So today I get an email from a lady at an art center of some sort in the city...and she has had one of my cakes before and they are having a grand opening and wanted me to do the centerpiece cake!!!!! And to feed lots of people. Unfortunately I am booked for the date but went ahead and asked her more details about the cake in case I could maybe work it out...as I thought it would be a good opportunity.
She wanted a 3 to 5 tier topsy or funky shaped cake with bright whimsy colors and stuff, maybe some paint tubes squeezing out over the cake, etc....but she said last time it was too difficult to cut and serve all that cake...so she was thinking a fake cake with a real top tier and then like 500 mini cupcakes to actually serve with. She said she could order the cupcakes elsewhere if I just wanted to do the centerpiece cake.
I said no problem! That sounds great. Fake cake, I can do over the course of a couple weeks. Started talking price....suddenly found out her budget was $300.
Oops.
That answered that!
funny. They don't have any idea how much work it takes to make such cakes. I had a similar case yesterday - originaly wanted two tiers, custom decorations and still saying 'the price is not problem'. Then added gumpaste figures, explosion effect, isomalt ribbons - got to be a four tier cake. After telling her the price, the reaction was: 'Ok, let's stick with two tiers... and some cupcakes'
Oh, holy cow... You'd think that someone who works at a gallery of some sort would have a better idea of how long making something by hand takes, which would increase the price. I guess not!
At least she was a bit more realistic! I had someone who wanted a 3 tier topsy turvy in an Alice in Wonderland theme (and colors) with a teapot topper tipping over. All cake, for $150
At least she was a bit more realistic! I had someone who wanted a 3 tier topsy turvy in an Alice in Wonderland theme (and colors) with a teapot topper tipping over. All cake, for $150
Its pretty close...she said she wanted to feed 500 people so I had assumed she wanted the centerpiece cake to appear to feed at least close to that many...wow evidently not!!!!!
But yeah...I still say they need to start telling people on the cake shows how much those cakes cost, although in watching how much work they are, you'd think people would figure it out.
And yeah, you'd think a lady at an art place would know how time consuming art is?!
Oh my, she wanted the 500 cupcakes INCLUDED in the $300 price tag! Wow!!!
No, not necessarily...she said she could find someone else to do those. But I assumed she wanted a "centerpiece" cake more than two tiers. haha.
Talk about a lot of bang for the buck. She would be lucky to get a picture of a cake like that for $300 much less real cake and cupcakes.
hey ladies... my name is mara, I have a question. How do you charge for a dummy cake?? ( pertaining to the previous posts) do you charge the same as you would for a real cake???
I'm sure everyone does differently but I charge $1/serving less for a dummy cake than a regular cake because of not having to bake...but that's all because its still almost as much work....
MARA79, I charge the same for dummy layers. It can get pricey to order plus shipping cost. I use to cut mine from regular styrofoam but that was a hot mess.
just wondering how much you would have charged for what she wanted?
I had a lady inquire about a bridal shower cake, she wanted stacked presents. I asked what her budget was, she said $50! So frustrating that people don't realize how much custom cakes cost!!
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