I live in a small town, so I often feel like people won't want to pay what I want to charge for a cake.
I just quoted $85 for a cake to feed 70 people. *smacks head*
Granted, it is for my mom, from the school that she works at - she's leaving after 10+ years. I wanted to give them a deal because it's for her....but I have a feeling I undercharged buy too much.
What would you have quoted?
I plan on doing a full sheet cake made to look like a chalkboard with an apple on top, and some other fondant decorations, like a ruler, pencils, etc.
Thanks.
I don't have enough information to know whether you undercharged or not. What kind of cake is it? Is it filled? Is the whole thing fondant, or just the accents you mentioned? Some things are far more labor intensive (and expensive) than others.
If it were carrot cake, cream cheese filling/icing and covered in fondant - I'd say you undercharged. However, if it's a simple white cake, no filling, buttercream iced cake with a few fondant accents, then I'd say what you charged is reasonable. (The bakery I used to work at charged about $60 for a full sheet cake)
Welcome to the club 
I only charged $95 for the Gone Fishing cake in my photos.
I did the Lighthouse cake for my mom's retirement and only charged $75, but bc I did that one's sooo cheap.. I didn't feel right charging much more for the other one since it was for the same company.
However, the Gone Fishing cake was red velvet w/ cream cheese icing ( which cost $20 just in cream cheese and red food coloring). I tell myself it's ok because it's good advertisement 
Haha..I guess I need to rethink that approach! 
I don't know what size you consider a full sheet (i hate using that term) Without any filling and as long as there are only fondant accents I would charge about $1.75 to $2.00 per serving (not sure which one as not exactly sure what detail you are doing) This is for a single layer sheet cake with serving size of 2"x2"x2"
Not sure if this helped or not.
As for the "small" town, it shouldn't matter, your time is worth something whether you live in New York City or a one horse town.
I have my prices and I don't expect everyone to afford them, but that is fine, I don't want to do it for nothing, I just regret doing it when I don't have enough money to cover my expenses.
I know I"m a little off-topic, but I had to chuckle when I read the title of this post because this is the story of my life..."Hello, my name is Angie and I am a chronic under-charger." I just took an order for my first 'full-price' cake ($65 for a filled 9" round) and it almost made me physically ill to put that price in writing.
I do give my family and friends big-time discounts, but chalk it up to cheap advertising as well as the chance to challenge myself and make a cake that I might not ordinarily make. Don't beat yourself up over it so long as you are at least covering your expenses and enjoying your decorating!
I agree with leily. I was recently asked to do cookies for a volunteer appreciation at my school (I am a teacher)...and when she asked me how much- I quoted her my 1" an inch price that I give to everyone. That worked out to be $3 a cookie. Reasonable. I didn't hear anything else from her. A few days the same lady was saying "oh no!- we need a cake for so and so's baby shower!!" I said I would make one and she said "oh no...you're too expensive"! I added "Well- we'd be assured it would taste good!" And she didn't say anything else. I guess not everyone thinks I'm too expensive, because I got 15 bouquet orders for Mother's Day. DO NOT undercharge. It makes you hold a grudge!
Thanks for the replies.
I'm not sure yet what kind of cake I'll be doing yet - either White Almond Sour Cream cake or the Chocolate Layer cake from this site.
It would be a full sheet (well, 2 9x13 put together), with an apple made from a sports ball pan on top. It would likely be covered in fondant.
Thanks again for all the help - it looks like maybe I wasn't too far off then!
underpricing is a big issue,I do it too and really can't afford too.I underpriced a cake this week too,she said "oh wow I thought it would be alot more than that" 
but my approach is advertisement too 
I can see that you priced low because of your mom,but I hope your getting some profit for it.fondant decor and labor may be where you should have asked more.(oh gee,I should listen to myself )
I thought 9x13 was supposed to feed 30? I would have had 60 between those 2 cakes and then 10 from the ball cake that would have been decorated like an apple.
I guess it doesn't matter now anyway, she called me back and cancelled the order saying that the school had "something else in the works." I am guessing the school balked at the price, which I can understand, I suppose. It would have been such a cool cake! Oh well!
Thanks for all the help anyways!
I used to undercharge sooo much...but now with a growing family (three boys and fourth boy on the way) and other things going on, I only have time to accept a few orders per weekend and those aren't worth it unless I am seeing a decent profit. I recently raised my prices to where I am really not doing much of anything (even sheet cakes) for under $2/serving, and then my 3D and fondant stuff I don't do for less than $4-$6/serving anymore.
I guess you get to where the little $15 profit cakes get you cranky and upset and you decide its better to raise prices and feel good about the work and the weekend rather than not even feeling like finishing the cake because its not worth the effort.
I used to undercharge sooo much...but now with a growing family (three boys and fourth boy on the way) and other things going on, I only have time to accept a few orders per weekend and those aren't worth it unless I am seeing a decent profit. I recently raised my prices to where I am really not doing much of anything (even sheet cakes) for under $2/serving, and then my 3D and fondant stuff I don't do for less than $4-$6/serving anymore.
I guess you get to where the little $15 profit cakes get you cranky and upset and you decide its better to raise prices and feel good about the work and the weekend rather than not even feeling like finishing the cake because its not worth the effort.
Wow you are brave, we have 2 boys with 1 more boy on the way, should be here on the 29th!
You make lovely cakes, I can see how you can easily charge those prices and you could probably charge more, it's all about the market you are in and how you market your talent.
Good Luck Everyone.
I used to undercharge sooo much...but now with a growing family (three boys and fourth boy on the way) and other things going on, I only have time to accept a few orders per weekend and those aren't worth it unless I am seeing a decent profit. I recently raised my prices to where I am really not doing much of anything (even sheet cakes) for under $2/serving, and then my 3D and fondant stuff I don't do for less than $4-$6/serving anymore.
I guess you get to where the little $15 profit cakes get you cranky and upset and you decide its better to raise prices and feel good about the work and the weekend rather than not even feeling like finishing the cake because its not worth the effort.
Wow you are brave, we have 2 boys with 1 more boy on the way, should be here on the 29th!
You make lovely cakes, I can see how you can easily charge those prices and you could probably charge more, it's all about the market you are in and how you market your talent.
Good Luck Everyone.
Congrats on your new one! We weren't expecting a fourth, LOL, so its not really being brave...but we'll take him. Nobody minds a new sweet baby around right?
Thanks for the nice comments....raising prices for me has been a slow process, and one that makes me nervous, but I get to the point where, when making cakes makes me cranky, I know its time to raise prices. haha.
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