to reply to the FB post with, "I'm sorry, but I'm not running a cake charity. The price I quoted you was my cost." You'd be amazed how good it feels sometimes to speak up about things that bother you.

About the bake sale, non-cake people just don't get it sometimes...She probably baked a couple pans of brownies from a mix and put them in ziplock bags and was pleased that she got her stuff done in an hour, and then she probably meant that you shouldn't have devoted 25 hours to baking for the bake sale, not that they weren't cute enough. I would feel guilty if I asked someone to donate something and they spent 25 hours on it, just because I would think that was too much of their time to ask for.

Personally, I don't do anything fancy for bake sales because I know that they're not going to charge what they're worth. My usual bake sale donation is cupcakes with a tip 1M swirl and a molded chocolate on top. And the school sells them for 50 cents each.

I feel for you. Those are two of the rudest comments to Cakers I've read here on Cake Central and there have been some bad ones....

I was trying to think of something for the Facebook response that wouldn't sound to snotty (though you have every right to be)...and all I could come up with was for you to respond. "For YOUR price of less than .83 cents per person, you could probably get some Twinkies on sale."

People do not care how long it takes. They could care less. As far as price she didn't want to spend that much, SO WHAT. To her that was expensive for a cake. OK go some where else, and get one. Why make it personal?

If your going to be pissed about something be pissed that you got referred to as cheap. Someone looking for a cheap cake, go see you. That would piss me off to no end.

Mike

im just a newbie home baker but i wanted to just say i think the comments made by both of these women were rude.

Oh my gosh, Mike, that's hilarious. One of those that I startled chuckling at then it turned into a full blown hoot and holler.

I'm with Mike on that. I've gone from begging for orders that I didn't even make cost on to charging what I think is reasonable and now I'm my own little cake snob in my own little bubble and I've morphed from "No...no, I really want people to be able to afford these amazing cakes...I don't care how LONG it takes me." To wanting the word on the streets about my cakes to be, "No, they aren't cheap but they are WORTH it!". It's a far more comfortable place to be. And still, "cheap" is relative. I tell my clients, "Take your picture and go get a price from a specialty bakery if your curious to see what you otherwise would've paid for that."

The cupcake girl probably does some small time baking and was jealous. I know it's impossible but try not to let someone like carry so much weight in your world. I've had those bad days too of just not wanting to do this anymore. So, I don't take orders and take a break. It helps!

Hope our support and understanding motivates you not to hang up the apron!!!

Cake on, sister!

Clueless Dork: "they're so cute, not 25 hours cute, but cute"

Me (pie-eyed and innocent-looking): "um, what do you mean?"

Clueless Dork: "um, well I........"

Me (smiling inside as she stumbles over her clueles dorkiness, but still looking wide-eyed and innocent): "um, what do you mean?"

Ok, reality check here...people do not understand what makes a cake designers cakes so expensive. I just spent 7 hours making 100 gumpaste flowers..damn right I'm going to charge for those...even tho' the client doesn't understand how much work goes into making them they are always wow'd when they see them. The client isn't paying for CAKE...they are paying for ART. Never EVER undervalue your art for anyone.

Now for a price check here...Dean and DeLuca's in NYC charges 150 for a SINGLE 20 SLICE CAKE! Simple fondant, nothing special about it cake. And they GET that because they are Dean and DeLuca's in NYC. Is that outrageous pricing, YUP, can everyone afford it, NOPE, but they still GET that amount for their cake.

Keep perfecting your art, learn new skills and challenge yourself and in time you WILL find your audience and they won't bitch about the pricing.

As for your "friend"...SIGH...I had this happen a few weeks ago with a "friend" acting like I should just give her a wedding cake for her daughter. I'm thinking that's what this "friend" wanted from you..a free or nearly free cake. What she didn't know is that for less than $1 a slice she WAS getting a nearly free cake! Simple buttercream starts at $2 a slice and goes up from there. What your "friend" is used to is 30 slice cakes that cost $15 from the grocery outlet. No way are you getting ANY cake at 50cents a slice from a cake designer. I'm thinking she was using you to get a free cake.

As for the other lady I would have looked at her and said, "My you are picky for someone who's getting this for FREE!" and walked off WITH my cupcakes! Better to find a children's recieving home or even another charity to donate these to than to people like that.

Cat

Next time somebody says something so rude when you are donating bakery items, just walk away 2 or 3 steps, then turn around and say very casually- "that was incredibly rude and next time you need some goodies donated, don't come a-looking coz' I won't be a-cooking"

I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT MAYBE THE LADY WHO SAID THAT THEY WERE CUTE WAS JUST PLAIN IGNORANT.
I HAVE ONLY BEEN DECORATING CAKES FOR ABOUT 5/6 MONTHS AND I NEVER REALISED HOW MUCH WORK AND EFFORT THAT WENT IN TO IT.
I COULD REALLY CRINGE NOW WHEN I THINK OF TIMES IN THE PAST WHEN I HAVE BEEN ASKED WHAT I THOUGHT OF A CAKE SOMEONE HAS MADE. MY COMMENT WAS USUALLY SOMETHING LIKE " OH YEAH REALLY NICE "
I FEEL A TOTAL IDIOT NOW.
I NEVER IMAGINED THE AMOUNT OF WORK AND SKILL THAT WENT INTO IT.
I WOULD OF SAID TO THE LADY SOMETHING LIKE, " JUST CUTE? THESE HAVE TAKEN ME A LONG TIME AND EFFORT TO MAKE, I THINK THEY ARE MORE THAN CUTE ! "

"they're so cute, not 25 hours cute, but cute"

"OMG, I'm so glad that you said that! You're just the person I've been DYING to talk to--I'd LOVE to pick your brain to see EXACTLY how I could have done ALL 130 in 4 different flavors with birds and nests on a bunch of them---IN LESS THAN 25 HOURS!!!!!!!!
COME ON, BYOTCH---DISH! "

Rae

I would hope that the next time that woman calls for a donation you tell her that you've already donated to a different cause, and your donations for the year are done. What a heifer.

I had once for a work bake sale, made 48 Santa and reindeer cupcakes not too special but it takes time to not just put on frosting and call it good. They started out sellin them for 75 cents each, and the sale was to go till 3pm. 1pm came around and I think the people running it just got bored and wanted out early, at 1pm they took everying down to a quarter.

I was supposed to bake that night for treats for my sons class also, Well after thinking about it I just snatched up all my cupcakes and bought them back, cheaper to do that then spend the time making them again. I know they had only two hours left to the sale, but I just didnt want them to go that cheap when I put all the time into it.

Some people have no idea about how long it takes, or what dedication we have when making our cakes, They may be jealous of your skills or maybe just really not into giving their time like we have . Feel for you. But dont give up... Rememer the finished product , the joy we get of a job wel done, and the seeing the good reactions on peoples faces.

It is a good thing I am only doing this as a hobby though. I would be frustrated talking prices with people every day,

Thanks you guys. I knew there would be people here that understood.

I think I should clarify some things though.

I am, for the most part, a hobby baker. You can look at my cakes and tell, I think anyway. I took one Wilton class and the rest I've just learned as I needed to by finding how-to's on youtube or here. I don't consider myself to be a great "cake artist" but yes, I do expect people to consider the time I put into my cakes. Since I am a novice it takes me twice as long to do what most of you can do. Also, I don't get my ingredients at wholesale prices! I pay retail! Which is another rant all together...$20 for a little bag of gumpaste?! Come on!

I am sooooo glad now that I used boxed cake mix for her cupcakes.

All of this came after my biggest compliment ever. A lady commented on my site that she thought my cakes were better than Edgar's. I don't know if they have Edgar's where ya'll are from, but around here, that's a big deal. So I guess it's not all bad.

Send her (the baby shower cake lady) a link to Sandra Lee.

That Sandra lee Video...whoa!

If I had known that all I needed to decorate a wedding cake was cookies, I never would have spend all that money on gum paste!

Sandra Lee is crazy and so is that lady who made that crappy comment to you.

I am sorry that this happened to you. I wouldn't donate anything else to that lady and the friend that needs a baby shower cake i would tell to go somewhere else. I just won't say where I would tell her to go

ok-first a quote from the video "some had to make it- so fake it" huh?
seriously, thats part of the problem. videos like this give cakers a bad rep.
nobody understands the time/energy/expense it takes to bake and decorate.
after a failed cake last week, i had to do the dreaded and go to the grocery store and buy a ewwwww store bought cake.
for a tiny, single layer genetic cake was $24.99.
this pathetic cake looked like the 10 others in the case.
tasted awful and my family was so disappointed, like me.
keep your head up-and keep working on your craft.
good luck and dont let a few misguided people get you down.
definatley dont stop - you do great work!

I am a newbie, hobby baker who grew up with an Aunt who decorated cakes. Even with knowing what she put into a decorated cake. I didn't fully realize what it takes to "decorate" a cake until I started taking the Wilton Method classes at my local Hobby Lobby. The pictures of your cakes are awesome. It is true people want to compare an artistic creation to what a grocery store does. Blow the one lady off regarding the cupcakes. It is not worth it, you couldn't make her understand or even change her mind. I would let your friend know how hurt you were by the facebook post. Keep the faith! I'm sorry you are having a hard time.

I truely believe that people do not understand what goes in to a cake, I didnt until I got in to the business and tried to do my first. I have to make cakes to demo our products at shows and I remember one we titled the ugly cake! It really was. But I tried the decorating thing and truely did not understand till I did it. I think better explainations will help and understand when people say your too expensive, they are saying they cant afford it. If you explain to them the number of hours and what the cost would normally be they may get it better. But until somene explains it to them, they will remain ignorant to the amount of work. There is no other way they will ever get it.

hi, i would like to appologize to you all for my post on the 7th Feb, i used capital letters, i didn't realize that capital letters meant that i was shouting.