Fair Price?

Decorating By cheekysweets Updated 26 Nov 2006 , 3:41am by cakes-r-us

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cheekysweets Posted 25 Nov 2006 , 5:04pm
post #1 of 9

I am making the wilton stroller for a baby shower and a 2nd cake for extra servings. The stroller cake is vanilla with choc ganche filling and the flowers are made from fondant not RI drop flowers. The second cake is a 9x13 2 layer vanilla cake with canolli cream filling icind in BC. Total servings for 60 I know there will be extra servings. I priced it at $180. What do you think? TIA Maria

8 replies
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reenie Posted 25 Nov 2006 , 6:49pm
post #2 of 9

I think that's pretty high. How many flowers are you makeing and are they going to be botaniclly correct? If so and you're making like 20 or more flowers, then I'd charge $100 tops. $3 a serving for a shower cake seems really high... I guess I'd have to see it to say yes, go ahead and charge them the $180 in all fairness. But one thing is for sure, you don't want to under charge either. As a rule of thumb I usually charge $20 for evry batch of batter I use... I still get my money for the cost of cake back and the rest is for mua.

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cakefairy18 Posted 25 Nov 2006 , 7:06pm
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i dont think that's high at all....canoli filling is expensive!!! i think you priced perfectly...

if u only charge $20 per cake batch...where's the money for u?? lets say u make a small cake that requires only one batch of cake...if the ingredients cost u $5...plus board and box...lets say another $3...that leaves u with $12...lets say u work 2 hours on the cake...that's only $6/hour...wayyyy undercharged...

now, if u took that same cake that serves lets say...15 for arguments sake...and charged $3/servings, that would be $45...so $8 ingredients and board/box, leaves u with $37, divided by the same 2 hours of work is $18.50 per hour...and that's what u want to be doing...making a profit...now, lets say it even takes u 3 hours that would be $12/hour...

if u are in this for the business, you charged enough...just my 2 cents

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mom2csc Posted 25 Nov 2006 , 7:08pm
post #4 of 9

$3 a serving does seem a litle high for a shower cake, but that is without seeing pictures. What did the customer think? Have you priced similar cakes in your area? Going rates in your area make a big difference in what you can charge. JMO

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cakefairy18 Posted 25 Nov 2006 , 7:13pm
post #5 of 9

oh...and i should say that the $5 for ingredients does not apply for the canoli fillign because i small container of ricotta cheese will cost u that much and you will probably need a few...

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darcat Posted 25 Nov 2006 , 7:14pm
post #6 of 9

I dont get this thing some people have about how much they make an hour. It just doesnt make sense to me I mean to me cake decorating is an art and as so it should be priced by the final product as well as the size. I compare it to such like a painter or quilter or sculptor it could take them months sometimes years to finish a piece if they went by how much they make an hour no one would be able to afford it. Especially if you are working from home then you have the luxury of working on it when you can or want to. It's not like your at a store where they are paying you by the hour. I dont know just my honest opinion.

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ladyonzlake Posted 25 Nov 2006 , 7:18pm
post #7 of 9

For the stroller cake I would charge $2.50 plus .50 for ganache...$3.00 per serving. For the sheet cake I would charge $1.25 plus .50 for the canoli filling...$1.75 per serving.
Jacqui

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cheekysweets Posted 26 Nov 2006 , 3:34am
post #8 of 9

I finished the cake it is in my photos.

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cakes-r-us Posted 26 Nov 2006 , 3:41am
post #9 of 9

I agree with you darcat, I never figure up an hourly wage. I think making cakes is priced by the cakes. If I do 3 $30 cakes = $90 supplies may cost $30, I profited $60 for the day. I don't think you can base pricing on hourly.

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