How Much Would You Charge For This 3D Cake?

Business By Megan212 Updated 7 Apr 2017 , 11:15am by johnson6ofus

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Megan212 Posted 25 Mar 2017 , 2:36am
post #1 of 16

I made this cake for my husbands birthday and was curious what others would charge. The body is a white chocolate cake made of 2 8x4 loaf pans then spilt into 4 layers and filled with cookies and cream filling ( about 4 1/2" tall) Then the cab and tracks I made red velvet out of 2 8x8 square pans. One cake I cut out 2  4x4 squares to make the cab, then filled and stacked them on top. The other square I used to cut out the triangle shapes for the tracks. I used kit kat candy bars for the outsides of tracks and a hersheys bar for the blade. I made the logo out of royal icing.This should easily feed 15-20 people i think. How Much Would You Charge For This 3D Cake?

15 replies
-K8memphis Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
-K8memphis Posted 25 Mar 2017 , 7:43am
post #2 of 16

an 8x8 square and a 4x8 oblong each 4" tall will make about 48 servings -- so at least $4 to $5 a serving -- $225 to $250 give or take --

hershey bar for the blade and kit kats for the tires is brilliant --

simply adorable cake -- love it

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Megan212 Posted 25 Mar 2017 , 3:20pm
post #3 of 16

Thanks! I saw it done on a few others when I was searching for ideas

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bennybenny Posted 25 Mar 2017 , 3:58pm
post #4 of 16

Wow, this is a beautiful tractor!

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kakeladi Posted 25 Mar 2017 , 8:26pm
post #5 of 16

At the  price of candy bars these days, you have lots of $$s invested already! LOL

Well done.   I agree w/k8's suggestion.......NO less than $250.

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Megan212 Posted 26 Mar 2017 , 12:38am
post #6 of 16

Wow i was thinking around $100. I live in a small rural area and not sure people would want to pay that price. Im afraid they would balk at even $100. Im trying to start up a small home based business and really fussing over how much I should charge, its exhasting lol!

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-K8memphis Posted 26 Mar 2017 , 1:13am
post #7 of 16

that's like $2 per serving -- you will eventually go nuts with pricing like that -- you're not close -- and that's the big deal -- if your area can't support this type of work do something else --

$4 a serving for a sculpted cake is super rock bottom low -- it's not worth it to sell less than that -- sorry

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Megan212 Posted 26 Mar 2017 , 1:57am
post #8 of 16

If you dont mind me asking what do you charge for non sculped cakes? I was planning on $2.50 a serving for a fairly basic buttercream cake. Is that to low?

-K8memphis Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
-K8memphis Posted 26 Mar 2017 , 1:03pm
post #9 of 16

i am retired -- i was at about $4.50, $5.00 per serving minimum for non-sculpted cake -- delivery and tax on top of that -- decor that took more than a couple hours cost more -- a ton of gum paste flowers was more -- honestly getting to decorate was a breath of fresh air after all the baking, cleaning, torting, cleaning, filling, cleaning, icing, washing dishes, shopping, accounting, consultations and planning and went way too fast --

when i did a regular cake it was four layers and 4-5" tall -- 8x12 was the smallest single cake i sold -- i would never bake for $2.50 a serving -- i'd donate it first --

if i was selling now i'd check with the highest priced caker/bakery i could find here and go at least even with their prices if not higher -- but i  live in an area that can maintain sales at that level -- my purse sculptures were $8 a serving -- i'd charge more now --

more than working for myself, i worked for others,  did their wedding cakes, decorating -- working as a decorator was pretty cool -- all the fun none of the headaches of caking -- i really enjoyed the work -- then at home i always tried the new things i heard about online & on tv -- 


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Megan212 Posted 27 Mar 2017 , 2:20pm
post #10 of 16

I will definitely go back through and re think alot of my pricing. Once im ready all i can try is to put myself out there with my prices and see what happens, hopefully i will gain some clients

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Megan212 Posted 27 Mar 2017 , 2:29pm
post #11 of 16

Did you use the wilton serving guide? 

-K8memphis Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
-K8memphis Posted 27 Mar 2017 , 6:09pm
post #12 of 16

yes  wilton -- it's the industry standard -- the servings sound small but they are the perfect size for a big event -- if someone ever wants to serve larger slices i advised them to buy more servings -- i did not change the size -- cake plates are 6" big and so larger servings hang off -- making it messy for everyone --

i wish you the best of the best of the best -- 

an idea for you is to offer a portfolio discount or a first order discount in order to seal the deal -- tell them the full price but say that you need a picture of this cake for your portfolio so you'll give them a discount -- give them the adjusted invoice with the cake -- 

BEST! go  get 'em!

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Megan212 Posted 28 Mar 2017 , 2:59pm
post #13 of 16

That is a great idea! Thanks

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Sugarplum72 Posted 30 Mar 2017 , 2:26pm
post #14 of 16

I also live in a smaller rural area where most people can't afford high dollar cakes. Long story short, I was charging MINIMUM of what I thought they could afford. It was a HUGE mistake on my part.....simply put it is not worth my time  to charge such low prices. My prices and bar have changed....I am now charging what I feel it's worth for my time and effort (its not a drastic increase but what I feel it's worth) .  My conclusion is if they want to complain about the price they can either do it themselves or find another decorator.......regardless I wouldn't want them as a customer anyway. There are such a need for decorators anyway in my area and I'm having to turn away customers for lack of time (cake decorating is only a hobby for me) and I work on them after I get home from work or on days off. I does take up a lot of my time but a good extra income.

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Megan212 Posted 30 Mar 2017 , 3:03pm
post #15 of 16

I totally agreee, I don't want to work myself for a small buck. I stay at home with my kids and want to do it as supplemental income. I really don't want to be crazy busy, at least right now anyways. Hopefully i will be able to string up some business. There is a need for decorators here because the small grocery store here only sells gross frozen brand cakes and they still aren't cheap! The next closest would be Walmart about 30 minutes away. I know theres a few other decorators in the area but alot of people don't exactly "rave" about their cakes. Its scary to put myself out there but I have to try! And hopefully not fail

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johnson6ofus Posted 7 Apr 2017 , 11:15am
post #16 of 16

MATH....MATH......MATH

Be sure you add up all costs, from electricity to paper towels to eggs. Add up your time from shopping, to baking to cleaning.

That way, when you look at, you can see if what you are charging and making is worth your expenses and effort.

Custom cakes ARE expensive.

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