Since this is always such a big topic and a lot of people wonder how others charge for their cakes i thought i would create a "Pricing Poll" so we could see how the majority of us price our cakes. I know about the matrix and i also know it can be confusing.
What i will do is add up all the responses and post them in amounts of people that charge each way.

This is for all occasion cakes EXCEPT weddings.

Please let me know if i am missing a different way to price and i will add it to the list.

Please reply with one of the following and specify any details.

1. Cost of supplies x 3 or 2 or 2.5 (please specify what # you use)
2. A dollar amount per slice (please specify)
3. Cost of supplies + an hourly price (specify what you charge hourly)
4. Other (specify)

I know each area of the country is different but this will be fun to see what others do in their areas.

Let the cake pricing begin!!

# 3

I modified the pricing matrix to accommodate a large shopping list for my scratch cakes. It does all the work for me:

*Cost of ingredients
*Equipment ware
*Cost of 'purchased items' (cake boards, boxes, disposable piping bags etc.)
*Hourly rate (I modified the hours the matrix think I work on a cake to match my actual speed. And charge roughly $8/hr as that is was a starting cook in my area makes.)

it takes all these factors and gives me a total price as well a price per slice.

Right now most of my cakes are coming out to less than $2 a slice (average around $1.50), but significantly more than supermarket cakes, but I do a lot more decorations, and have a lot of specialized flavors, so it's usually worth it.

When I bake for family or close friends I subtract my hourly wage and only charge supplies.

#1

cost of supplies x3

just seems fair, i guess. all my cakes are from scratch and sometimes i even have to make my own piping gel, simple syrup (to replace karo syrup), etc. so if i had to charge an hourly rate for my labor i would end up with a really expensive cake.

I charge $1.00 a slice for regular cakes, $1.15 if they are non-wedding cakes that require me to put anything together (extra cake on top, etc.) and $1.50 per slice for wedding cakes. I add $5.00 per cake extra for cream cheese icing or german chocolate cake.

$2.50 per slice for basic cakes..meaning buttercream filling and frosting. I bake from scratch and make my own buttercreams...curds...mousse...

Then I go from there...depending upon the amount of decorations they want..what kind of fillings.....that sort of thing. I don't do buttercream flowers..only gumpaste.

Ganache covered cakes are $3.00 per slice.

Average cake usually comes to about $3.00 per slice.

I suppose I do #2

I charge $1.25 a slice for my cakes any design fondant buttercream etc...... but no matter how small never less than $25.00

I wish my market would support $3.00 a slice for a cake! One time I had a lady call on Friday for a cake on Saturday (a two tier- like a small wedding cake)...duh...I said I could do it for $60.00. It feed 36 people. Still less than $2.00 a slice. She complained non-stop, only called me back when she realized even Walmart wouldn't do one on such short notice. I don't know how many times she said it wasn't worth that! Whatever... my point is I wish I could charge $3.00 (even $2.00) a serving.

For anything other than a simple sheet cake (which I do for $60)

$3/slice for basic cake w/ buttercream frosting/filling
$5/slice for anything that involved fondant/mousse/curd

And then I sort of modify depending on what the actual order is...

I make everything from scratch, and try to use top quality ingredients (imported chocolate, organic fruit) as much as possible.

Oops, I didnt mean to hit send yet.

I do not include an 'hourly rate' per se, but if somebody wants a more labor intensive cake, I kick the price up to that.

For instance, the baby shower cake (butterflies/flowers) was $8/slice because of the number of handmade chocolate pieces and the fillings (raspberry mousse and lemon curd)

Basic sheet or round cakes are under $2/serving.

Wedding cakes start at $2/serving for basic, and go up.

3D/sculpted cakes $3-$4/serving, generally.

I usually sort of guess, depending on how hard I feel the cake will be. Since I usually am asked to do 3D cakes I have to estimate my time because that is what I get paid for, not really fancy ingredients. I try to profit about $10/hour but that is a very loose estimate and doesn't always get there.

cost of supplies times 3 to 4. Depends on how difficult the cake is. I make all my cakes from scratch and I specilize in fondant figures. There is no way I could charge per hour.

I have never realy even kept track of how long it takes me. I mold a little, stop, come back to it, in between caring for a baby...Bake a little, etc...
I have no idea how long my cakes take. I just love doing it. I can get lost in it, and seem to loose all sense of time.....

well, I go w/# 2....price per serving.

Any cake but Wedding, Groom's, or 3D Cakes start at $1.50 per serving and will get you, cake (3 layers), filling (2 layers), BC icing, and either BC icing decorations or Royal Icing. A fondant covered cake will start at $2.50 per serving.

3D cakes start at $35 dollars!!

I charge anywhere from $0.25 - $1.00 per serving for fondant decorations. Depends on amount and/or difficulty!! Bows, and other modeled figures start at $15. (This is actually the most popular option, so most of my cakes are going for about $2 per serving).

Wedding Cakes start at $2.50 for BC & simple border & decorations. $3.50 for Fondant covered cake.

I'm a little on the high side for my area, but I also offer alot more than the average bakery......so I'm keeping busy!!!

Christine

I charge 3 x the cost, but I dont do any cakes under $100AU(US$74)
so i will add extra bits and pieces to bring the price up.
Nati

My basic prices (2 tier cakes with filling and basic buttercream decoration) are supplies x 3, then I add extra for fondant, flowers, intricate piping extra.

#4

I have to go with the market. I use cake mixes and "enhancers", but the cost is relatively low. But if I go too much higher than say Wal-mart or Harris Teeter, many won't pay for it. I sell 1/4 sheet cake for $20 and do most of the designs by hand. An 8" double layer usually goes for $15, with simple decorations. I wish I could charge by the slice!!

I'd charge by the slice for a wedding or other tiered cake. Since I'm not real experienced my prices start at about $1.75 per slice. As I get a few more cakes under my belt I'll jump to $2.00, then maybe $2.50 as my skills get even better.

For any other cake my price is usually about 2.5 times my cost, but not always, sometimes it's only 2X. I don't have hard rules about what to charge, especially on anything other than a sheetcake. For sheetcakes I'm currently asking as a base price: $27 for an 11"x15", $33 for a 12"X18", and $45 for a full sheet. Extra work or ingredients will increase the price.

well I guess I use #4

I charge per cake and the amount of people it feeds etc..

I charge $35.00 for my character cakes and 9x13 slabs.$55.00 for 3D cakes.$4.00-5.00 for cookies baked,decorated and bagged and tied with curly ribbon.If I am doing a larger 11x15 I will charge $48.00.Anything larger like a small wedding cake and the price goes up from there along with 3D Castle cakes and larger.I also use cake mixes which keeps my costs down too.I have tried using the matrix but get confused!!

#4

$65.00 for my Barbies

$65.00 and up for 3D Winnies

$75.00 for bassinettes

$45.00 and up for sheets (11x15)

$35.00 and up for rounds (sizes)

I don't get into the slice sizes because of different agreements on how many slices per pan.

#1
I go by a % of my costs usually 3.5% and up and try to make it around $1.50 per slice on average. Most everything I do is in buttercream.

KimAZ

mikaza - I looked at the baby shower cake in your gallery and it is very nice. I am just wondering where you are located that you could get $8 a slice. In the gallery it said that cake served about 200 people which would make it $1600. I know I could never get that where I am. You did a very good job on the cake.