Well the client that I'm making this cake for is a little concerned about the pricing. I cut as much as possible from the price by giving her the idea to put a plastic ring on the cake instead of one sculpted from gum paste. I did some research in my area (suburbs of Washington DC) and most shops would charge her $250 and above (if they had to sculpt the ring from gumpaste) and $160 with the plastic ring. My price is $100 plus the $37 cost of the plastic ring. The cake is a 10" 4 layer Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese frosting...What do you think my fellow ccers?

No, you're not charging too much. I'm in the middle of Iowa, and for a 4-layer 10" square cake like that (100 servings) I'd charge a MINIMUM of $300 plus the plastic ring. Don't be afraid to charge what it's worth - your time and talent are worth it!!

i say she's getting a bargain and doesn't even know it. I would charge $150 plus the cost of the ring in eastern iowa, i would imagine in the suburbs of Washington DC you could get a lot more.

I guess I should clarify, my pricing would be for a 4" tall cake that has four 1" layers and 3 layers of filling. which would be for 50 servings. If you're actually providing 4 layers of cake (at 2" tall) then it would be 100 servings and $300 plus the ring.

You aren't overcharging you are UNDERcharging bigtime. The clients budget restraints should not effect your per serving price. If they need to go cheaper then they need to reduce the amount of servings, not ask you to lower your prices to meet their nonexistant budget. A cake like that for me is $4 per serving. a 4 layer 10" square cake will feed as someone else said 100 people. I would charge $400 for that cake. $100 wouldn't even cover my costs.

You are definitely not charging too much! If she thinks she can find it for cheaper than let her go try, some people just don't understand that they are not just paying for a cake but also someone's time and talent.

No you're not charging too much! She can always do her own research and find out she's getting a hell of a deal.

I've already told my cousin who is very instrumental in helping me get business because she knows everybody and their grandmother and she loved the cake I made for her daughter's birthday party, but I told her my prices are what I charge and if they can't pay them then they can easily go to Walmart and get a generic cake for $20.00 but if they want a cake that looks good and tastes good, and I put my time and effort into making the cake uniquely for them, then they have to pay for it, I'm not lowering my prices unless it is something that I want to do not because someone is trying to get over. And I learned one thing being a wedding planner myself and people try not to pay me, they pay everybody else what they want to pay and pay what they ask. They don't go around asking everybody for a discount because most of the time you wont get one. So just stick to your guns and say this is what I charge. I will be happy if you choose me but if not that's ok too!!!!

A 4" tall tier (no matter how many layers) serves 50, so my base price would be $200 because I would insist on doing it in fondant, primarily because it's black and black buttercream stains everything. Is that a box lid in the background? Extra $20 or so for that. Plus the plastic ring, which the client would have to find, purchase and bring to me.

Her budget is of absolutely no concern to you. Your prices are your prices. Customers either purchase or not.

I'd like to have an Escalade but the dealership won't sell me one for $2K. I don't understand why, since ::sniff:: that's my **budget.**

wow! you are SOOOO undercharging. My 3D cakes start off at $4 per serving. A 10 inch square cake 4 inches tall would give about 80 servings...that's $320 minimum! So, yup, she got a screamin DEAL! Like you, I am in a metro area and the pricing is a bit higher in this area than in some but fondant for me starts at $4, buttercream at $2 so for that large of a cake, even in buttercream if it wasn't sculpted, would be at least $160 in buttercream! I mean really! She got it for a buck 32 a serving? And she's complaining? UGH. Cake muggles!

LOL...early here in CA...need more coffee to do math! LOL! YUp...50 servings...with this cake I would charge about 6.50 per slice due to the carving and detail and the cost of the ring so this woman got over a 50% discount on this cake. Amazing.

You are really undercharging. That is a fortunate customer!

That's 100 servings (4-2" layers of 10" square) even I would charge a mininum of $2.00/serv for a plain old fondant covered 10" square cake......so that alone would leave that cake at $200 without the ring and lid!

Here's a good piece of advice I recently recieved from my father who has owned a business for 30 years. "If everyone loves your prices, and nobody complains...then your prices are too low." It is so true. I can't afford everything I want to buy either, but most businesses don't care. Their prices are their prices. Period. Why should it be any different with a custom cake?

I live in the same area and you are undercharging. I wanted to know where can you buy the rings at? Thanks in advance.

A 10in sq serves 50 ppl so my base price would have been $150 plus cost of the ring. And Im in the middle of nowhere. No one is forced to order a custom cake. if uts not in the buget go to walmart.

I've noticed when people ask "am I charging too much?" the answer is nearly always a resounding NO.

Based on the prices the other shops are quoting I'm guessing this is a 4" tall cake. $150 bare minimum here. Extra for the lid. Extra if I have to source the ring.

I know this was years ago but....I was wondering if you remembered where you ordered the ring from? Thanks.

I'm curious where people are getting the 100 serving thing.  A 10" square cake 4" high will serve 50.  What chart are people using that says its 100?

I believe the poster assumed it was 8 " tall to look a little more "box like."