Hi everyone :)

Not sure if it's ok to ask this, or if it's something people don't really like to disclose, but thought I'd give it a shot.

I've been cake decorating for a couple of years for family and co-workers, and after having my first child I would love to start making a better living from it, either in my 'spare' time (ha!) or, in my dream world, as my only job. I started out not really charging enough (as I guess many people do in this business), and becoming disillusioned with it after spending many hours on a cake for way less than minimum wage, not to mention doing a disservice to other cake decorators who are charging the going rate (this didn't cross my mind at the time, but I now realise how harmful it is to the cake market to undercharge in this way).

So. I have all my basic costs worked out, ingredients, electricity etc. Then it comes to time and I'm not sure of the best approach. One article I read suggested having 2 seperate rates - one for 'unskilled' work such as mixing and baking the cake, time spent washing up, kneading fondant etc. Then a higher rate for skilled work including carving, covering and decorating the cake. Others seem to charge one flat rate that meets somewhere in the middle. Then others don't seem to have an hourly rate as such, more of a formula based on the costs. I like the idea of 2 rates, but I'm not sure what this should be. Most of the info I can find online is from USA. My current job pays £12 per hour (gross), so I don't want to pay myself less than this or it's just not worthwhile. I guess cake decorating is a skill that takes years of practice so I think it should be paid accordingly... but equally I don't want to price myself out of the market. Does anybody have any thoughts on what is a reasonable wage for cake decorating in the UK? Is it actually possible to make a good living from it (if you are good enough, obviously), or is it one of those things that is generally better to do 'on the side' of a main job?

I've had a look online for other cake decorators' price lists and have found some basic prices for a simple sponge cake with plain decoration, but anything more complex obviously requires a custom quote so it's difficult to know what the professionals are charging without wasting their time requesting phony quotes.

Any opinions would be gratefully received :)

I should have said, I don't want to pay myself less than this "for the skilled work" or it's just not worthwhile.

And the other nightmare variable is how long you actually spend on it versus what you SHOULD have spent on it. So, if a basic top and bottom border sheet cake and some basic decorations in a high volume "box store" (WalMart, Mega, etc) "decorator" can do that in 15 minutes for minimum wage, your math will never work if you pay yourself "skilled"wages and mess around with it for two hours. 

In other words, "skilled" wages also equal SPEED and efficient use of time. Something that is hard to compete with on a small scale.

You have to see what your market will support both in quantity of cakes and price points.

That's a very good point. I guess speed and efficiency is something that develops with practice, but in the meantime I should price according to how long it should take as opposed to how long it actually takes.

I know I need to be aware of not going overboard on every cake. Most of my cakes so far have been for family and co-workers, so I've been able to pretty much decorate however I want, based around the theme I've been given. Which is great, except I end up spending hours and hours making it as spectacular as I can, therefore paying myself a ridiculously low hourly rate. I need to learn to keep the decorations simple unless they are happy to pay for my hours. Will be a challenge!

Thanks for your reply