Hi everyone, I have a few questions I hope you all can answer for me I have been making cakes for quite some time but I am having trouble finding a good recipe that isnt so expensive to make. Any suggestions would be great!
I am starting to think that box mixes are much cheaper to make, however they are almost to soft to make the fondant covered stacked cakes.. which is usually what I make. Do you know any recipes to make them better or stand up better for 3D cakes? I just need some yummy sturdy but not dry recipes! I have tried so many with no luck it is just stressful! I love what I do just need to make things more cost efficiant and better recipes I guess
Also, I am curious to what I should be charging for my cakes. Everything I make is hand made.. decorations etc. Sometimes it takes me a few days of my time to complete. I dont want to over charge but I also dont want to be making nothing for the time I spend on these cakes...
Thanks for listening to me ramble I appreciate any help!

Have you tried to make the box mixes more dense by adding pudding and an extra egg, but cutting back on the oil? My go to recipe is 1 box mix, 1 small packet instant pudding in a complimentary flavor to the box mix (white cake mix, vanilla pudding; chocolate cake mix, chocolate pudding), 4 eggs, 1 & 1/4 cup liquid (can use water, milk, coffee creamer - the thicker the liquid the thicker the cake), and 1 tbsp oil. Mix all together, bake, and presto! Instant cake that you know is always going to taste good and is sturdy enough to stack. Freeze it to carve for better results.

As for pricing, that all depends on where you are located and the quality of your work. Everyone else on here can help you figure this out better as I usually just make free cakes for family and friends.

The first thing you need to do though is make sure you are legally allowed to sell cakes where you are from. Some places don't allow people to sell food from their home without a license, unless you live in a state that has a cottage law. Even then there are rules to what you can and can't sell regarding foods that require refridgeration, cream cheese icing for example. Contact your health department and they will be able to help you.

Good luck with everything and welcome to CC!