Another Pricing Question- Sketch Attached

Decorating By pamalbake Updated 25 Jul 2013 , 2:09am by pamalbake

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pamalbake Posted 23 Jul 2013 , 4:29pm
post #1 of 8

Just want to know what those more experience think.  I am making this cake for a close friend, who was my 1st customer 2 months ago and is now a repeat customer.  Her 1st cake, underpriced, but that was Ok for my 1st one- was a half sheet WASC Kahlua cake, with brush embroidery work on it. I charged her $100.

This new cake is as pictured in the sketch.  It will be WASC infused with raspberry framboise liquor- 1 whole recipe, with frosting and filling ( I am still retail)  costs me about $50.  I will need 1 1/2 recipes, but will make 2.  

The baby, blanket on top will be made of fondant,as will the letters,buttons and inside strip of each block. The bead trim and frosting will be buttercream- 6" and 9" cakes.

My husband says I should charge $225.  I am worried that it is too much to ask ( I know....) and was thinking $200 ( still a lot to ask) .  I would also give her the option of not doing the baby, getting one of her own and I'd put a fondant circle on top to attach her own and piping the trim and letters, if the cost is too high for her as an option.

I would think to take off $30 if she opts out of the fondant.  My husband says $30 for the baby ( I think $25 - I haven't done this one before but think I can knock it out in 30 min or so), and maybe $5 or more off for the other fondant.

Baby shower is for 50, this is the cake she wants, I don't want to scare her off- she's been a great supporter of my cakes and this is an opportunity.

I know pricing is a big issue and I have to start paying myself.

What would you charge?  4 layers of cake, 3 layers of frosting in each cake, with 2 layers of  rasp. jam filling and 1 layer of white chocolate cream cheese buttercream frosting.

Thanks.

 

 

AppleMark

7 replies
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BatterUpCake Posted 23 Jul 2013 , 4:36pm
post #2 of 8

sounds delicious and is really cute!...but no one is gong to tell you what to charge. Jason Kraft has a pricing formula in his profile. No one on here can tell you market price for your area, how many hours it will take, your ingredient costs, etc....please search pricing and read through some of the threads and you will find that what Isay is true. Good luck!

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pamalbake Posted 23 Jul 2013 , 4:56pm
post #3 of 8

I know, I know. Was hoping for a comparison or some thoughts on what to charge for fondant cake toppers. Ugh. I read all the threads.  I'll look for Jason's., too.  Thank you so much.

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DeliciousDesserts Posted 23 Jul 2013 , 4:57pm
post #4 of 8

APamalbake, you are on the right track! You've priced the ingredients. Do you know how much the fondant will cost either to make or to purchase?

Don't mean to rain on the happiness, are you legal?

For me, that cake would be about $270 before tax & delivery. I am in Charleston. I have several examples of my work on the galleries. That may help.

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pamalbake Posted 24 Jul 2013 , 9:46pm
post #5 of 8

AThank you. So, I haven't set up shop yet, testing the waters. Clients for now are very close friends/family . They have been great and supportive and more importantly- now- pay for my work., recently. Looking into feasibility, etc. Cottage law- check. Ok there. Looking into what else I'd need to know and check . This one is for one of my oldest friends.

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morganchampagne Posted 24 Jul 2013 , 11:15pm
post #6 of 8

AI've been doing this for 2 yrs (just to give you a reference for experience) id charge 250 for the cake with the baby figurine and all the fondant decorations. I'm in Houston,TX

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jgifford Posted 25 Jul 2013 , 1:14am
post #7 of 8

Ok - I'm going to make myself a target here.  I don't mean to be the cloud in your sunny day, but you're not ready to sell cakes.  CFL or not, if you haven't taken the time to do the research and write a business plan and get your pricing in place, you're only setting yourself up for a lot of grief, if not complete failure.

 

I promise that the more you research and plan and the more details you have in place BEFORE you even start selling cakes, the better off you'll be.  It's great that you know the cost of your ingredients, but you need to know the cost of your time and overheard as well and how long each part of the process takes you to complete.  And don't forget the paperwork.  If you don't take care of the business side of it, you won't have a business to take care of.

 

You seem to have a good head on your shoulders, so use it.  Make sure you have a good foundation to build on. I just hate to see talented cakers fail because the business side of it gets them, and they're on CC every day. 

 

I wish you the very best.

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pamalbake Posted 25 Jul 2013 , 2:09am
post #8 of 8

AThank you so much for your input . I have downloaded cakeboss and have been inputing info, learning the program and my husband and I are laying out a business plan over the next several weeks - now that the kids are going back to college. I research all day long, love it, taking courses on line - decorating classes and how to start a business, etc. I'm tapped out on the courses here ( i started all of my courses here 10 mo ago ) and jump in whenever something new pops up, which is rare now, so I belong to many online communities and Web classes. When there's no instructor to double check my thinking , everyone here on CC has been great support and a sounding board. I couldn't keep giving my cakes away to my friends, and they want to pay me for my work - I'm not yet charging them for my time since, as you can see, I'm not able to calculate that and can't price my cakes as someone who is already running a business. It's been so helpful to get a price comparison to what i know i would need to charge right now ,from those who have done it .i wasn't far off if it was going out for sale. I do hope this can be a second career for me as a small home business- a world away from my previous career, but I have been a painter for many years too. Painting on cakes is much more rewarding than canvas and makes people smile. Thanks again, and my awe and respect goes out to all of you professional bakers and decorators .

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