I think if I timed myself, I would end up in complete and utter tears! My problem is not the baking/cleaning up part. It's the part when I think I am done decorating and then I do "one more thing" (20 times)- Yes...I am a textbook Aquarian! Please let us know how it works out for you. I always wonder about stuff like this too.
-Michelle
Michelle - I couldn't have said it any better.... I also would be crying at the amount of time and energy put into each cake, if it was written out in front of me. (I too am an Aquarian... and add one more thing a bunch of times)
Brianna
Cool thread... I had posted a couple of threads where I posted my pix w/ time they took. I started timing myself because I finished two cakes in one day (fast for me 
) and I felt so proud hehehe 
Anyway, in my pix the "Wonderland" cake took 13 hours. The "Bassinet baby" and chocolate grad cake together were the ones done in one day; I only actually timed for the choc.grad and that took about four hours. The newest baby shower cake (w/angels decorating the cake) took about six hours. This time included the baking, cleaning up that I do as I go along, making the figures (fondant was already made but not tinted), making frosting, making my cake board and finally decorating. My son was with me so I think I should get to deduct time for taking care of him (ie. cooking, feeding him, changing him and chair transfers) Don't you?
I know other people do cakes a heck of a lot faster than I, but I feel good about my time getting better. I also just recently upped my prices a tad 
Sorry, I'm always so long winded
Lynda
i just decided to time myself for some graduation cupcakes i am making. the grad. caps have to be totally complete before i bake the cupcakes, because they need to be placed on the cup cake while the frasting is still soft. i finished the grad. caps today,48 in all. so far i have spent 3 hours and 10 min. on this project. i will bake and frost the cupcakes thursday for delivary on friday. the price for the 48 cupcakes is $70. i may have underpriced this order but it is still a learning experince. when i have the complete price for ingredients and time i will adjust the price accordingly. they are a little pricey because the grad. caps are made of peanut butter cups and chocolate covered graham crackers. 
Why WOULDN'T you charge $80 or more for a take that took that long to make?
If they were having a dress made by a skilled seamstress, they would expect to pay a premium rate per hour for a custom designed, custom made dress, right?
If you can't convince yourself of the value of your work, how can you convince the customer of it's value? YOU are the one who needs to stop thinking "it's just cake!"
You are right! It definately takes talent to decorate cakes the way we all do. Most people do realize that. And they are worth every penny.
I come from a small town and I guess my thinking is that most people think it's easier and cheaper to go to the local grocery bakery. Of course they are not getting the freshness, personalization and uniqueness of my cakes but I want to get the business to. I finally decided on prices and find myself changing them slightly, it;s agonizing.
When I think about how many hours go behind a finished cake. It makes me think about whether it is worth it. If it wasn't for my love of cake decorating I don't think I would do it for the money. Does anyone really get back ($) for all the work(hrs) that goes into it.? Or am I the only one that doesn't charge enough. My family think I don't charge enough anyway. I usually put my self in the shoes of potential clients and think 'would I spend that much on a cake?'. Does anyone feel the same way I do?
I used to think the exact same thing - but as my husband says....I'm not the clientele that I want to reach. I'm too cheap and used to go to Sam's Club for my $14.99 cake that fed 40 people. I want the clientele that would pay $80+ for a cake that feeds 40 people. If my clients don't want to spend the money that is actually worth my time doing a cake for them, then I don't do it and I would never think about lowering my prices. I would just think of it as a blessing that I don't have to do a cake and spend more time with my family. Plenty of people are ready and willing to pay. For some people, they actually realize that you get what you pay for! Those are the people I want ordering cakes from me!
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