Just wanting opinions...this is my 6th cake....I want to know if I should charge for this cake...either just a materials charge or what...and if I should how much??? The cake is 2 10" torted layers with raspberry cream filling. It took me awhile to do ...because I am still not fast at ANYTHING lol. Also I want to look a little more professional when I deliver...where is the best place to get cake boxes? TIA and hope all has a great day today!!
Unless the cake is a gift, I would always charge at least the cost of ingredients. If someone has ordered it, have a set price to charget them - some people charge 3 times the cost of ingredients, but it all depends on how complicated the design is. The more cakes you do, the more confident you will get in pricing.
Oh my, I hope they would not expect a free cake to feed that many people! Yes, you should charge - figure your costs and multiply by 2.5 or 3 ......if you are not comfortable with that, charge 2x your costs. Your cake is a very nice one, too nice to be a freebe! I think your skills are just fine; don't worry, I am still slow and not the best also, but will not give away anything for free!
deb
The cake is beautiful. It sounds like they are aware they will be paying for the cake but I would always make sure the customer knows the price before hand. It will save you alot of aggravation for you and them in the end. I am sure they will love the cake. As far as the price, I'm not sure what the going rate for your area is but we normally charge from $1.50 per person and up depending on the cake. Just don't short change yourself.
Your cake is gorgeous and VERY professional looking!! You should be proud of your accomplishment and you should definitely charge her.
I know its hard to price your own work - I left college with a graphic design 'pedigree' 
LoL... and we took an entire class on how to price your work! (CC members, any interest in helping us newbies with a guide or outline on how to charge?)
Thanks for sharing your lovely work..
Ali in MA 
Your cake is so pretty...nice work!! If you haven't settled on a price, then try $30/$35.
As for cake boxes, try Michaels, A.C. Moore, Holly Hobby. Or even your local markets that sell cakes. They just may give you a box. It's worth a try. GOOD LUCK and keep those pretty cakes coming!!
Your cake is very pretty, nice details. For the boxes Michaels and Joanne Fabrics have them (at least mine does) but for the future try to find a local cake decorating shop to purchase supples like that. I always bought everything at Michaels but recently discovered how much cheaper it was at the cake deco. store. It also helps in keeping the price of your cakes down the less you spend the more savings you can pass on or keep the profit for yourself. 
I buy my boxes from instawares.com. You have to buy quite a few, but the prices are good. Also, uline.com
Beautiful cake! I would charge at least $30 for it. I buy my boxes from Party City they are usually around a $1.00-$2.00. Good luck.
Definitely charge for this! It is a gorgeous cake, very smooth icing, nice detail. I too, am just starting out and it is hard to find a price. I was planning to charge around $45 for a 10 inch...going all out with decorations, BC or fondant, filling of choice etc. I would adjust the price accordingly for a more simple design or extremely detailed. But at least charge her for ingredients. I dont think most people really even know how much the cake costs to make, and it costs more than they think when you start accounting for the extracts, butter, cake boards, foil, etc.
NICE!!! Make sure she orders from you often!!
I told her that if she needed anything else to call me...she said definately...she asked if I dabbled in fondant...
I don't yet..but hubby told me to go tomorrow and get what I need...posted a topic in General to try to get replies on exactly what I need to get started...decorating...making and etc of the fondant..
OMG how exciting!!!!! Good for you. I would go out and buy a few bags of marshmellows and powdered sugar tomorrow. Don't forget to buy crisco! Use the MMF redipe and start playing. It's alot of fun to play with. I think you have the hardest part of decorating down! I can't make my BC cakes smooth to save my life. MMF is perfect for making a cake look smooth. Good luck and post you pics.
$65 is great when you weren't even going to ask for anything!! WOW!! I wish I could get bc that smooth!! I stick to fondant cos I find it heaps easier... but that could just be me lol
I was so suprised when I got a phone call last night from one of the party goers (from where I delivered the cake). Ordering a sheetcake with camo on it. Now I am worried because not only do I have no experience with sheetcakes...but camo??? lol Luckily I posted a how to and got a few responses...finally think I can do it. I was surprised when I got the check! But hey I wasn't going to question it
OOH I think sheet cakes are nice to decorate. Nice flat canvas. Good luck, please post you pics!
I just wanted to show you a cake that I did for a friends mom. It fed about 50 people and took me a couple of days to make. She only gave me $20.00 
That didn't even cover the supplies. You got very lucky with this friend, just be careful in the future. Sorry the pic is so small. Oh yeah, and I wasn't even invited to the party!!! I had to deliver the cake and set it up.
Wow you were really lucky with your $65, but you should try and work out your costs how much are you going to charge the party goer, Remember she dose'nt expect it to be less than $65 and nor should she expect it to be.
amodeoandrea i'm sorry to hear about your bad experience but we should all remeber to quote our price first before. Some people don't want to pay more when they know they can go to the shop and get one for a quarter of the price. They don't understand it takes more to make one cake than to make a whole batch.
I still struggle with my prices and short charge people more than i should. I'm making a friends cake for her three girls for this weekend and 14 inch rectangle with disney princess on top. Charging £25 because she did'nt want to go to the shop and really wanted me to make the cake. Would normally charge at least £40 because i know the pictures are going to take ages.
Oh well good luck to everyone i no pricing is one of the hardest things to do.
Thanks for all the tips.
X
I just wanted to show you a cake that I did for a friends mom. It fed about 50 people and took me a couple of days to make. She only gave me $20.00
That didn't even cover the supplies. You got very lucky with this friend, just be careful in the future. Sorry the pic is so small. Oh yeah, and I wasn't even invited to the party!!! I had to deliver the cake and set it up.
OMG, you only got $20 for that?
I sort of feel the same way. I have a friend that buys cakes from me, she was the first one to actually purchase one so I was just happy to do it at first. But I make her 8 inch rounds with filling of choice and sometimes fondant or basketweave, RI flowers...you know the works usually and she pays me $15. I just dont think I can do it anymore! I just dont know how to tell her next time I need more. I started a thread about awhile back and got some helpful hints. So I am trying to be careful to set a price from now on BEFORE I do the cake. They will just keep expecting it for the same price otherwise from my experience....so hold onto the moneybags
I was so suprised when I got a phone call last night from one of the party goers (from where I delivered the cake). Ordering a sheetcake with camo on it. Now I am worried because not only do I have no experience with sheetcakes...but camo??? lol Luckily I posted a how to and got a few responses...finally think I can do it. I was surprised when I got the check! But hey I wasn't going to question it
Congrats on your order!
I always give prices first now. She couldn't have gotten a sheet cake from walmart for that price. Oh well we live and we learn. And I got to practice my fondant skills.
wtg on the $65. I was wondering why the heck you wouldnt charge for it afterall its a very lovely cake. Amodeo I think I would have taken the cake back home and ate it myself for the price boy did you get ripped off. I'm truly sorry for that cause it looks like a really nice cake and lots of work.
I think it is probably our fault as decorators if we dont give them the price beforehand. I honestly think that most people really just dont understand how much time, effort and cost actually goes into the cake. I dont think they think about all of the extra costs involved, or how long it really takes to make it. I never would have. So I feel I really have no one to blame but myself at this point since I havent spoken up. I am starting to feel a little resentful, and it isnt fair to my friend when I never say anything. Though I am sure there is always the person out for a good deal as well, but all the more reason to state your price and say it with confidence. I have to be careful not to say "the price of the cake will be $x....is that okay?? 
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