Quick history: MONTHS ago a co-worker of my husband's emailed me requesting me to make her a Princess cake for her daughter's birthday. I sent her pictures ranging from sheet cakes to simple stacked creations to gauge what she wanted.

We emailed back and forth for a couple of weeks and I priced numerous cakes for her ad nauseum.

THEN, for a month I hear nothing from her. I figured that she either didn't feel like paying for these cakes, or simply changed her mind and didn't want me to do her cake for her. No hard feelings.

A few days ago I get a "I'm so excited about my daughter's birthday and here is the cake I want...."

????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Okay, so I bite. I check out the cake and mentally get exhausted just thinking about it because she wants it this Friday.

Also, she recommends the price range of $55-$65

Now, I have been nothing but obliging and I think that the cake warrants a $100 price tag, especially since she doesn't want a crystal topper and wants me to "get creative" to create a scene.

I need quotes for this cake. 10 inch round (chocolate cake with oreo filling) and 6 inch round (yellow butter cake) stacked. Double cake layers for the cakes.

Thank you, everyone. I'm not sure what I am going to email her. I just needed to vent and hopefully get some idea what you all would charge for this cake.

Thank you.
angie

Here is the link to the cake she chose:

http://www.cinderellacakes.com/images/PrincessTheme/slides/PrincessTheme-10.htm

is she smoking that happy tabbaki?

100 dollars and that's not even enough!

and I'd charge her another 25 bucks for "creating a scene"...the scene that I'd create would be her not paying what you're worth!

There is NO WAY that I would do this cake for $55.00-65.00. I would charge AT LEAST $100.00. I would price it the same way that a wedding cake is priced....by the serving.

Holy cow....I let out a huge sigh just looking at that monster! Absolutely NO LESS THAN $100!

Risque you crack me up! $100 Would NOT be enough for me either!

Sorry, I would not settle for $100. for this cake either. It would defanantly be MORE not less. Not even a second thought.

I agree, $100+. No way is that a $55-65 cake!

Jenn

SHE recommended the price range!!!!! Oh, please!!!! What does she know about price ranges for cakes!!!

That cake is surely more than the price she recommended!!! The nerve!

Another person just leaping out of the 1950's !!!!
Where do they get the gall to tell you your prices? Do they think you wave a wand and a cake like that just appears? She sure has no idea the hours it takes to do a cake like that and create a top!!
I would add $100.00 to her price and she'll still get a bargain for all that.

"I want it all and I want it CHEAP" gimmee gimmee gimmee

I am with Risque, she's hitting the herbal.... look at the fondant work on it and it's pret near (I am from the south) a wedding cake!

$100 at least... 50 servings for those rounds at 2 smackers a piece.

Do you think she is maybe suggesting that as she is a co-worker of your husband and maybe thinks she should be getting a discount or something.
Maybe she is low balling it to see if she can get you to accept. I would tell her the servings to price and level of skill it would take to do that would warrant over $100 as it is elaborate.
Hehe, but as a favor you can do it for $100....

Just my thoughts...I hope all works out well.

I would charge her by the slice...just like a wedding cake. This is more intricate that a LOT of wedding cakes. At least $3.00 / slice

Wow! She has a lot of nerve waiting until the last minute AND expecting such a deal! You should charge her well over $100 for waiting until the last minute.

Oh, Risque! LMBO!!!!!

OK, you are the baker--you say what your cakes cost, not the customer. What is this, Priceline?

I would start with wedding pricing since it is a wedding style cake, but party cakes always take more time and effort than wedding cakes. I think, anyway. More colors, more creativity, more detail work. And that sucker looks like OH MY GOODNESS! Definately price this one above a wedding cake, PLUS extra for the little creative scene. Do you have to make the pricesses too??? Cha-ching for them too.

Boy, that was some nerve of her! Charge what you're worth or tell her to talk to the fine folks at Walmart and see if they would duplicate it.

You are so right about her not having a clue how much time goes into a cake like this. I myself had no clue until I started attempting to make them.

I live in Northwest Iowa in a small town where people settle for Hy-Vee or Wal-Mart cakes for 12 bucks. I actually had a girl offer me $5.00 for a cake I made when I was just starting out even though she knew it had 5 cake mixes and 2 batches of fondant!

Hours and hours of work. How do you in the small towns find people who are willing to pay what your cakes are worth? Right now I am only doing it for myself and family but friends are starting to ask me to do cakes for them but they have no clue what is involved.

That lady's got to be crazy. I would reply to her and tell her that first of all, I need more notice than 5 days and would not even consider it so close to the due date. Second of all, for that price, if I had time, I would do the simple stacked cake with colored icing the way she wants it (no fondant) and a border, maybe a little decorative piping on the side, a "happy birthday" here or there, some pixie dust and then call it a day. If she wants Cinderella on her cake, she needs to provide the figurines. I would give her only a couple of options for her dollar, and then say "take it or leave it."

I really think that people that don't bake have NO IDEA of the time and cost involved. We bakers have a really hard time making a fair profit for our time.

I ALWAYS have people CONSTANTLY tellling me to quit my job and do this full time.....since I'm so good at it....but none of them are willing to pay the prices that I would have to charge.

GRRR...sometime people irk me!

Ohh that makes me annoyed! $100.00 is not even enough! You should email her back and tell her that you had been expecting her answer about a month ago because it takes weeks to get all that is needed in supplies for this cake and the price for this cake is more than $200.00 but you will give her a nice deal for $175.00....

I would simply say that I'm sorry, but since I didn't here back from you...... That day is booked! And by the way, that cake is $100. plus topper. I wouldn't deal with this looney tune!
( Sorry, rough day, taxes ya know!)

I am not kidding. She figured since it was a learning cake and that I didn't have a buyer for it that she was doing me a favor or something. I haven't spoken to her since.

I agree with Katerpillrgrl.....for $55-65 this is what I can do for you on such short notice

"Call us today at 714.241.9536 to place your order. "

Angela...call this place to get a quote on that cake and then just tell her the price.....offer her the number to prove it.......then politely say that your price range warrants a simpler cake. I've never seen you let anyone walk all over you.....don't let her, either. But, be kind, because I'm sure she really has no clue and is not being sly.

Here's a cake for her...
http://www.myhomecooking.net/german-chocolate-cake/german-chocolate-cake.jpg

I would just tell her its too short notice, better luck next time.

First of all how rude oh her! She's suggesting her own prcie?
Secondly, you better not charge less than $100 for that cake girlfriend!!! That cake is worth way more than $65!!!!!!!!!!

Oh my gosh!!

I agree with everyone else on this one. I would not allow her to delegate how much she should pay for a cake. Customers should never have control like that.
Champagne Tastes On A Beer Budget (Love that saying!)

Making a cake is not "Let's Make A Deal".

Plop a sheet cake in front of her & tell her she can get that for $60 bucks!!

Ummm Ummm yea I think she has lost her mind.....I say turn her down and tell her to go find someone else to do it for $55-$65.....In a business you have to give at least 2wks to a couple of months notice and she gave you what a week....I don't think so