How Much Would A Cake Like This Cost?

Decorating By swtangel102 Updated 3 Feb 2014 , 9:53pm by Claire138

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swtangel102 Posted 26 Jan 2014 , 2:02pm
post #1 of 16

A[IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3173985/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

Just wondering in general what a stacked book cake would cost. .. something like this.

15 replies
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MKreger2504 Posted 26 Jan 2014 , 2:16pm
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AHave you looked into getting the cake boss calculating software? I worked at a small bakery that only used buttercream frosting and charged $68 for a cake similar to that.

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swtangel102 Posted 26 Jan 2014 , 2:55pm
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AI have but not sure if I'm ready to buy it yet. Just want to get a general idea if using fondant.

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-K8memphis Posted 26 Jan 2014 , 3:06pm
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mkreger, i have a different viewpoint on that with all due respect to you--but i have also worked places where the pricing might be that low--

 

sculptures cost many hundreds of dollars--should start at $8 - $9 a serving at the least--but if it is small in size the price holds at a certain minimum--like $250 - $350 depending on the success of the decorator and what the traffic will bear--some decorator's minimums are in the thousands so...a few pricing thoughts to throw in the hat

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Godot Posted 26 Jan 2014 , 3:26pm
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AThat cake is not a sculpture, it's three stacked cakes.

I would charge my normal stacked cake price for a simple cake like that (approx. 8.50 USD).

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-K8memphis Posted 26 Jan 2014 , 8:34pm
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i respect your opinion--i guess a more technically accurate name for it is a trompe l'oeil but all my cakes like that come under 2-d or 3-d sculpting-- i would charge as much as i could--it's far more expertise than a random 3 tier cake to me

 

you say potayto i say potahto  *:-)/\:-) high five 

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Karlay Cakes Posted 27 Jan 2014 , 12:54am
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AI would charge between $75 and $90 for this since looks like a simple frosted and fondant covered cake that's stacked. Nicely done. I've used cake boss to price my cakes as a new home baker. When I put in my receipe for this tiered cake it prices at $ 278.50. If I use my per slice charge of $3.00 that makes the cake over $750 and the bride wants marzipan instead of fondant. Which way does a baker go? Or maybe I'm missing something in the cake boss program. [IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3174467/width/200/height/400[/IMG]. Using one filling, almond custard. Almond buttercream and gum-paste magnolia flowers. All tiers covered in marzipan. The cake is also almond flavored. Help! What am I doing wrong!!!

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swtangel102 Posted 27 Jan 2014 , 1:29am
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AMy friend wants theree books stacked. On two of them I have to print out the covers of two books (using frosting sheets) and just some random decorations around. Will be chocolate.

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nutcase68 Posted 29 Jan 2014 , 12:05am
post #9 of 16

My Wilton instructor told me cost x 4 for regular people and cost x 2 or 3 for a friends discount.

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810whitechoc Posted 29 Jan 2014 , 9:53am
post #10 of 16

Swtangel as the various answers have shown you there is no such thing as "How much is this cake", you need to work out how much it cost you to make this cake and don't forget to include everything including your time.  There are heaps of threads in the search button up the top to show you how to do this.  For the record a ganached and fondant cake like this would be considered a 3D cake where I am, and they start at $350.00. Potayto - Potahto :grin:

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swtangel102 Posted 3 Feb 2014 , 3:45pm
post #11 of 16

Quote:

Originally Posted by 810whitechoc 
 

Swtangel as the various answers have shown you there is no such thing as "How much is this cake", you need to work out how much it cost you to make this cake and don't forget to include everything including your time.  There are heaps of threads in the search button up the top to show you how to do this.  For the record a ganached and fondant cake like this would be considered a 3D cake where I am, and they start at $350.00. Potayto - Potahto :grin:

I know....and I thank you.  But I just wanted to get a rough idea and to see how far off I was.  Thanks!

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AZCouture Posted 3 Feb 2014 , 4:22pm
post #12 of 16

A

Original message sent by nutcase68

My Wilton instructor told me cost x 4 for regular people and cost x 2 or 3 for a friends discount.

That method of pricing will bankrupt you. Go Google "cake boss software" and read the articles about pricing.

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AZCouture Posted 3 Feb 2014 , 4:26pm
post #13 of 16

ASo many variables here. Will you do the books exactly like that? If so, I agree with Godot. If you intend to put more detail into them to really look like books, which would take much more time and skill, then I would consider it sculpted/carved. And I'd say three books, if I did them, no less than $300, maybe more, depending on size. Most likely more, I don't see any reference to serving needs.

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MimiFix Posted 3 Feb 2014 , 8:46pm
post #14 of 16
Quote:
Originally Posted by nutcase68   My Wilton instructor told me cost x 4 for regular people and cost x 2 or 3 for a friends discount.
 

The Wilton instructor was "close, but no cigar". (Falls short of a successful outcome.)The instructor's pricing method is similar to the baking industry standard for volume baking (the "touch it once" theory). But labor-intensive products such as highly decorated cakes should be priced to include the additional labor an individualized cake necessitates.  

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costumeczar Posted 3 Feb 2014 , 9:42pm
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Quote:

Originally Posted by nutcase68 
 

My Wilton instructor told me cost x 4 for regular people and cost x 2 or 3 for a friends discount.

The other people who responded to this are being nice, but i'm tired of hearing the x3 or x4 pricing methods, so I'll be blunt... That's the worst advice you could take if you want to run a business. If your instructor is running her own business and pricing things that way she isn't making any money so that's probably why she supplements her income by teaching.

 

My food costs are between ten and 15% of the total retail price on average, depending on what's expensive this week. MimiFix is right, if all you do is storefront cases where you're done with something from the pan and you sell it like that, the labor isn't as much of an issue. If you're doing a custom cake the time involved is the main issue when it comes to pricing cakes, and the ingredients are the least of your worries.

 

And there's no reason to give friends and family a discount at all. They'll be the biggest mooches for free cakes that you'll find, and their need for your baked goods will dry up really fast if you charge them what you should. A real friend will insist on paying you what you're worth, and if you want to make a cake for a reduced rate do it because you want to as a gift, not because an instructor told you there's a different rate. There shouldn't be.

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Claire138 Posted 3 Feb 2014 , 9:53pm
post #16 of 16

Quote:

Originally Posted by costumeczar 
 

And there's no reason to give friends and family a discount at all. They'll be the biggest mooches for free cakes that you'll find, and their need for your baked goods will dry up really fast if you charge them what you should. A real friend will insist on paying you what you're worth, and if you want to make a cake for a reduced rate do it because you want to as a gift, not because an instructor told you there's a different rate. There shouldn't be.

 

Can not agree with this more, I think we've all learnt the hard way about giving friends free cakes or discounts; NO good comes from it - take it from me. The minute you become more successful and don't have as much free time on your hands the quicker you will see who your real friends are.

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