Hi all! I have added 2 cakes to the galleries.

The first is a cake I made for a Red Hat party. The brim was a single-layer 10"round and the top of the hat was 1/2 of the sports ball pan. It was covered in red fondant with a purple gumpaste bow and a purple band on the hat. The flowers were silk flowers.

The 2nd is the "thank you star cake" and was made from 2 Enhanced Cake mix recipes (so it ended up being the equivalent of 3 Cake Mixes)....was a 3 layer cake (2 yellow and 1 chocolate). Icing was all buttercream

My question is this....what would you have charged for them? I need to get a "feel" for cake pricing, as inquiries and ordes are starting to come in (yeah!!!!)

Thanks!

Mindi

Hi Mindi. Both cakes look great. For the star I would charge $30-35. On the hat I would charge at least $40. I usually charge anywhere from $25-$40 on character pans depending on how much decoration and if I fill it. I also charge more for fondant cakes. I let my customer know that more difficult and detailed decorations will cost more. If that's what they really want then they will not have a problem. I offer a lot of options and then they pick what they like the best. Home decorators offer more things and have freedom that bakeries don't...so be firm on your prices...your time and effort is worth it! Hope that helps! Keep up the great work!
traci

Mindi,
I agree w/ Traci. Then again if you are making more then 2 layers I would charge at least $5 more! The cakes are beautiful!! You're getting pretty good at this!! Way to go!!

I probably would have charged $30 each. The cost for the star cake is because it required more supplies. The cost for the hat cake is due to the detailed work and fondant covering. But people tell me I don't charge enough.

JMHO

those cakes are great.... I agree with traci and TC.. but I also understand not being sure what to charge.... I still stutter when asked how much I charge I dont think I that good to charge but if my cakes looked like that perhaps my confidence would be better.

I'm gonna say what I always say. You gotta make yourself a pricing matrix. Basically, I went on a suto-shopping trip to the grocery with a list of everything I use to make cakes. I got prices for everything and then broke them down as measured in my cakes (cup, T, tsp., oz, etc.)

I figured out how much it is for ingredients to make a cake and then added in for my time. I wrote it all out on a sheet, so if sombody calls and asks me for a 1/2 sheet--the price is right there.

Now--if it's fondant, or extensive piping or difficult, time-consuming decorating, I will add for that.

It has made my life sooooooo much easier. Your cakes are just beautiful, btw!!

Lisa

llj68, What do you normally charge for a regular decorated 1/2 sheet cake? I am curious because I have not really broken down my ingredients like you. I usually charge $30-35. Thanks.
traci

I'd charge about $30-35 for the hat cake .. I'd charge about the same for the star also, or about $40 for it