How much do you charge for a 6" cake covered in fondant? Something basic without too much detail. I am trying to figure out if it is even worth the effort to make such a small cake. I am just starting and still working on my pricing. any help would be much appreciated.
thanks
I charge $20 for a bc 6" that is about 4" tall....and unless I have another cake going, it's not worth the hassle. If it were covered in fondant, I would charge another $10 for it.
For a two layer cake with only buttercream filling and fondant covering my prices are as follows
6" round = $30.00
6" square = $45.00
6" Hex = $42.50
I wasn't sure what shape you were looking for so I just did a few =)
As for the hassle. I can make one batch of cake and icing and I don't have much left overs. However 6" is the smallest I will make. If they want smaller they are still paying the 6" price or higher
You have to make it worth your time to shop, bake, decorate, and clean up. It takes the same amount of time to make a 6" as a 9".
$50 is my minimum order. No point in cleaning the kitchen for less than that.
I just posted a response seconds ago on this very topic on another thread:
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-4498533-.html#4498533
6" round is 24 servings x $2.50/serving = $60
Same amount of time to bake as a 10" or a sheet cake.
You still have a cardboard and box cost, just like with a 10" or a sheet cake.
Smaller cakes are pain to work with .... I can do a whole sheet cake in about the same amt of time it takes me to screw around with a small one like this.
Overhead. If I am going to have to stop and screw around with a 6" cake, it's going to be worth my time to turn on the oven.
Excuse my ignorance in all this i am new to it all. I have two questions: !. do people actually pay 60.00 for a cake that small. i am having a hard time getting poeple to pay 30 for a plain cake. I have gotten 60 for a lrager cake but not a small one & 2. how do you cut cakes to get 24 out of a 6 inch cake. i need to know that secret b/c it will help me greatly.
people want champane cakes for beer prices. i need to find where the people that are willing to pay for my work live so i can move there.
Rebe - a lot depends on your area. Call around to your local bakeries and see what they charge for a 6" or 8" for buttercream and fondant. Do not compare yourself to a grocery store or Wal-Mart.
A lesson I learned last Saturday - a friend and I were out shopping and decided to stop in a well know bakery for lunch since neither of us had had eaten there before. I noticed that their dessert cakes and basic decorated cakes were just flying out of there. And their cakes are considered by many to be high end.
That is why i have such a hard time. The cakes from bakeries go for high rates but i can't find those people. i Have a couple of clients willing to pay but for them most part people think that because you do them at home you should give it to them for pennies. I have recieved compliments on the taste and decorations so i don't think that is the problem. i guess it takes a lot of time and i will just have to wait for my time.
6" cake is 14 servings.. fondant with BC filling starts at $3/serving for me.. Tht's $42.
I charge $10 for a 4" high buttercream frosting decorated cake. I think I am a little LOW, don't you think? But that is all people will pay around here...if I would charge more they would go to WM, so I would be cutting off my nose to spite my face!!
I charge $10 for a 4" high buttercream frosting decorated cake. I think I am a little LOW, don't you think? But that is all people will pay around here...if I would charge more they would go to WM, so I would be cutting off my nose to spite my face!!
But at $10 does that even cover your ingredients, supplies, and time? I can't see how you can make any kind of profit on one cake this small, unless you are making them in bulk?
You don't want to cut off your nose to spite your face...but you don't want to basically be providing customers with "at cost" cakes - with you throwing in your utilities, pans, tips, and expert time for free.
I charge $10 for a 4" high buttercream frosting decorated cake. I think I am a little LOW, don't you think? But that is all people will pay around here...if I would charge more they would go to WM, so I would be cutting off my nose to spite my face!!
Accepting an order that puts you in the red is worse than not accepting the order at all. Is all the time you spend on this cake (including driving to get supplies, baking, icing, decorating, cleaning up,) worth whatever is leftover out of ten bucks?
That is why i have such a hard time. The cakes from bakeries go for high rates but i can't find those people. i Have a couple of clients willing to pay but for them most part people think that because you do them at home you should give it to them for pennies. I have recieved compliments on the taste and decorations so i don't think that is the problem. i guess it takes a lot of time and i will just have to wait for my time.
I quoated a price for a 16 Birthday party the girl wanted it to be 2tier stacked at first they wanted a fondant bow and striped in black and pink, its a 10in and 8in i told her i would call her back on the price, the girl even drew it out to what she wanted, i figured and figured it serves around 47 by wiltons standards, so i quoted her $125.00 and me delivering and setting it up,.so she called me back next day and wanted to take the bow and fondant striped off . we finally came up with a solution then she said please dont tell anyone what i gave for this cake, i looked at her and said oh no and please dont tell any one what i charged you cause no one else will get the same deal.
That is why i have such a hard time. The cakes from bakeries go for high rates but i can't find those people. i Have a couple of clients willing to pay but for them most part people think that because you do them at home you should give it to them for pennies. I have recieved compliments on the taste and decorations so i don't think that is the problem. i guess it takes a lot of time and i will just have to wait for my time.
Those pretty little cakes that sell for such high prices in chi-chi bakeries are impulse buys, which won't happen with people ordering cakes. It's the same reason you'll spend $22 on mascara at Neiman Marcus, but would never think about it when the Avon lady drops off her catalog.
I actually am considering giving up selling cakes. I love making cakes so i will continue to make for family but i am beginning to think it is not worth all the aggravation. People want to haggle like they are at a flea market. Maybe one day i will be able to open up a place but for now i will just do it for fun.
They'll haggle if you let them.. if you don't want them to haggle with you be firm on your pricing. "Sorry.. we don't give discounts. We are custom bakery and are priced accordingly. I am sorry that we aren't a fit for your budget. You can try X, Y, and Z bakeries to see if they can help you." 
People will nickle and dime you to death if you allow it to happen. They know what your cakes are like.. if they want them they will pay.. if not?? Focus youe business elsewhere. Unless you are not legal you can advertise anywhere.. advertise where the higher end clients will see your work.
I actually don't allow people to haggle. I tell them what i charge and that is it. you either pay for it if you want it or don't. I only allow my family to pay whatever they want. The thing is when i give my proce then they decide to go with the grocery store. i don't mind nor do i back down i just get a lot more people that are looking for cheap prices than the people who are willing to pay for your work. i know it will not happen over night, It is very frustrating the way some people get.
I have to chime in on this one..................I own a storefront cake shop,I have been there 4 1/2 years............Im located in Florida............I guess Im considered high end for the "area"........but when I hear the prices ya'll charge Im shocked!! 
Of course Im located in CHEAPASSVILLE!!!
The only reason I consider myself "high end" is because Publix or Walmart is the only other place to buy a cake.(so maybe "high end"only exists in my head 
)
anyway..............I wont make a 6 inch cake to sell.....not worth my time....but I will make a 4 inch charm cake that starts at $20.00......I dont sell a whole lot of those 
I just quoted $50 for a 6" today and thought I was short changing myself because of how much time will go into it. I'm not Walmart, Super Target, the grocery store, Sam's, or Costco. It's custom and baked fresh, my buttercream is completely scratch.
They aren't coming to me for a grocery store cake, they're coming to me for a custom designed piece of edible artwork.
I agree with the others, set your minimum order and what they get for the $. It's hard to turn down even the small orders, but your work is valuable.
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