You All Are So Awesome. Please Help. I Have ?s

Decorating By aldonza Updated 11 Jun 2017 , 2:48am by SandraSmiley

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aldonza Posted 30 May 2017 , 2:34am
post #1 of 32

A friend from church asked me to bake a cake for her daughter's 16th birthday because "Giant Eagle cakes are too expensive." I was assuming she wanted a sheet cake and of course I would give her the "friends and family discount" only charge for ingredients and half labor. They don't have a lot of money, then again, neither do I lol. She said her daughter was looking at cakes and she sent me the one below only she wants it done in her school colors. You guys are the pros and I am just starting out so I am in serious need of help. I want you to know I truly appreciate it! So here are my questions:

Ballpark how much would you charge for this cake?

Should I make a smaller version of this cake? (of course the amount of cake would coincide with guests)

How the heck do you make the crown? Squish fondant around wire maybe?

You All Are So Awesome. Please Help. I Have ?s


31 replies
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AAtKT Posted 30 May 2017 , 9:30am
post #2 of 32


If your friend thinks that grocery store cakes are too expensive, then she is going to find the pricing of that outrageous...

The carved pillow tier and crown would probably be double the cost of a grocery store cake at least...

How are your prices cheaper than the grocery store?  Maybe you aren't charging enough?

Explain to your friend that if she wants that cake, it would cost significantly more than what you are charging her... And make sure she knows the price you are charging her is severely discounted...


As for how to make the crown... gumpaste or fondant extruded and dried... needs to be made a week ahead minimum... then painted and dried more...


Price yourself out... Calculate the cost of your supplies, profit, labor, time, use of your oven and other appliances... Home bakers supplies tend to cost more and if properly costed out should never be less than the grocery store...


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leah_s Posted 30 May 2017 , 1:44pm
post #3 of 32

Srsly, that's at least a $500 cake.

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Coffeelover77 Posted 30 May 2017 , 2:18pm
post #4 of 32

How many servings does she want?

tell her the crown is out if she wants costs kept down. She can purchase a crown to place on top.

modelling that crown would literally take hours I imagine. So tell her if she wants a gumpaste crown it's an extra $100

if she wants 25 servings do an 8 inch round plus the pillow. Lose the elaborate decoration on the round which again will take time. Factor in your time. If it will take 5 hours, at $25/hour that's $125. So half is $60 plus ingredients. If it will take 10 hours $120 plus ingredients.

unless this is a very good friend to whom you wish to gift a cake i would avoid working for $1/hour or something.


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SandraSmiley Posted 30 May 2017 , 3:42pm
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I am sorry, but it makes me mad to even think about someone not wanting to pay the price of a grocery store cake, but expects you to make THIS cake for her cheaply!  If she cannot afford a sheet cake from the grocery, she certainly cannot afford the many hours and considerable cost  which will go into the making of this design (and size).  Definitely a plastic crown!  Even for my best friend, I would charge at least $200.00 for this cake and as leah_s said, $500.00 if more realistic. 

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kristiemarie Posted 30 May 2017 , 4:48pm
post #6 of 32

Wow.  I'd probably charge around $300 for that cake.  I guess a lot depends on your area.  But yes, if she thinks the grocery store is too expensive...she obviously doesn't have a clue to what supplies cost.  The supplies for the cake will cost more than a whole decorated grocery store cake.  


I'd just be honest with her.  She's going to be disappointed but you can't bankrupt yourself because she can't pay.

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kakeladi Posted 30 May 2017 , 4:50pm
post #7 of 32

Yeah, what SandraSmiley ^^^ said.

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GIGGLEBOX2014 Posted 31 May 2017 , 2:54am
post #8 of 32

Oh goodness! That is a large elaborate cake especially if she is expecting you to beat the supermarket's price! I wouldn't do it for ingredient cost alone even for my friends. That is simply being taken advantage of. 

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aldonza Posted 31 May 2017 , 3:19am
post #9 of 32

I love you guys! Thank you so ..much for your input, suggestions and advice! So I had to figure out what I was working with. I told her that I would love to give her daughter her dream cake but we would have to compromise. I told here I bake from scratch but she said she would be fine with (cringe) box mix. I asked her what her budget is and she said $50. I told her I could work with that. 20-30 people. I am not making the crown...I will buy a plastic one. No fondant....buttercream. 2 tiers...a square on bottom and a round I think will look good with the crown on top or 2 round. What do ya'll think? I have an impression mat that will give me that diamond pattern (never tried it on buttercream but hey a first for everything right?) and I can stick the little balls in there and pipe filigree on the other. She wants white almond and chocolate. That's great because I have to make a chocolate cake for an order and the recipe I'm using is more than I need and I will make @kakeladi ‍ WASC cake (89 cent box at Aldi's). This is the only box mix cake I would ever make cuz it's really yummy. I keep going back and forth with "should I just use aldi powdered sugar and shortening?" I can't skimp on the frosting...I...just...can't. It will gross me out. I have to use the 6X powdered sugar and Alpine Icing Shortening that I get from the cake shop down the street. Thank you again! You guys rock!

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AAtKT Posted 31 May 2017 , 9:06am
post #10 of 32


Actually, the Aldi near me sells 10x powdered sugar that is actually rather good... 

I wouldn't know about their shortening... I am a butter girl typically...

I would still give your friend an invoice like she is a customer... make sure it shows how much she would actually pay for the cake... then have a single line item that says "one time discount" or something to that effect that brings the cake price down...

And... expect her to probably expect the same discount next time...   

You are way more generous than I am with my friends...

I won't make them a box cake mix and they don't get discounts... 

They only get free cake from me when I choose to bring it to a potluck or I have a dinner party... 


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Coffeelover77 Posted 31 May 2017 , 12:17pm
post #11 of 32

this lady is crazy, she sent you that cake pic and she has a budget of $50 ?!

I would start coming up with a selection of excuses for all her other cake needing situations that will arise after she gets a two tier cake for $50

What size layers will you use? because a two tier will generally have far more than 20 servings. You could do a 6 inch square and a 4 inch round but I'm guessing she also wants her 20 servings cake to be giant lol!

Definitely have her pick up the crown though, because what if it costs $10 ? then you are down to $40.

At least you said no to the pillow!

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Coffeelover77 Posted 31 May 2017 , 12:20pm
post #12 of 32

i don't even sell cakes or know much about that, but we just had a cake at work yesterday for a celebration from a scratch bakery and they charge $140 for a half sheet buttercream (no fondant or anything)

Given how relatively easy it is to make a sheet cake compared to a tiered and decorated cake, this $50 thing sounds insane to me.

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Ritzgirl Posted 31 May 2017 , 12:29pm
post #13 of 32

At $50, you will be operating under a tremendous loss.  If you want to succeed in the baking business you must have the guts to price cakes at a high price and be prepared for all sorts of reactions.  If you do the cake for $50, you are going to lose a ton of money.  Think of the time spent, you are way below minimum wage in time alone.  If you continue to price this way you will burn out.  LIsten to what those with experience are telling you.

If you cannot handle pricing, there's no harm in doing cakes for fun for your friends.  If yo want profit, you must charge appropriately!



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Kawea Posted 31 May 2017 , 1:00pm
post #14 of 32

$50???? Thats my base cost of delivering a tiered cake. I dont know where you live but I live in NYC and that wouldnt cover dessert for 6 people at a family restaurant let alone a custom cake for 20! If you were just charging her for the cost...I think 75 or 80 would be closer to what you'll pay in material and ingredients. Either way you're losing alot of money on this. I hope shes a really good friend. >.>

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leah_s Posted 31 May 2017 , 2:18pm
post #15 of 32

Another vote for Aldi powdered sugar.  I used it all the time on wedding cakes - even those that sold for $1k.

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SandraSmiley Posted 31 May 2017 , 6:11pm
post #16 of 32

Kawea lives in NYC, which we all know is a pricy neighborhood, but I live in the sticks right outside of Nashville, Tennessee and, just like NYC, $50 would barely cover the cost of dessert for six people!  For $50, she should expect a pan of brownies (a small pan).

Recently I've heard discussions about different brands of confectioner's sugar, but I've used 10X brand names and a couple of generic brands and can tell no difference at all.  Since leah_s vouches for Aldi, I would definitely go with it.

As Coffeelover77 said, definitely have the lady purchase the crown herself!

Before I started decorating cakes, I only baked from scratch.  Since I now often need a sturdier cake, on the recommendation of several professionals, I have tried the original WASC and several variations starting with cake mixes and I have to say that they are delicious!  I am really finicky about a "box cake" taste, but by the time you get through doctoring, it taste just like scratch (to me, anyway).

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kakeladi Posted 31 May 2017 , 8:11pm
post #17 of 32

SandraSmiley said:.......... I have tried the original WASC and several variations starting with cake mixes and I have to say that they are delicious!  I am really finicky about a "box cake" taste, but by the time you get through doctoring, it taste just like scratch (to me, anyway)........

Thank you Thank you, *Thank you!* for such a vote of confidence :)  This is sooo good to hear.  Since I have always been a 'box' gal, I cannot say that myself :)

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sugarbritches Posted 1 Jun 2017 , 5:36am
post #18 of 32

I just wanted to add my 2 cents here.  Aldonza, I've been where you are (we all have probably) and I completely understand.  When you first start out it's hard to price yourself where you need to be because you don't feel like you are at the level yet of those who charge correctly.  You might also look at each order is a "learning experience" to justify your fear of charging appropriately.  Unfortunately I've learned the hard way, over and over again...people who come to you saying they find bakery or other decorator prices too high are taking advantage of you.  Other than the financial loss, what I found most difficult to deal with was my eventual resentment of these so called friends.  I would feel guilty and under charge them because they couldn't afford it.  I would work so hard and in the end I found I was making .25 an hour and these people were perfectly content to basically get a free cake from me.  How I ended up dealing with people like that was to have a basic price list on my phone that I could copy and send via text.  It's easier to give pricing when it's not in person so I prefer text or email.  I always tell the person I'll get back to them if they call and send them a text with my pricing and add, if I don't hear from you I"ll assume you went another direction.  Also when I discover a cheapskate - they go on my list.  When they call for another order, I'm always "booked"...darn.  I had a good friend (I thought) ask me to make a similar version of a 5 tier fondant circus cake with 6, 8 inch satellite cakes she saw in a magazine made by a local decorator.  The cake, when she called for a quote, was about $2,000.  She wanted me to do it for $400.  I was "booked".  I think the time I was most taken advantage of through my own insecurity was when I was asked to do a replica of her husband's very rare pink cadillac cake for a former coworker.  It was a specific style and impossible to find blueprints because it was a super rare model.  It took me 33 hours - non stop - no sleep.  I had quoted her $150 (now I'd charge $500 for a car).  After 33 hours I was beyond exhausted and felt like I hadn't done the best job.  It wasn't exactly like her husbands car.  I told her that because I wasn't happy with it her next cake was on me.  I have no idea why I said it.  Later after looking at pics I realized it was fabulous!  Her husband loved it, everyone at the restaurant took pics, the manager called me to order a cake etc.  Anyway, she called for another cake a month later.  It was a 3 tier cake with hand made characters that again took over 30 hours.  I gave her the price via text and she didn't say anything.  But when I delivered it she said, oh you said my next cake was on you because you weren't happy with the cadillac cake., but here's a $25 tip.  My fault for not standing up for myself and being insecure. I've learned my lesson and hopefully you can learn from my mistakes.  It's better to not have their business if it means being taken advantage of.  Sorry for the long rant - it just struck close to home.

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Coffeelover77 Posted 1 Jun 2017 , 12:49pm
post #19 of 32

@sugarbritches I'm sorry you were so taken advantage of :(

I looked at your gallery and the pink cadillac cake is AMAZING. That lady sucks for taking advantage of a weak moment/silly comment about a free replacement cake. After she recieved that amazing perfect cake she should never have expected anything else free.

man people really suck sometimes.

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Coffeelover77 Posted 1 Jun 2017 , 12:56pm
post #20 of 32

I was curious after reading this thread (since I dont sell cakes) about prices around here so I did a little investigating and it seems like there is a baker in my area who makes lovely 2 tier cakes with fondant characters and such for ~$120 which is insane. I wonder if it is hard for others around to deal with that but I guess since it's one person she'd book up quickly and people would have no choice but to pay the usual 2-3x price.

I don't understand though because there is no way anybody could be good/fast enough to churn out a fondant decorated two cake in a short enough time to make $120 reasonable/profitable?

we are in a HCOL area too. Baffling. Of course everybody raves about the baker understandably as her cakes are both lovely and cheap, but is she just making no money/ or is she just really REALLY fast..


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SandraSmiley Posted 1 Jun 2017 , 2:37pm
post #21 of 32


@sugarbritches ‍ , it hurts my heart to think about someone nasty enough to not only expect a free cake, but to ASK for a three tier with figures!!  Personally, I would have told her I would keep the cake and she could keep her $25!  Thank goodness I don't have to depend upon cakes for a living, my smartass mouth would get me in trouble!  Your cakes are magnificent and I am glad you are now earning what you deserve!

@Coffeelover77 ‍ , I am as slow as Christmas, but I do have several cake friends who do as many as 10 and 12 cakes for one weekend.  They are not small cakes either.  There are always at least a few three or four tier jobs in the collection, a bunch of models and often carved cakes.  It would take me a whole week to do one!  Yes, some people are really, really fast...but I am not one of them!

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aldonza Posted 10 Jun 2017 , 3:47am
post #22 of 32

I'm livid. I'm chalking this up to a lesson learned. She wanted me to deliver the cake. She called and asked when it would be ready because she was going to her dad's. I said since you are out and about why not pick up the cake. Just text first because I'm decorating it now. A half hour later she texts that she wants to come now. I told her the cake wasn't finished and she said that's ok. The whole family came and I felt rushed and of course when you are rushed things never go right. At this point I just wanted to be done. Then it came time to pay. She asked what we agreed on ($50) or more? I said "well I did work very hard on this cake." Then she said "or less?" I said well I did work really hard on this cake. SHE GAVE ME A CHECK FOR $40!!!!!!!

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aldonza Posted 10 Jun 2017 , 3:48am
post #23 of 32

Here's the cake

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ypierce82 Posted 10 Jun 2017 , 4:40am
post #24 of 32

I would have handed that check right back, and would be eating that cake for a week if she didn't pay as quoted and agreed upon. 

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daracelim Posted 10 Jun 2017 , 7:32am
post #25 of 32

This happened to me on one of my sculpted cakes I was so angry! I had to come up with $100 of my own money for the home in order to buy the ingredients. The cake was ordered without discussing the price but anyway, I then told my customer that this is a $400 sculpted cake but I would charge half . Instead the cake was cancelled but I had already started it and when I delivered I only got $50

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SandraSmiley Posted 10 Jun 2017 , 2:27pm
post #26 of 32

Whatever you do, @aldonza,  do not consider ever doing anything for that individual again - ever!  You should have reminded her of the agreed upon price, but she should have had the decency to pay you a reasonable amount for the cake.  Since she got such a great deal on this one, she will probably come back wanting another.  Take the opportunity to let her know that she received a $150 cake for $40 and that it cost you more than that to make it.  She is not a customer, she is a leach. (Sorry, I have zero tolerance for those who take advantage of others!)

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kakeladi Posted 10 Jun 2017 , 9:22pm
post #27 of 32

Honey, I say it's time for you to *PUT ON YOUR *BIG* GIRL PANTIES!*   Why did you accept the check w/o checking it......why didn't you tell her the agreeded upon price??   Oh how I agree w/sandra - she's a leach!

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aldonza Posted 11 Jun 2017 , 12:10am
post #28 of 32

LESSON...LEARNED...NEVER...AGAIN! I'm still steaming. I didn't even go to the birthday party. I will chalk this up to experience. What to do. What not to do. First time making a cake like this. First time ever carving a cake. First time putting a pattern in buttercream. First time making a lacey design in buttercream. Thank you all so much! You have helped tremendously!

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SandraSmiley Posted 11 Jun 2017 , 12:18am
post #29 of 32

On the plus side, @aldonza ‍, you did learn a lot of new techniques and a bit about how to handle customers, so you didn't come away empty handed.  You are one step closer to being a cake designer!

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aldonza Posted 11 Jun 2017 , 1:34am
post #30 of 32

Thank you @SandraSmiley ‍ ‍ !  have a mindset that I can do anything. If I don't know how to do it or I've never done it before, I will figure it out (I'm sure there is a youtube video). Someday I hope to be as good as you smiley your sculptures blow me away! I could probably sit and watch you work your magic for hours!

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