What Would You Have Charged?

Decorating By Kate714 Updated 2 Apr 2011 , 1:53am by tokazodo

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Kate714 Posted 1 Apr 2011 , 4:42pm
post #1 of 20

A friend asked me to make a Rubik's cube cake for next Saturday. She needs it to feed 40, but I figure if I stack four eight-inch square layers, it gives me about 48 servings. I quoted her $70, and she thought that was too much. ?!! I think that's totally reasonable - what do you think??

19 replies
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Kiddiekakes Posted 1 Apr 2011 , 4:44pm
post #2 of 20

Well a rubiks cube to me is considered a 3D Cake.I charge $5.00 a serving for 3D cakes so if it feeds 48..then $240.00....No way would I charge $70.00 ....JMO....

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Kate714 Posted 1 Apr 2011 , 4:51pm
post #3 of 20

I knew I would hear from you ladies that would charge MUCH more...it just really annoys me...and then she says, "I'd love for you to make my girls' birthday cakes again this year!" and I feel like saying, "don't even bother!" since she doesn't want to pay anyway!

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TexasSugar Posted 1 Apr 2011 , 4:57pm
post #4 of 20

The price you quoted is only 1.46 a serving? If she thought that was too much, just enjoy your time to do what ever it is you wanted to do instead of spend hours in the kitchen.

I'd also look into some of the past threads about pricing cakes to get some ideas on the best ways to price a cake for the future.

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icer101 Posted 1 Apr 2011 , 5:12pm
post #5 of 20

Yes, your price is very low. I am sorry she thinks it is too high. As the other poster said, do something you like doing instead of making that cake. Lots of the same questions are asked over on this site. That is ok. If we don,t want to answer, then we should go on to the next one. Hope we have helped you. So, keep asking what you need help on. I do, anyway. I give answers, i ask questions.

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ejfrn21 Posted 1 Apr 2011 , 5:15pm
post #6 of 20

if you charge 5 dollars per serving for 3D what do you charge for wedding/anniversary cakes?
I did a 100 serving 3 tier (white, coffee, choc) all fondant with royal icing swags and words written all over...
i went middle of the road for OK and asked 7 per serving... the woman paid...served it...then came back and said she couldn't afford it..had stopped the check... and then started to trash my cake saying i can't charge for labor since i am not a "professional" and am "practicing" when i make cakes... i have over 300 dollars in supplies and about 45-50 hours in labor...

what do i do at this point?? thanks for any help...

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cakesnglass Posted 1 Apr 2011 , 5:23pm
post #7 of 20

Though it is exciting to get these challenging cakes, I find more and more that when I quote a price I always get that silent treatment for a minute. LOL! I may not be the fastest decorator but i'm not that slow and I find that by the time I plan,design,boards,bake,decorate boards and finally get to the cake I have put in a good 15 to 20 hrs. So when I give a quote and they change to a sheet cake I really don't feel upset at all-I get more upset when i've only made about $2.00 serving on these guys. icon_smile.gif

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Kate714 Posted 1 Apr 2011 , 5:24pm
post #8 of 20

thanks, everyone. I knew you would say my price was too low, not too high. I just had to vent!!!

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PennieK Posted 1 Apr 2011 , 5:34pm
post #9 of 20
Quote:
Originally Posted by ejfrn21

if you charge 5 dollars per serving for 3D what do you charge for wedding/anniversary cakes?
I did a 100 serving 3 tier (white, coffee, choc) all fondant with royal icing swags and words written all over...
i went middle of the road for OK and asked 7 per serving... the woman paid...served it...then came back and said she couldn't afford it..had stopped the check... and then started to trash my cake saying i can't charge for labor since i am not a "professional" and am "practicing" when i make cakes... i have over 300 dollars in supplies and about 45-50 hours in labor...

what do i do at this point?? thanks for any help...




I believe this would be considered check fraud. I would demand the money from her or tell her you will go to the police. Next time you accept a check make sure you recieve it in advance so that you know it clears before you start the cake.

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Fantasy_Cakes Posted 1 Apr 2011 , 5:39pm
post #10 of 20

I did this Rubik's Cube cake for my husband's bday.It was 3 x 6in cake. I was always wondering how do you calculate the # of servings when you have cake like this. If 6in cake 4in tall serves 12 (by Wilton chart) does that mean that 6in cake 2in tall serves 6? And this cake would serve 18 and the price would be $90? icon_cool.gif

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1542455

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carmijok Posted 1 Apr 2011 , 5:50pm
post #11 of 20
Quote:
Originally Posted by ejfrn21

if you charge 5 dollars per serving for 3D what do you charge for wedding/anniversary cakes?
I did a 100 serving 3 tier (white, coffee, choc) all fondant with royal icing swags and words written all over...
i went middle of the road for OK and asked 7 per serving... the woman paid...served it...then came back and said she couldn't afford it..had stopped the check... and then started to trash my cake saying i can't charge for labor since i am not a "professional" and am "practicing" when i make cakes... i have over 300 dollars in supplies and about 45-50 hours in labor...

what do i do at this point?? thanks for any help...




Three words...Small Claims Court.
Especially if you have something in writing...she would lose and would have to pay the court costs as well.

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CreativeCakesbyMichelle Posted 1 Apr 2011 , 5:57pm
post #12 of 20
Quote:
Originally Posted by PennieK

Quote:
Originally Posted by ejfrn21

if you charge 5 dollars per serving for 3D what do you charge for wedding/anniversary cakes?
I did a 100 serving 3 tier (white, coffee, choc) all fondant with royal icing swags and words written all over...
i went middle of the road for OK and asked 7 per serving... the woman paid...served it...then came back and said she couldn't afford it..had stopped the check... and then started to trash my cake saying i can't charge for labor since i am not a "professional" and am "practicing" when i make cakes... i have over 300 dollars in supplies and about 45-50 hours in labor...

what do i do at this point?? thanks for any help...



I believe this would be considered check fraud. I would demand the money from her or tell her you will go to the police. Next time you accept a check make sure you recieve it in advance so that you know it clears before you start the cake.




I agree. You can't just stop payment on a check because you decide you can't afford something. Does this woman think you can go to Best Buy, purchase a big screen TV with a check, and then stop payment on it because you decide you can't afford it? Send her a certified letter demanding cash payment for the full amount (and I would add in a returned check fee and late payment fee) and stating that you will be filing check fraud charges and that you will take her to small claims court if she doesn't pay you within a certain period of time (like 5 business days or a certain date).

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CWR41 Posted 1 Apr 2011 , 9:23pm
post #13 of 20
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kate714

She needs it to feed 40, but I figure if I stack four eight-inch square layers, it gives me about 48 servings. I quoted her $70,




Actually, four 8" square layers will serve 64. That's only $1.09 per serving.

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TexasSugar Posted 1 Apr 2011 , 9:28pm
post #14 of 20
Quote:
Originally Posted by CWR41

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kate714

She needs it to feed 40, but I figure if I stack four eight-inch square layers, it gives me about 48 servings. I quoted her $70,



Actually, four 8" square layers will serve 64. That's only $1.09 per serving.




Good catch, I was thinking 8in round and 24 servings, forgot that squares serve more.

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CWR41 Posted 1 Apr 2011 , 9:32pm
post #15 of 20
Quote:
Originally Posted by jeca_sss

It was 3 x 6in cake. I was always wondering how do you calculate the # of servings when you have cake like this. If 6in cake 4in tall serves 12 (by Wilton chart) does that mean that 6in cake 2in tall serves 6? And this cake would serve 18 and the price would be $90? icon_cool.gif




No. (for 6" rounds that would be true... you quoted for round servings, but your cake is square.)

Three single-layer 6" square cakes serve 27 (9 servings per layer). You would cut them just like the squares on the surface of your Rubik's Cube.

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CWR41 Posted 1 Apr 2011 , 9:37pm
post #16 of 20
Quote:
Originally Posted by TexasSugar

Quote:
Originally Posted by CWR41

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kate714

She needs it to feed 40, but I figure if I stack four eight-inch square layers, it gives me about 48 servings. I quoted her $70,



Actually, four 8" square layers will serve 64. That's only $1.09 per serving.



Good catch, I was thinking 8in round and 24 servings, forgot that squares serve more.




I just figured the OP was referring to party cake servings to come up with 48, but even that size would only yield 40.

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Kate714 Posted 2 Apr 2011 , 12:37am
post #17 of 20

yes, I was going by Earlene's serving chart, which says an 8" square serves 24, so two cakes (4 2" layers) would serve 48 under those guidelines, right??

either way, I'm not doing the cake icon_biggrin.gif

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warchild Posted 2 Apr 2011 , 1:10am
post #18 of 20
Quote:
Originally Posted by ejfrn21

if you charge 5 dollars per serving for 3D what do you charge for wedding/anniversary cakes?
I did a 100 serving 3 tier (white, coffee, choc) all fondant with royal icing swags and words written all over...
i went middle of the road for OK and asked 7 per serving... the woman paid...served it...then came back and said she couldn't afford it..had stopped the check... and then started to trash my cake saying i can't charge for labor since i am not a "professional" and am "practicing" when i make cakes... i have over 300 dollars in supplies and about 45-50 hours in labor...

what do i do at this point?? thanks for any help...




Anyone who does labor on anything, can charge for it, professional or not if they've been hired to do so. The woman ordered a cake from you, paid for it, then decides afterwards she can't afford it? And trashes your cake to boot? Bull toot! Sorry, but her excuse is as old as dust. Best to gather your receipes, and hopefully cake contract, any email copies between you and her & head to small claims court.

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warchild Posted 2 Apr 2011 , 1:22am
post #19 of 20
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kate714

A friend asked me to make a Rubik's cube cake for next Saturday. She needs it to feed 40, but I figure if I stack four eight-inch square layers, it gives me about 48 servings. I quoted her $70, and she thought that was too much. ?!! I think that's totally reasonable - what do you think??




I think your friend is not that much of a friend. Your price was beyond more than reasonable, it was too low. I doubt you'd break even at $70 bucks for goodness sakes.. None of my biz, but I'd tell your friend to find someone else to make her cake.

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tokazodo Posted 2 Apr 2011 , 1:53am
post #20 of 20

As has been said many times here on cc, show me a place where you can take 100 people out to eat and by them dessert for 1.46 per serving!

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