Need Help From Bakers Who Do More Than Just Cakes...
Decorating By IHATEFONDANT Updated 9 Sep 2006 , 12:14pm by cowdex
I'm going to start baking for a local deli. Cakes, cookies,coffee cakes, muffins..you get the general idea.
I know what to charge for a slice of cake but am having trouble with the other things.
I am trying to make everything in single portions..coffee cake in jumbo muffin tins..cheesecakes in jumbo muffin tins...etc.
Anyone else do general baking to sell? I'm trying to figure how much to charge per slice.
I made an 8" blueberry coffee cake. the recipe recommends 8 servings. But when I sliced it in eighths the portion looked skimpy. If I get six slices out of one cake I am figuring on $1.50 per slice. What do you guys think?
How much for muffins?? I have no clue. I am starting to wonder why I got into this. But I will also have my cake portfolio on premises and will probably get some cake orders. I figured that I would get some good exposure as well.
I don't buy coffee cake when I am out because I bake. Does anyone have a clue what delis are getting for stuff like this?
I sell at a monthly venue and I charge per slice $2/ a bread/cake/roll. My muffins are $1.50 and my cookies are $2.50 (NF w/satin ice and RI accents)
Starbucks charges $1.95 a slice for coffee cake.
My breakfast cakes that I sell whole are between $10-$12. May sound steep, but if they're that good, you'll get the price you're asking.
That sounds great for you, PuppyLove, but you sell direct to the consumer, so there is no middle-man markup in between.
Ihatefondant needs to scale their prices so there is room for the deli to mark it up.
Ihatefondant, are they currently selling any baked goods? If so, what are the retail prices? This will help us determine how much you should sell your goods for. If they do not, how about another deli in the area?
Theresa 
He is just opening the deli.
His main items will be bagels,hard rolls, sandwiches and some hot foods like mac and cheese..that kind of thing.
He is mainly giving me a case there so that I can get my name out there, have a legal kitchen to work from and show my portfolio for cakes. 
He can buy my supplies in bulk for me so my costs go down. The blueberries(2 cups) were the most expensive item for the cake. I figure if I use less of the bluberries and team them up with peaches or apples the cake will be a bit cheaper to make. the cake probably cost me close to $4 to make because of those berries. Apples cost less so that would drop the cost.
So the owner is giving you a case to work out of? Is he sharing the profit, or allowing you to keep your markup? Are you using his kitchen, or your home kitchen? I ask all these questions, and more, because you may have lots more cost to factor in than you thought.
Let's figure this out. You have an 8" blueberry cake that costs $4 to make. At 8 slices, your cost is 50 cents per slice. At 6 slices, your cost is .67 cents per slice. Do you bake these one at a time, or do you put multiple cakes in the oven to save on energy costs?
What is your ingredient cost for the muffins, what size are they, and how many can you bake in your oven at one time? Muffins are like bagels, they're a one-price-fits-all-varieties type of baked good, so you will have to figure out what to charge for your most expensive muffin, then charge the same amount for all.
Theresa
That sounds great for you, PuppyLove, but you sell direct to the consumer, so there is no middle-man markup in between.
Ihatefondant needs to scale their prices so there is room for the deli to mark it up.
Actually, a fee per sale goes to the promoter of the venue. So I do need to mark it up to pay her. The way I did it is the same as the cake matrix- and I still work it in the 1/3 ratio. IHateFondant, do you have a copy of the matrix here on CC?
I think the market price really depends on where you live.
For example one of my FAV bakeries in my home state is very reasonably priced (I got my wedding cake from them for $250!!!), and their items taste great -which is why they get repeat customers.
Just for idea's here's an example of their pricing
Cookies ( 3 for 99 cents up to $1.50)
Brownies (99 cents to $1.50 based on style - plain, "blondie", German chocolate, etc.,)
Mini muffins (3 for 99 cents)
Jumbo Muffins ($1.75 to $2.75 based on style - blueberry, lemon poppyseed, cranberry orange, etc.,)
Cheesecakes (anywhere from $1.50 to $2.25 based on style - Plain, Cherry, Turtle, White chocolate raspberry, Oreo etc.,)
Streusels, Coffee cake ($1.95 to $2.25)
So the owner is giving you a case to work out of? Is he sharing the profit, or allowing you to keep your markup? Are you using his kitchen, or your home kitchen? I ask all these questions, and more, because you may have lots more cost to factor in than you thought.
Let's figure this out. You have an 8" blueberry cake that costs $4 to make. At 8 slices, your cost is 50 cents per slice. At 6 slices, your cost is .67 cents per slice. Do you bake these one at a time, or do you put multiple cakes in the oven to save on energy costs?
What is your ingredient cost for the muffins, what size are they, and how many can you bake in your oven at one time? Muffins are like bagels, they're a one-price-fits-all-varieties type of baked good, so you will have to figure out what to charge for your most expensive muffin, then charge the same amount for all.
Theresa
Good questions. I didn't bake more than one but can. I've been testing recipes and don't want to waste ingredients if I didn't like the final product.
I agree that I need the one price for all method. All muffins the same. Coffee cakes the same etc.
I have the price matrix from CC..I know what people will pay for one of my cakes. This other stuff is out of my realm.
newlywed....I live in NY, not far from the City..alot of people live here and commute to the City. I figure my prices won't shock them. 
Theresa I figured at 8 generous slices I should be able to charge at least 1.50 per slice for coffee cake. About the same for a muffin or scone. what do you think? Cookies will be 8 per pound for the regular. My oversized Pbutter and Chocchip will go for 2.00 per cookie.
The deal I have with him will probably come down to a percentage. I'm not sure that I want him buying my stuff from me. I would rather have him sell it and then give him a percentage. I can use his kitchen and his staff will be doing most, if not all of the selling for me.
I think it's great that you are using THEIR kitchen to bake, saving you costs on energy, etc. And they are getting you your products at wholesale. I would certainly check with other bakeries or delis in the area to see what they are charging for these items. Sorry, I'm new to all of this, too, and it will be very helpful for me as I want to do things other than cakes, too, but DON'T HAVE A CLUE as to how to charge for things. Anything you sell is relative to what others pay in the area, really. You can charge more or less but then you may either be setting yourself up for failure (if it's too much people won't buy it) or selling yourself short (nothing to show for you for your hard work).
Good luck to you. You'll succeed because I can tell that you want to !!!
Thanks aunt!!
I've been dying for a deal like this one to come along. NY is a pain when setting up a business, kitchen etc. I had checked into another location and the costs were just too darned high. 
So this came along and I jumped at it. I'm still working my FT job as well. ..so I am preparing myself for some long days and nights.
I think the market price really depends on where you live.
I agree.
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