I've been working on my pricing (again) and while I feel good about my sheet cake prices and tiered cake prices; there are some cakes that don't really fall into either category.
In particular, there is a cake I've done 3 times that is a present cake that is an 11 x 15 sheet on bottom with a double layer 9 x 6 on top; with multi-loop bow. How would you charge for this? Tiered cakes I charge per serving but sheet cakes I have a set price on; this is a combination of the two since the bottom layer is just a sheet. This is cake:
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=745483
Any advice?
Beautiful cake! If I were pricing that cake it would be a $60 - 80. I just posted this in another forum:
Birthday and sculpted cakes are so hard to price (not all of us can charge the $500 or so that Duff does for cakes ). My base pricing is $20.00/single mix required for standard cake recipes (additional charge special recipes such as carrot or special fillings). Therefore, if I am making a cake that is comprised of (3) mixes the charge would be $60. This would include buttercream frosting. If I use fondant/gumpaste, etc. I charge an additional $20/cake. This seems to work fine for me so far. HTH!
That does help and is pretty much in line with my pricing. Thank you! I've been undercharging for this particular cake though and realize I need to go up a bit. I do that to myself a lot; talk customers into something other than a sheet but still charge them for a sheet; just so I can get some experience and add to my portfolio. But the underpricing is wearing on me. 
LisaMS......I do the same thing you do. I just started decorating in February and most of my customers so far come to me for a sheet cake. I am tired of doing sheet cakes and want to try other things so I talk them into something else and give them a "deal". Although it is fine for now, I am worried that later on if I decide to raise my prices for these customers they will get upset and won't buy cakes from me. 
I live in a VERY small town and ppl just don't want to pay for "just cake" 
Anyway........I absolutely love your cakes.....they are wonderful and you are so creative with your sheet cakes!! 
Thanks Jen. I'm worried about the exact same thing; repeat customers balking; especially when these customers order by saying I want the "$50/$40/$30 cake". :-/ For some reason when they ask for it that way it makes it doubly hard to say "Uhhh, that $50 cake is no longer a $50 cake." <smile> But I realize if I keep doing this to myself, I will end up burned out and just quit. Gotta get over the fear of rejection. I often give up my weekends for this and neglect my family and I dont have to; so it's gotta be worth it in the long run.
Hmmm.. a single layer 11x15 is 35 2x2x2 servings.. a double layer 9x6 is around 25 1x2x4 servings.. that's 60 servings. I serve 2$ a serving for celebration cakes filled with buttercream. That'd put that at 120$ without the extras. I'd charge 15-25$ for the extras depending on how much and how difficult. That's a lot of servings if you think about it..
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