I have a quick question, how much do you usually charge for a standard dozen of cupcakes with no decoration.. Frosting only? I quoted a customer a price and never heard anything back. I thought I was being too cheap actually, but maybe she thought she could go to Sams Club and get a better deal!!

My cupcakes start at $2.50 each for standard BC swirl.They go up from there.Most of the cupcake franchises here start at $2.95 and go up to $3.25...It also depends on what your market area can support.Don't under estimate how much time they take to do so I wouldn't charge any less than my minimum which is $2.50.If they want to go to Sam's or Costco or whatever...Let them!!

How much did you quote her and what area are you in?

i charge the same price per cupcake as i do per serving of cake. There is a little less cake in each cupcake but there is more handling and my boxes with inserts cost a little more than just a board and box for the cake so it all avg's out.

I am in NC and quoted her $18 for 12 just plain icing only. I thought that was really reasonable. Maybe I dont want her to call me back now.

I'm in Orlando and charge $2.00 each for buttercream topped cupcake. I think you gave her a bargain at $18 for a dozen.

I charge $25 per dozen for basic and $35-$40 for detailed work or fondant covered.

I came on here today wondering the same question as you, if I was over charging for my cupcakes. I live in Michigan and granted life around here is not great but still I dont want to lose money doing them. I had a lady that wanted 350 cupcakes for a graduation party (yeah it was allot) and I gave her a cost of $1.50 each since they where just buttercream swirls. She went some where much cheaper, they were only charging $0.75 each and she got fondant on them. She got them at some bakery, she has to pick them herself now but how can they charge so little is beyond me.

I thought my price for them was great but after reading what others charge I dont feel that mine are overpriced but maybe a bit to low at times.

Thanks!

There is only one actual
custom cake shop in my town in British Columbia..and i always get their overflow a lot! I have a bride wanting 150 cupcakes fondant and they quoted her $5.50 per cupcake! I said $3.00 I one the business!...She's also the lady that does daycare for my 3 children...soon to be 4 that are all 5 and under so I wanted to help her out too!

So when you guys charge $18/dozen, does that cover the cost of your ingredients, boxes, etc? I just bake for friends and friends of friends and I never know what to charge. People here seem to get upset if you ask a pricing question but I don't know who else to ask. I make my own icing and I often feel I undercharge!

It costs me about $20 to buy everything for cupcakes and icing including all ingredients, liners, boxes, cake boards, paper for the cake boards, etc. I never thought of charging an hourly rate PLUS supplies...wow...see what I am missing!! A lot!!

Pricing is based on many factors. I work out of my home (legal for the farmers market). I created a master list of every ingredient I use in all my recipes. I typed that list up and went to every store in town that sells those products to know where to get the best prices.

I then used those prices and figured out the price per ounce and used that on each recipe to calculate the cost. Depending on the flavor my cupcakes (off the top of my head) cost between $3-7 per 2 doz. the liners I use cost .02 each and if I box them individually the boxes are about .36 so my cupcakes cost me aprox 0.58 cents each to make.

So lets say I have an order for 6doz cupcakes
They cost me 41.76 to make (not including other fees ect).
I charge 144
They take me about 8 hours to make including the time it takes to shop for all the ingredients ect. I figure that means I make around 12.78 per hour. This number is always in flux depending on the specific recipe and ingredient costs increasing and decreasing, and other costs such as electricity, licensing, and permits ect.

I might have rambled on a bit there but I hope that helps!

Thank you all for the information! I have just been asked to do wedding cupcakes for September and I had no idea what to charge. I sometimes let my sympathy for people's economic situation overcome my good sense! I'm planning on asking $3.00/ea for Peanut Butter filled & iced, with a dollop of Chocolate Ganache (the wedding colors are brown & red). Hopefully the wedding couple will think that is okay.