I'm new to this site and joined to obtain support from what seems to be a wonderful community.I have made many cakes for friends and family but never charged, I only ask for enough money to cover my costs. I have received my first cake order and I am extremely excited and nervous about pricing the cake. It is a 3D cake of a "bowl" full of icecream scoops(6 scoops) in vanilla,strawberry and chocolate topped witha cherry and a gumpaste serving spoon. She also wants 24 cupcakes and I will be providing a Tower to place the cake on top of the tower/cupcakes in the tiers.. I'm thinking of making an 8" yellow cake and either small cakes or large cakeballs covered in buttercream for the "icecream" scooped on top. The cakebowl will have 2d "polka dots" She wants the "bowl" in neon colors and the cupcakes iced in different colors, which will be time consuming and I will have to make a few batches of icing in different colors. I wil have to do a little carving for the bowl. The bowl looks similar to the "Blue Bell" 1/2 gallon container, only it will have a rim and polka dots and made to look like a ceramic icecream bowl. It will be covered in Fondant & placed in a Fondant covered board. I have no idea what to charge. I don't want to overcharge but not come so low that I loose time/money.

I suggest to figure up all your expenses for the cake, ingredients, cake boards, fondant, etc. and then figure up your time, and what you would pay yourself per hour, then add all it together, and give her your quote.

Thanks for responding! I'm thinking materials about $50.00/tops. Should I charge for using my Cake Tower and set-up? I know cupcakes are anywhere from $2.00-$2.50 in this area. I'm concerned on pricing the cake I know I probably sound like a child but I am a newby. I don't know what the normal rate would be per hour. for a cake decorator. So I'm kinda of stuck on this.

I suggest you figure how many servings total for the whole project and charge about $3-$3.50 per serving.
Remember you probably won't be using a whole batch of icing for each color; divide the batch into 2 or 3 parts before adding color so you won't have a lot of leftover of different colors
I really think you should make the scoops out of cupcakes - not cakeballs. A mini doll skirt is a great size for that and you get 4 per pan. Then you only need to do slight carving to make them more rounded.

http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-694973-pricing.html