I Know You're All Sick Of Pricing Questions, But. . . .
Decorating By midialjoje Updated 7 Apr 2007 , 4:52pm by indydebi
and I know it depends on the area, but what are your thoughts on this cake: full 2 layer sheet cake, --1/2 chocolate w/ white chocolate ganache filling, other 1/2 butter cake w/ chocolate ganache filling. Rest is all buttercream frosting. Oval cake (1 Layer) is butter cake w/ buttercream filling.
medal/ribbon are fondant, stars are fondant painted w/ glitter dust. Saying is edible image I purchaed from Walmart for $5.00
See now I would sell it for more like 45 but im really really cheap im consitanly kicking myslef in the butt for it too.
PLEASE help me out here, please!!! this is a full sheet cake--2 layers, plus the extra 12 inch oval on top--ganache fillings and fondant accents. I usually charge $75 for a one layer full sheet cake, so I was thinking either--
around $200 ($75 x 2 + the rest for filling, fondant accents and oval cake)
or
$300 if I look at ~200 servings times $1.50/serving.
Obviously I should have negotiated this up front, but the customer wanted to go all out, have something really special, different, unique, elegant, etc, etc. She knew the approximate expense (as in base price for full one layer sheet cake was $75).
any thoughts???
Thanks!!!
PLEASE help me out here, please!!! this is a full sheet cake--2 layers, plus the extra 12 inch oval on top--ganache fillings and fondant accents. I usually charge $75 for a one layer full sheet cake, so I was thinking either--
around $200 ($75 x 2 + the rest for filling, fondant accents and oval cake)
or
$300 if I look at ~200 servings times $1.50/serving.
Obviously I should have negotiated this up front, but the customer wanted to go all out, have something really special, different, unique, elegant, etc, etc. She knew the approximate expense (as in base price for full one layer sheet cake was $75).
any thoughts???
Thanks!!!
If she knows your base price of $75 for one layer sheet cake, then she knows that the approximate price will be around $200+. I just had a similar situation where my friend wanted the "wow" factor i.e. large cake, so when it came time to pay, I just asked him to pay me what he thought it was worth. In the end, he was willing to pay me $320, but I only charged $250. Believe he felt that I gave him a good deal.
the picture is definitely not a good one, then. the double layers were at least 4 inches. I used 2 11 X 15 pans for each layer --so the size is 15X22. I was wrong to say the oval was 12", it must have been 14" (only one layer, though for this one). Each 11 X 15 took too batches of cake and about 2 for the oval, so there were 10 cake batches all together.
these were all made from scratch cakes with ganache filling.
well it sounds like you're saying at least 200-300, so just call it 250.
My price for a filled 11x15 is $40, so multiply that by 4 for $160.00
Another $25 for the oval.
Another $25 for the fondant pieces
Add $5 for the edible image
I get $230. Naturally it varies depending on your area. Also, and this is not fair, but people seem to think sheet cake should just be cheaper. Never mind that you spent just as much time on it as a tiered cake, and it is a work of art, it's a sheet cake, therefore shouldn't cost as much.
Definitely don't go lower than $200. Try for $250 
midialjoje:
Your right, I for one have not been commenting on pricing lately....but the reason why I am tired of the question is that by my standards many, many, many decorators on this site simply under charge their cakes. If we give away our product then the public expectations are compromised and then the custom products are worth nothing.
Is your cake a 16" x 24" (Full sheet, board size 18"x 26") Serves from 48 dessert-size to 96 buffet-size servings?
If so, I would charge $2.50 a dessert serving for a straight cake. I agree with Kellym another $25 for the oval. Another $25 for the fondant pieces Add $5 for the edible image. (If you filled, I would charge extra for that also.) However, your area might not be able to sustain these prices. If you are in a rural or an economically depressed area then I would charge $1.50 a slice and lower my prices for the oval, fondant and edible image by half also.
Are you delivering the cake? If so, then there is the delivery fee and I recommend $0.445 per mile and I would not give a discount for the delivery charge - ever - gas is too expensive.
So I am curious - - - did you under charge by my standards? 
I ended up charging $220, figuring the following:
doubled my full sheet cake price (two layer), upped to $85 each due to filling. $170
+ $25 for oval
+ $25 for fondant accents.
Still lower than I would have liked, but good lesson about making sure it's agreed to up front. It seemed like such a work in progress, it was hard to come up with a total until it was done. She brought her check yesterday, still raving about the cake, so I guess all is well!
Thanks for your feedback.
They definitely got a good deal on a beautiful cake!
10 mixes is what I would use for a 16/12/8, which according to the wilton chart serves 180 people. At my a la carte price of $2.25/serving, this comes to $405. (Since it is a double layer, I would work with the 4x2x1" serving size.) Even at your rate of $1.50/serving, that comes to $270.
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