How Much Would You Charge??? My Family Freaked Out!

Business By SherisEdibleDesigns Updated 6 Jul 2007 , 3:55am by cambo

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SherisEdibleDesigns Posted 4 Jul 2007 , 9:05pm
post #1 of 26

Hi CCers! I recently made a cake for my niece's birthday. A two tiered 9-6, 4 inches high each tier. The inside was white cake (scratch) with homemade lemon curd and raspberry jam. The frosting was my very expensive (secret) buttercream recipe. I also added fondant pieces and gumpaste bows. When all was said and done, I asked my family how much they would pay for a cake like the one I made. They priced SOOO low!! I finally told them what I would have actually charged a customer and they were shocked. So....without telling you what I thought.....take a look at my pic and tell me what you would charge/pay for this cake. After baking and making fillings, and icing and all I probably spent a total of 3 or 4 hours on this cake.
LL
LL

25 replies
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antonia74 Posted 4 Jul 2007 , 9:07pm
post #2 of 26

$120-$140 minimum

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4Gifts4Lisa Posted 4 Jul 2007 , 9:39pm
post #3 of 26
Quote:
Originally Posted by antonia74

$120-$140 minimum




Agreed

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Pootchi Posted 4 Jul 2007 , 10:12pm
post #4 of 26

Here where I live the market for this would be around 100$-125$
But that's just my town... I know that in bigger cities it would sell for at least 150$

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leily Posted 4 Jul 2007 , 10:40pm
post #5 of 26

$139.75 minimum. Since the fondant was just accents I probably would not have charged more for that. This price is for only one layer of filling in that cake too. (i have another option that is 3 layers of filling with the torted cakes)

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SherisEdibleDesigns Posted 4 Jul 2007 , 11:07pm
post #6 of 26

This cake was torted with three layers of filling as well! Thank you for all the responses! I'll let the cat out of the bag and tell you the price i gave them was $85. And even then I figured I was short changing myself! My family guessed between $30 and $40 dollars!!!!!!!!! Ha Ha...guess they really don't realize how hard we work!!!

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heavenscent Posted 5 Jul 2007 , 12:17am
post #7 of 26

I was going to say 75-100. dont you love how cluless people are

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antonia74 Posted 5 Jul 2007 , 12:25am
post #8 of 26

For $30-$40 they can kiss my whisk! icon_surprised.gif

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snarkybaker Posted 5 Jul 2007 , 12:26am
post #9 of 26

I did a cake the same size recently and charged $250. ( It did have a very expensive Lindy Smith cake separator rental included at $40)

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leily Posted 5 Jul 2007 , 12:56am
post #10 of 26

[quote="SAD"]This cake was torted with three layers of filling as well! /quote]

For this option it would have been another $21.50 for a grand total of $161.25

Hope they aren't to shocked by other peoples prices! Tell them they can watch you make it for $30-$40 and then you'll sell it to someone else! But they dont' get to lick the bowls or spatulas, that is an additional charge!

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marmalade1687 Posted 5 Jul 2007 , 5:21pm
post #11 of 26
Quote:
Originally Posted by antonia74

For $30-$40 they can kiss my whisk! icon_surprised.gif




I'm gonna use this when my family calls for the next "free" cake!! icon_lol.gificon_lol.gificon_lol.gif (memories of Flo from the show "Alice" - okay, I know I'm dating myself!!) icon_wink.gif

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marmalade1687 Posted 5 Jul 2007 , 5:26pm
post #12 of 26

Sorry, add to last post - "free" cake with 24 hours notice! Family gets free cake as long as they respect my time limitations! icon_confused.gif I guess I can either say "No Cake for YOU! or Kiss My Whisk! icon_lol.gif

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EricaT Posted 5 Jul 2007 , 5:35pm
post #13 of 26

oNLY BEING 2 TIERS, IM WITH YOU. ID CHARGE LIKE 75$

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berryblondeboys Posted 5 Jul 2007 , 5:39pm
post #14 of 26

I charged for a very similar cake, but no fondant, $100, so with the fondant, I would add about $10 since it's only accents. so $110.

Melissa

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cakes47 Posted 5 Jul 2007 , 5:39pm
post #15 of 26

I was thinking approximately $100 too.
You did a great job on everything!!

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2sdae Posted 5 Jul 2007 , 5:42pm
post #16 of 26
Quote:
Originally Posted by antonia74

For $30-$40 they can kiss my whisk! icon_surprised.gif



That's a specialty fetish....I'd charge double for that!!!! icon_lol.gificon_lol.gificon_lol.gificon_lol.gif
But seriously that cake is very pretty and has the different elements of 2 icings and homemade fillings too. Deff a 100.00 cake by my means and figures! thumbs_up.gif

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mommarivera Posted 5 Jul 2007 , 5:43pm
post #17 of 26

ROTFLMAO!!! Kiss my whisk!!! I love it

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cococakes Posted 5 Jul 2007 , 5:48pm
post #18 of 26

I love it - "Kiss My Whisk" icon_lol.gif !! I definitely have to use that one from now on.

That cake would be priced in the $200 range, without question. Let your family members see you do a cake from the beginning to end. Let them see how many hours it takes to make a cake. Hopefully this will change their mindset and no longer be surprised on how much it takes to make a scratch cake.

I don't know why family and friends think it takes nothing to make a cake.

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MikeRowesHunny Posted 5 Jul 2007 , 5:56pm
post #19 of 26

Around $100. Don't worry, I get the same reaction from friends all the time when I tell them how much I would have charged them had they been a regular customer!

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GenGen Posted 5 Jul 2007 , 5:58pm
post #20 of 26

i really need to reprice my fees lol.

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brea1026 Posted 5 Jul 2007 , 6:03pm
post #21 of 26

Wow reality check! I am actually in the opposite boat with my family in that they feel like I charge WAY to little. I am sure that a lot of people would be upset to hear that I only asked for $30 for the castle cake in my photos- but in the end the lady that ordered it gave me $60 plus a gift cert to a restaurant that I love for $25- so $85 in all! That is by far the most I have ever got for my cakes!

I have such a problem with pricing! I am a really cheep person and have had to be because my husband and I got married really young and had kids young too, so we have always had to budget and look for deals. Maybe when my kids start school, and I can work, I won't be so cheep. But for now I have to remember that there are others out there who can afford to pay $100 for a really unique cake!

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imartsy Posted 5 Jul 2007 , 6:11pm
post #22 of 26

I got the Cakeboss software and although it's a pain to put in your recipes & such, it's helped me with pricing lately. I like to figure up pricing and then see how much each slice costs to put me in perspective.... for instance, if a cake serves 40 and you're charging $2.00 a slice (which isn't much), then $80 for the cake doesn't seem so unreasonable..... (i hope my math is right there!)

I went to an ice cream, pie, and cake place last night and they had slices of cake for $2.95 - and that's not even decorated - just a single slice of cake in one of those little plastic box containers!!!! Granted, it did taste good - I had a bite of my mom's carrot cake.... but I still like the recipe I use from here better icon_smile.gif (Awesome Carrot Cake recipe)

However, they also have to pay for workers and rent and all the other stuff that goes into having a legal business... mine is just family and friends right now.......

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Carson Posted 5 Jul 2007 , 6:21pm
post #23 of 26

I would charge $60 for this cake, however, I do not bake from scratch, they would only get one layer of buttercream in each cake. I also don't know what your "expensive" butter cream is made of, so that would cost more. I would of used mmf, so that is a cheaper way to go too.

If I did all that you did, then I would say probably double that!

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D77 Posted 5 Jul 2007 , 6:26pm
post #24 of 26

Don't feel bad - I have had the same problem.... Must be somethining in the air icon_lol.gif

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imagine76 Posted 6 Jul 2007 , 12:40am
post #25 of 26

i'm just starting to sell cakes for a little extra $. i've been giving them away to family members for YEARS. they really have no idea what they'd be paying if they weren't family! i'm still hearing it about not doing 2 cakes for my aunt last weekend because i was out of town. i really wanted to tell her what she would owe me if i added up all the free stuff i've done for her.

just feeling a bit underappreciated. had to vent. whew! am i the only one being taken advantage of? apparently not!

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cambo Posted 6 Jul 2007 , 3:55am
post #26 of 26

I was thinking in the $125 range, especially with your scratch cake and fillings! Sounds delicious!

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