I never planned on taking an orders until my year of practice was up (my choice), but one of the mucky mucks in my office asked to hire me to create a cake for my "next door" cube coworker's 5 year company anniversary for Monday. I have the cake design in mind, and if you check my gallery, you will see that I do more sculpting than traditional designs. So my question is, how do I charge for the cake?

have you tried the pricematrix? I found it on this website on the business category, it is helpful but you will need to consider cost in your area also.

Tiptop, it really depends on lots of things - size, materials used, design. Reyna is right, it is a great idea to do a search in your area - and then up it, sculpted cakes get more $$ and not many people do them!

Right now I try to charge basic, not much for fondant because I am mostly trying to practice for those Big Cakes that I plan to start taking on. At the same time gathering pictures for my photo album. I said I wouldn't do it for business but I can't say no to people so I am incorporating my ideas into what they ask for. Just sharing.

Awesome Reyne! It seems that lots of us started out the same way, and once it gets going it starts to have a snowball effect. Just make sure that you only take on what you can comfortably handle so you'll always enjoy it!

Reyna, those are my thoughts also...I am currently just building my portfolio while practicing. Mr. Mucky Muck is giving me free range - - - free range is to wide open I think - LOL. The design will be very simple and basic, because I have another cake on Tuesday I was working on also. I haven't figured out the size yet, but I am really worried about the small scupted piece I want to incorporate. How does anyone decide what to charge for that????????

Ok, I'm in CT and I charge around $3.50 a slice for buttercream sculpted and upwards of $4.50 for fondant covered. That's all I can tell you without knowing more specifics!

Oh Tastycakes, your the best! Thanks....

Tiptop57,
For me, I ask the question "What am I getting out of this?". Is this somthing new that I've never done before? Is this job for profit or experience. I personally still consider myself a beginner in this business. When I make a cake for someone the first time I charge them for them double the cost of the materials only. If it turns out that the cake has reorder capability then the future orders gets the "skill" factor added in. For my Dragon cake it took me 6 hours just to do the dragon, I chalked it up to a learning experience. I now can make a dragon in fraction of the time and can charge people for the creative knowledge I now posess. Skill = $25 an hour + Materials ( this is for actual time working on the cake and it's elements, not drying time)

Oh dear cruizze, Your work is beautiful!!! YOu shouldn't be giving deals just because you haven't done a design before! Just have confidence that it's going to be gorgeous and go for it with the price! Don't sell yourself short! I don't think I've heard of anyone charging an hourly rate, but it's an interesting concept! Your work is too pretty to not get top dollar! I love that slot machine cake!!!

LJKForester, I give a lot of friends and family rates too, but usually they lead to other orders! If a friend has 50 people at her party and 4 order cakes in the future - then they've made up the difference many-fold! Once you get a really good base, it'll take of from there! I think we've all given out plenty of free/cheap cake!