Venting A Little...what Would You Charge For This Cake?
Decorating By flavacakes Updated 9 Jun 2007 , 12:09am by flavacakes
So I was asked to make a cake for a close family friend's bridal shower and they said they would pay whatever I'd charge a stranger. I'm still a little uncomfortable with charging people, especially friends and family. So I said sure, I emailed them a few ideas and they picked the present cake style. Well the subject of payment never came up again. I was also invited to the shower so I brought the cake and the mom said she would pay me later because she didn't have any money on her. 
WHat? Yeah, right. So I said, fine. She didn't even ask how much for the cake, I know I should've said right then and there how much I wanted for it but I didn't.
A few weeks go by and she finally sends me a check for $40. I know these people have no idea what goes into cakes but they're not clueless. I know I can't be truely mad but I was a little insulted. Should I not be? Here is a pic, 12x12 and 8x8, double layers of each. MMF and gumpaste bow and flowers.
What do you think I SHOULD have gotten? I didn't really know what to charge in the first place but maybe you all could help me out for the next time!
Now let's see if I can figure out how to attach pics...
Well, according to the Wilton charts (party size slices) this would serve 68 people. If you charged $3.00 a serving that would be $204.00. Of course, I don't think people charge this way for non wedding cake cakes. I think most people take their cost x 3(or 4).
If it were me, I think I would charge $2.00 per serving ($136.00) plus fondant work, I would probably round it off at $150.00.
Kathi
I have a hard time charging too. I'm always afraid people will go "How much?!?!?" But I also live in a very small town so it's not feasible to charge but so much.
Those are big cakes and I usually charge $1.50 per slice.
What a pretty cake! Well, unfortunately it's not what you should have charged, because you probably won't see the money for this cake! I hate to say it, but you shouldn't have let it go "weeks", without making contact with her about payment... Even if you weren't sure what to charge, you should have called her after the party, thank her for the invite, and by the way, you can send me a check for the cake! Always have a price in mind and always let the customer know. There shouldn't be any surprises for them... or you! It's a very pretty cake, and will certainly be a nice addition to your portfolio! 
Thanks for your replies guys! I was thinking I should've charged them $75 or $100 and I figured that was a deal. I figured it was worth more tho. I really need to work on being up front with people and not be ashamed what I think my cakes are worth! Easier said than done tho. I feel that if I had a shop or something people wouldn't take quite so much advantage of me.
OMG, that cake is stunning! I am really bad about charging too little, but I would say at least $80, IF you gave a discount for family. But it is worth way more than $80, and definately more than $40.
What are you going to do? Did $40 even cover your materials?
Thank you! I think it barely covered materials. I guess I'll do nothing. They had also asked me to make their grooms cake, they wanted an ambulance! A carved ambulance, they were telling me how it should be pretty easy because I would just have to do a rectangle! I just wanted to laugh! If they think it's so simple they should try it themselves!!! I said yes but once I got only $40 for the shower cake, I called her and said I was too busy and tired to do it, my husband works out of town so my time is just worth way more than that!!! Anyway, she understood and said it was no biggie.
You really should have told them how much you wanted for it right from the start. You gave the no idea how much it would cost and didn't invoice them- what were they supposed to do? You say 'if I had a shop people wouldn't take advantage.' You don't need a shop - you just need to be upfront about pricing. Send a written or emailed invoice if you're shy about saying it. If you want to be paid like a professional you're going to have to act like one - be brave! We ALL find this hard to do, but you'll find it harder to keep losing out financially and in the end you'll stop enjoying your work.
If it had been me who had ordered the cake, and I had no indication of cost, I would have searched the websites or bakeries for something similar ... (and there is almost always something similar ... or something you could gauge the cost from) .... and figured something from there .... and I am certain that she would not have found such a beautiful cake for $40 .... I can't believe she thought she could have gotten it anywhere else for $40!?!?!?! That's about £20 here .... unbelievable.
I understand your predicament ... as I have yet to charge a penny for a cake. It's getting to the stage now where I'll have to grow a back bone ... as it demotivates you greatly when people don't appreciate what you've done ... which is fine if you get adequately paid for the cake ... I imagine you wouldn't care less how they react!! (For example, when I delivered my photocake I did for a friends husband, she said 'cheers eil' and that was the sum total of her reaction to all the effort I put into that cake (12 hours or so), I could easily have just handed her the newspaper for that kind of reaction!! Emmascakes is right .... you'll lose the enjoyment in making the cakes, if you don't get properly compensated for them! Having said that, the thank you note I received for my wedding cake I did recently was worth all the money in the world to me!!
Wow, That cake is sooo pretty. I am a soldier in Germany and charge way less than everyone else for a cake. But when I am home in the states I would say at least $75-$100. If it was for a family member, I would normally only charge for materials. But since they said that they wanted to be charged just like a stranger, then I would have had them sign a contract, filled out an order form, and discussed the purchase price at the time of order. It's too bad they took advantage of you like this!!! I guess you could chalk it up to lesson learned!!! 
$40 that is CRAZY. She could not have been for real. You know what bothers me, we are always so quick to give family and friends a discount and you would think you would get a little something EXTRA from them and NOTHING. We are already giving you a discount and NO TIP. That's why I am also trying to be strong and upfront with my pricing.
I feel you should have said your price upfront or when her Mom said she would pay you that was the time to say "Oh o.k. the cake cost $100" or whatever. They knew you were coming with the cake why didn't they have your money. What are they going to do the day of the wedding, tell the limo driver they will send him a check. Why do people always feel the need to take advantage of people they know. If they were buying a cake from a bakery they would not be able to pickup a cake and pay WEEKS later.
We all do these things. It was just a lesson. You now know how to handle it the next time.
Well, for tiered cakes I charge like I do for wedding cakes It's the same amount of work.
If you don't have one, come up with a price list. Your starting price for buttercream cakes, starting price for fondant cakes and stick to it.
I have a price for basic sheetcakes as well like the ones you'd find at the supermarket: buttercream, border, message and a few flowers.
What I've been doing lately is offering customer three designs with three different prices (all according to my price list) and letting them choose.
Always get payment up front. No money, no cake.
The cake is beautiful! Definitely underpaid.
I really think that you have no right to be upset with this person. You shouldn't have waited weeks before contacting her about the price AND you shouldn't have let her determine what she is going to pay you. It's not up to the customer to research what a cake is worth - that's your job. Sorry, no sympathy here.
Beautiful cake! I feel your pain on clueless people. I have a relative that was in shock when I told her how much I wanted for 6 cookie bouquets her friend wants for a baby shower. (I gave her a very, very cheap cost, too!) Sorry, but I'm not working that hard to make something pretty and only getting paid $3 per hour to do it!
I'm sure the recipient has NO idea that she's shortchanged you in anyway. People have no diea how much work etc, goes into cakes and that's not their fault. Please don't think badly of this person, the only person you might be kicking is yourself.
For friends of mine, I say the cost is "X", but for you it is "XX". And I always make an invoice, stating the normal price, and then the discount price.
If you are getting paid, it's a business transaction. Always give a price upfront. Always. And if they balk at the price, even after the discount, suggest they shop around, or offer them an alternative with the budget they had in mind.
It's much easier, and much less stressful in the long run, if a price is given upfront. Then there is no speculation about what they MIGHT pay, no chasing for payment, and no hard feelings.
Ugh!!! some people! I would charge $20 for the BOW alone! Oh well....chalk it up to experience, I guess!
What I suspect might have happened is that since you didn't contact eachother, she may have thought you weren't charging after all, and sent you some money as a gesture.
Thank you! I think it barely covered materials. I guess I'll do nothing. They had also asked me to make their grooms cake, they wanted an ambulance! A carved ambulance, they were telling me how it should be pretty easy because I would just have to do a rectangle! I just wanted to laugh! If they think it's so simple they should try it themselves!!! I said yes but once I got only $40 for the shower cake, I called her and said I was too busy and tired to do it, my husband works out of town so my time is just worth way more than that!!! Anyway, she understood and said it was no biggie.
I think I might have done the ambulance cake but quoted them a price with a view to recouping some of my losses. If they queried the price you could say something along the lines of, 'Of course, you realise you got a real good deal in only paying $40 for a cake worth $xxx so you're ahead anyway and this price reflects the fact that a carved cake is something special and takes v much more time/effort/skill blah blah blah..." When you were tellling her you couldn't do her cake did you actually say 'my time is worth way more than that anyway' or is that just what you were thinking!! LOL
Thanks to all those with helpful advice!
Emma, you are so right! I need to act like a professional if I wanted to be treated like a professional! In this situation I just didn't want to make any waves, they are good people and I know they wouldn't do anything to purposefully hurt me. And I know they don't know what goes into making a cake. I don't think badly of them at all, I just came here to vent because I figured if anyone would understand it would be you guys! And to find out what I should charge for something like that in the future.
adven, I think you are right too. I bet they thought I wasn't going to charge them anything. If I were to charge them full price I KNOW they wouldn't even order the cake!
Oh well, lesson learned! 
I really think that you have no right to be upset with this person. You shouldn't have waited weeks before contacting her about the price AND you shouldn't have let her determine what she is going to pay you. It's not up to the customer to research what a cake is worth - that's your job. Sorry, no sympathy here.
Don't worry Stefy, wasn't asking for your sympothy! And I'm not "mad" at them like I mentioned in my first post. Like I said, just came here to vent with cake buddies who would understand!
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