With the rising cost of well EVERYTHING, I am needing to revise my prices a bit. I am in line with the local price for wedding cakes at about 2.00 per serving for BC and 2.50 for fondant well I actually charge a bit less for fondant than some. BUT my question is if say 2.00 is fare for wedding prices how do I change the sheetcake prices to be enough to be worth it?
We do have some grocery stores that sell cakes and a few bakery's but most people pay 18.00 for a costco cake and I just wont do that. So my question is for those who charge about the same as me for wedding ,what do you charge for sheet cakes? I do have cake boss but I have no clue on how to figure time into my cakes. So say a 9x13 costs what $6 to make and I spend 2 1/2 hours on it. at what $10 per hour thats over $30.
Just me but I wouldnt pay it. So is it just me or what? I just need some help on that...
Thanks and I know this comes up every day.
I will be checking the Stores but lets be reasonable. I cant make cakes the same price as costco.
Also maybe you could peek at my photos to see the quality of work and maybe just a few ideas on the more detailed cakes like deer mount, or radio flyer, or treasure chest. I have NO idea on what to charge for cakes like that!

Danielle, I've been to your web site and looked at your cakes. They are wonderful! Why would you want to compete with your neighbor grocery stores! I don't see work like that at my grocery store. A dear friend had to set me down a few months ago and build my confidence and you know once you free yourself of not competing with others but doing what comes natural to you, you will get more business. It's not being snobby but just knowing who you are and where your talents lay. I price my work at what's its worth to me, cost of materials, sometimes long hours getting the details just right. If they want one of my cakes but are on a Krogers diet I offer them my homemade and delicious signature cake, 8" round with some small embellishment to tweak their event. (I hate sheet cakes and never offer to do one.) No I don't always get their business but that's OK because I'm doing my kinda of cakes and I'm getting more calls every week. Pray about it and go where God leads you. Pam from Bama

Pam, thank you I know this is an are where people really struggle and YES I am and will be praying about it. We live in a small community(well to some)
and I do enjoy decorating and I am getting better. I dont want to compete with the stores but I dont want to OVER price either. I want to be fair to me and my customers.
I think I am in the mind set of BUDGET! As we have four children and raised them all on one income sacraficing so I could stay home and raise them. Not total sacrafice. We have purchased a home a slightly (yes slightly) used 1 year old car and my husband has a new (bran new) truck. Finally one with AC and power steering. But all of that was Gods Blessing and wisdom with finances. So I need to get out of that. I never even when my husband made $7 / hr considered ourselves to be poor. But I was a strict budgeter.
Thanks for the encouraging words.

I'm from a small community too. Everyone struggles with finances these days. My 1st 6 months of decorating I tried to get my name out there by doing cakes for cheap. Didn't really know what to charge. I have yet to get a referral from any one of those cakes. Maybe one. But those cakes that I've put a value on here in the past 3 months have brought me several referral calls and some local business ladies have my cards and that has brought me many calls. You'd be surprised how they want to help you. I guess what I'm saying is you will need to define your style of cakes and then market to those clientelle. Not everyone will be able to afford them but thats OK. I'm not a bakery, but a specialty cake boutique. I offer something everyone can afford, my signature cake, but specialize in creating a unique cake. Good luck on finding your way, Pam from Bama