I used to take it personally too, when somebody will compare the price of the cake that I made with grocery store bought cake. Some people are so rude and tacky. Just ignore them and stick to your price, you don't want that kind of customer anyway.

Some people really don't have the money to invest in a first-class cake, and I understand that. I also understand that lots of people really DON'T get the difference between classy and crappy. I'm happy to explain it to those who really want to know, but I'm all for answering snide comments from the ignorant with "There's absolutely no comparison between mine and theirs, dearie!"

To follow on bluehue's coattails, I FREQUENTLY would tell people, "Some people can't afford me .... and that's ok!"

Had one elderly man come into the shop and ask if I had pineapple upside down cake. Told him I could make him one .... what size? He said 10" round. I said $80. He said, with wide eyes, "I was only wanting to spend about TEN!"

I said, "Darlin' I've got more than ten dollars in the fresh pineapple that goes between those 4 layers of cake, in the three layers of filling, plus all of that luscious goodness on the top." Then I adapt what my husband calls my "You're gonna be sorry you got me started!" look and said, "I don't DO (drag out the word "do"!) grocery store cakes!"

Ten bucks. For a cake. With real fruit. Hate to point this out, grampa, but this AIN'T 1937!!!

I really appreciate everyone's input on my post! I was not expecting the kind words that have been posted! Thank you so much!!

Everyone is correct about some folks cannot afford cakes like ours, and that is ok!!

Love all of my fellow Cakers!!!

Michael

My son's soccer coach's wife once got very excited to hear that I "did cakes". She asked for a business card and was asking me a few questions, when I said, "I have a $50 minimum." She looked like I'd slapped her. No, I never heard from her again.

People just don't know.

This is one of my biggest pet peeves! I've just recently started making cakes for people other than family and have run into this twice now, where people see pictures of cakes I've done and are really excited to have one made for their birthday, wedding etc. After I tell them the price suddenly they're saying "oh, well he's only turning two he won't remember what his cake looks like anyway so we'll skip it this birthday, sorry" or the best "I can get a cake from Zehrs for $20". I feel like saying to these people, sure you can but it's going to look and taste like a $20 cake. They just don't understand how much effort and time goes into making a custom cake. I'd like to see them try and get Zhers or Walmart to match fondant, icing etc. to a ribbon from their bridesmaid dress or their kids birthday invitation!

Your cakes are great!

This reminds me of last week while on Facebook. I occasionally like to post a picture or two of my latest creations. I had just posted a wine bottle cake I had done for my step MIL. While on FB I got an instant message from an ex co-worker. She said she didn't know I made cake and if she had she would have just asked me to make her daughter bridal shower cake. She went on to complain how expensive it was so I asked how much she payed and where she bought it. Get this, it was a $38 cake from Walmart!!! I than proceeded to tell her that the kind of cakes I make that whopping $38 wouldn't even cover the cost. Needless to say our conversation soon ended after that. She didn't even say goodbye. LOL Sheesh I didn't think I was rude, maybe she was looking for sympathy for shelling out $38, and when she didn't get it from me maybe she got mad?! LOL

I wouldn't have made her a cake anyway. However for certain people (lol people I like) I will offer to do the cake at cost for the sheer fun of it. But even the at cost price scares them off. Which is fine by me.

Mikel79 those are some gorgeous cakes Are you kidding me even at $2.50 per person is cheap where I live home bakeries sell cakes for $4.50 per person. Sheesh I had this same thing happen to me recently with birthday cupcakes needless to say the lady wanted Wal-Mart prices so in so many words she will be making a trip to Wal-Mart to get them. You keep doing what you eventually everyone will catch up the way I see it there is a market for everyone when the work is exceptional such as yours they'll be lining up for your $70 cakes!

Michael, first and foremost your cakes are absolutely gorgeous. They would be worth every penny you choose to charge for them.

Not to hijack this thread, but I really have a question for Indydebi. I have seen you use the "pineapple upside down cake" story on other threads of this nature.

In my neck of the woods, a "pineapple upside down cake" is basically a one-layer cake with sliced pineapple and a brown sugar-butter topping. We all know the kind of cake I mean.

Is it a different thing in your area. Is the 4 layer, pinapple filled cake what people think of as an "upside down" cake?

I am asking seriously. I really am curious about what is the norm in other areas of the country. Things are so much the same and yet so different from region to region.

Some people just don't get how much work goes into a cake. But who can blame them, they think that the cakes from Walmart are fresh. I guess ignorance is bliss.
Edna

Michael I absolutely love your cakes. Your work is very clean.

Yeah I had a nice lady this weekend want a couple cakes, one for a shower and one for a birthday....wanted tiered cakes...one for over 30 and one for over 50...

I gave some general pricing and she wanted to know what I could do for $100. (On my front website page I have my minimum price at $200.)

I guess people want novelty cakes but they really don't price around first to see how they should budget. I always tell them I understand budgets and its no problem if they have to change their mind...but I can't afford to lower my prices because I just do a couple (2-3) custom-order cakes per weekend....not a bakery.

How funny ..... my husband is right this second watching one of those "flip this house" shows and the house is worse than anything you'll ever see on "Hoarders". The Haz-Mat clean up guy (Yeah, the place is THAT bad!!) is quoting $18,000 for the job. The house flipper said, "Well, my budget is $3,000."

I laughed and told hubby, "it's like this guy is ordering a wedding cake!"

Don't take it to heart! I had a similar thing happen to me just a couple of weeks ago. A woman asked if I'd make her a 3 tier wedding cake for 200 people. I asked when her wedding was, her reply, 2 weeks. I told her I would make it for her for $. When I told her how much she told me she would go to BIG Y and buy her cake because she knows she can get it cheaper there. I told her she had a good point and I wished her all the best! Most people don't have a clue what it takes to make and decorate a cake. Don't be afraid to stand behind your prices, you know how much you put into doing your cakes. If they don't want to pay your prices, you're better off not having them as customers.
You do very nice work!

I have a friend that I'm doing a baby shower cake for as a favor. She offered to come help me today since I'm not charging her for anything but ingredients (barely). I thought that was an excellent idea figuring I would have her wash dishes while I worked. I am doing a 2 tier cake with 2 dz filled cupcakes. First off she asks me how long I think it will take us - "about 3 hours?". After I finished LMAO I told her to stay as long or as short as she wanted. She arrived bright and early this morning and there were no dirty dishes yet so I thought I would have her fill an ice the cupcakes, simple swirl - easy peazy, right?! She iced 48 cupcakes if you count how many she had to scrape the icing off of and start over. The whole time she was mumbling - "I thought this would be easy!" It actually took me a lot more time to teach her and help her than if I had just done them myself. She decided to just watch as I iced the cakes and put the fondant on. She kept saying over and over again, "OMG, I didn't realize what all was involved and how long it actually takes". She said this to my husband as he walked through and he started laughing and said, "oh, this goes on all night sometimes". It's just a matter of education - really a public service if you think about it. I don't think she will ask me to do anymore cakes for a while.

they're gorgeous. Your pricing is spot on. People either get it or they don't. Some people balk at my prices and then others, the enlightened ones think that $2-$2.50 per serving is more than reasonable.

I blame some of this on the TV shows. I love to watch them but they do "hide" the truth of it all. You do not see them getting the invoices for their basics, the bills for utilities and certainly not a mention of the price of any of their work goes on air. They talk about how many cakes to get out this week and show it all in a simple done hour show with commercial breaks. On occasion they do show a few problems that pop up. They don't discuss the hours upon hours of work involved, the quality ingredients and not the discount wally world frozen upon arrival cakes. Seriously, if people only realized how many times a wally cake is frozen and defrosted before they purchase it, they would never buy it to begin with!

I like when people say" I saw this cake on TV" Then you quote them a price. .
Do they think tese tv stars do the cakes for free. I tell them goto the tv persons website and check out there prices. maybe I'm not that high.

Mikel79 your cakes are very well done. Like several have said on here, stand up for your cakes. They are worth the price. I have recently "burnt out" on doing cakes, because I did not price my cakes for what they were worth or sometimes even cost. Don't let this happen to you. I miss doing them so much, but at the same time I cringe at the thought of making one.

Bonnell I tried what you did. It didn't work. They were gone before cake was even finished. Even seeing the whole process and how much work and money it took, the free cake request kept coming. Therefore I am taking a break from making cakes. If I ever decide to start again, you better believe I'll be pricing them for what they are worth.

I just had a funny thought.
Just think:
Oven around- $800.00
Mixer around-$300.00
utensils around-$100.00
cake pan around $40.00
ingrediants around-$50.00
cake board/boxes $8.00
burn cream -$3.00
Gas/electric $150.00 monthly
Hourly labor- $min 7.30hrx4$29.20
Vehicle to deliver$12,000.00
and other misc.
total over $13,000.00

and you want a $20.00 cake like walmart
hahahahah
Your cake priceless

Your cakes are so gorgeous. It astounds me that your BC is so smooth...that's my biggest headache!

I don't sell my cakes, I just have ppl pay for ingredients, and I really only do cakes for friends and family anyway. I had a friend ask me recently to do her mom's bday cake next weekend. She always goes on and on about how pretty she thinks my cakes are (really, I'm a total beginner and she thinks that because she doesn't know anyone else who makes cakes. ) Anyway, she wanted a 2-tier similar to the yellow one I have in my pictures. 8/10, red velvet with cream cheese icing and some candy clay flowers as a border. I told her it would cost roughly $30. Her response? "Oh ok...well let me make sure my grandma wasn't making one first..." Haven't heard from her since!

I ramble, sorry. LOL. I feel you though. It takes me an entire day to do a cake like that, because I am slower than Christmas, and I get seriously offended when someone has that reaction to my price AT COST.

Welcome mommafixit!

If you aren't ready to make cakes, we're glad you're ready to talk about them... we love discussing cakes. and cookies. and cupcakes. and fondant figures. and ... well, I guess we just like to talk. LOL