I had both extremes today...One referral on wedding wire for a request for a cake to serve 200 people, budget $250! The accompanying note read something like "We don't have a lot of money to spend but would really like a great cake." Well, if you don't have a lot of money, why are you throwing a party for 200 people?

On the other hand, a friend referred someone to me who needs a cake to feed 50 people, I told her it would be $175, and she didn't bat an eye. Nothing difficult on that one, either, just a sheet cake with poker decorations.

$35 is to much for a cake for a coworker? Get her something special? I hope I never work with those people. Great tasting cake that is special or do you want just a thought? Stop by the store on the way home from work, pick up the bread, milk, eggs, and whatever cake they have premade in the case. Any ole cake will do as long as it is small and conveys the thought WE are glad you are Leaving!

I learned alot from my mom (she made wedding cakes ect.) Well to me she under priced her cakes alot and I always used to tell her so. Well now that I'm making them I'm having a hard time figuring out prices. I'm making cakes diffrently than she was (I use MMF and am more creative than she was, don't mean it as a put down I just think she never really looked outside the box when it came to decorating) Can you guys explain to me how I should price my cakes, I think I've lost a significant amount by not charging correctly.

I'm usually making them from altered box cake....but I make BC and MMF. I think this would make a difrence toward slice price.

Also do you guys think its rude to tell someone...I'm charging you $XX.XX but its actually worth $XXX.XX????

I would really apreciate it, I need to wise up

Nothing says Good Riddence any better.

Nothing says Good Riddence any better.

Nothing says Good Riddence any better.

Anyone else getting DeJaVu?

So, I got my first wedding cake order today! SOooooooo excited. Technically, it is for my sons God parents, so I'm not charging them anything but cost since it IS my first and since I consider it to be good practice.

However, she is looking for a three tiered cake. Simple yet elegant. I actually designed it for her, and sent her the picture, which she loved. When she went to Ukrops, they quoted her $650. I did the math. She only has 100 guests. Which SHOULD only cost her around $350. I figure the top tier doesn't count in that 100, because it's to be saved for their 1st year anniversary.

But here's my question. Since I AM a newbie at this, should I be charging her? Because, in all honesty, if I were to kinda guesstimate the supplies, I'd say it's not going to cost her any more than $100. I mean, as far as the actual cake goes, they only want one tier yellow and one tier chocolate, and I was going to do the top tier half and half. They don't want fondant. And just a few gum paste accents.

Really though, did any of you charge anyone for your first few cakes when you were green?

My very first wedding cake, I charged regular local market value. And it was for a family friend.

Keebler,
Unless you plan to gift this couple with the cake, I would at least charge for ingredients. Otherwise, you set a precident with them that may lead to them feelling like they get free cakes for special occasions. I used to do free cakes for friends all the time and soon found I had one friend who had more special occasions than I could find time to bake for.

Why is it that when people find out you do cakes, they come out of the woodwork wanting free cake for 100? It's like when my DH and I lived in Hawaii for 3 months. We had more visitors than we had in two years on the mainland. And most of them we didn't know all that well.

I had another one this week. Someone I haven't seen in ahh a decade....she was nice, but seemed shocked & upset when I quoted her 1/2 what the local rate is. Maybe I was reading it wrong, but she seemed offended that I didn't jump at the chance to make her a wedding cake for nothing.

Please post the sketch. Is there something "special" about it that makes it more than a basic cake? What is Ukrops standard price like? Did they ask for a special flavor or fillings. Did that include the deposits, set up and delivery charges? It could be that it is not from the "authorized" book of cakes and therefor they charge for a custom cake. I am not familar with Ukrops, but some places charge extra for weird things. (One bakery charged $30 per tier that was not the same flavor as the base cake. A three tier cake then could cost an addition $60. If you wanted a square cake, it was an additional $20 per cake on top of the servings charge. One bride ended up paying $100 for a square cake in three flavors, $50 for the custom cake plus the $3.75 per serving charge for a cake)

good advice Indydebi, I like that. Then they realize they got a deal and don't broadcast the cheap cake place that makes designer gourmet cakes.

who cares what she can or cannot afford !! that's is your price and that is what she will pay.. If they cannot afford one, then they should not order a cake.. what morons. you are a good friend, but don't be a martyr.. It does not pay to be one. You have a back bone.

Ukrop's is grocery store that is only in the Richmond area of Va.

**Sorry its long**
I recently had a bad situation turn ugly. A mother and daughter duo came in to pick up their cake. It was a half sheet with piglet on it and somw writing, with the sides nicely decorated. 1st they started complaining that the top was going to smoosh the cake and that they had to store it until the next day and do I have a bigger box. I told them no that was the only 1/2 sheet box we had. The mother said last time they got one it was smooshed and her nephew was devastated. I asked if she spoke to the manager/owner about this when she ordered and the daughter said yes she did. So I dropped it. I 'm only an employee at this bakery and therefore can't make any dicount decisions. The mother demands some toothpicks to put in the cake so it won't smoosh. Fine, I get some and allow her to put them in.

Next I ring up the cake at $62 + tax which comes to $68.80. The daughter is like whoa, she told me it was $62, and I tried to explain the sales and food tax to her. She argued that it wasn't what they said on the phone...etc. Then they then started to complain that the "piglet" figure on the cake was too small. That the last one they got (an elmo) was much bigger and proceeded to show me this in our "Book of cakes" I tried to explain that the last one didn't have writing and was done more than over a year ago and that decorator wasn't even here anymore. Also that piglet is a harder character to do than elmo with is fur with a nose and eyes. I looked at the order and saw that it was the manager/owner that took the order (and this is 20 mins later btw) so I called her. I told her what had happened and she said let me talk to them.

I gave the phone to the mother (who was the one really complaining) and after a few mins she threw the phone back at me. I wasn't sure what had happened but the phone rang again and I didn't answer at first but the one woman said "thats probably her again, i didn't hang up on her though" (yeah right!) I answered and it was her and I asked her what to do. She said she told them they didn't have to take the cake if they didn't want to and asked if she needed to call the police, she could hear them continue to argue. I told her no.

After I hung up I told them the same thing, that they didn't have to take the cake if they didn't feel it was worth the $68.20, they were quoted that price so knew that it would be that much. The size of any pictures on the cake is irrelevant unless you specified it had to be a certain size. They then said " I could have gotten a better one at Kroger" (a local grocery store.) That was my breaking point. I told them they were still welcome to get one from Kroger and I would just take this cake back. They said no no nevermind we already paid for it, But I'll never bring business here again....and that went on for another 5 mins before they left. They had to keep telling me it wasn't like the last one they got....blah blah blah. They were obviuously trying to get a discount at any cost, but I swear I had just decorated that cake and gotten a compliment on it. It looked good and these women were horrible.

I am not sure on that. I got a cake her last year, it was distroyed and devestated bday boy. We came back because you made a bad cake last year and we want another bad experience? They knew how much the cake was last year. They know about sales tax (everybody does). They knew they had a prior bad experience at the bakery. The manager took the order and did NOT note that on the order. Pleeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaase, they were not going for a discount cake. If they spend 30 minutes to argue over a cake, they want a freebie! I would talk to the manager and post there names on the NO ORDER FOR YOU, cake natzi, list. If you don't have one, they seem to be a great 1st name on the list!

Well, I haven't done a wedding cake yet, so I can't give you any stories........but it seems incredible to me that these people are the same ones who will go out for dinner, spend $50-$100 on dinner, then order a $5-$10 dessert!!!!!!!! And then they want to complain about $3.50 a slice?????????

I have not read all the way through this thread but it is a good one for many reasons. One thing that I personally as a caker just starting out with family and friends... is that they all want it for the price of ingreedients. not even willing to pay walmart bakery prices. Crazy! I won't do it! i won't budge! i know I am new at this but i also know that custom cake is way way more! I watch Ace of Cakes and know their $300 min for small cakes. Now I won't begin to charge that -maybe in time.
I have run into pleanty of people who are just beding over backwards to make a special cake for almost nothing because their area is not doing well... SOO WHAT! It's still custom and not some yard sale used goods you haggle over. Its made to order specialty cake! I think the novices(including myself) should never just blush at the attention, pat on the back and then give away their work. It sets a standard of low prices that people get used to and that is unrealistic when you add up all the ingredients used and time spent. I will never be able to start out really at the prices people want. They don't understand all the supplies and tools and time. I am trying my hardest to educate every newby I come in contact with as to how to set higher prices.

Ah, sadsmile, you make me cry with pride! I'm so proud of you and the early realization you have of what people will try to get by with!

I wish I could take credit for this observation from another CC'er (can't recall who): When you can convince GM to sell you a car for the cost of just the parts, then I'll consider doing the same with a cake.

the more I think on this, the more I come up with. You are a new decorator. You have to get everything new. You do not have a ready stock pile of pans, tips, bags, tools that you need. That is expensive. If they want to pay just for the stuff it takes, consider what pans, tips, bags, and tools you need to get the cake done, add in the ingredients and then figure out a price. Indydebi, please don't hate me, but you are in a better place to just charge for ingredients as any caker would be that has been doing this for a long time, you have everything at your finger tips to do a cake. The only difference between you and a newbie is experience and the equipment. Once a newbie has to purchase equipment I say the cost sorta equals out. Don't sell yourself short. How is it you say it Indydebi, undercharging hurts us all?

[quote="sadsmile"] I watch Ace of Cakes and know their $300 min for small cakes.


I could be wrong, maybe they have a minimum for "small cakes", but last time I checked their minimum recently went up from $500 to $1000 for any cake!

jlynn, you make a GREAT point! If a cake for a friend that you are doing "for cost" requires a special tool or piece of equipment that you don't have, then I don't find it unreasonable to expect the friend to pay for that, too. Cost of ingredients doesn't have to be limited to just edible items.

This is a great thread. I love that the solution for being stingy is to go to Wal-Mart -- you definitely get what you pay for. There's a reason that the Cake Wrecks blog features cakes from Wal-Mart and other grocery stores all the time!