I agree, $2 per custom cupcake is very low! Specially if you are piping all those figures, that is a LOT of work! I usually charge more for piping than fondant cut-outs.

Now speaking about princing cupcakes, how much would you charge for these?

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1220546

I quoted $3 each and well, they still have to get back to me... My Mom said I should charge $2, she made me doubt!

DO NOT BACK DOWN!!!!!!!!!! Later on when you want to charge the price they should rightfully be, you'll run into trouble with "spoiled" customers. Stick to your price, stick to what you know your work is worth. If you back down, then people might think you are not that confident of your work - and you should be.

I would say $3 easy !

I agree with fiddlesticks--That is a lot of time consuming work when each one is different. People have been really spoiled by Sam's & Costco, but they don't realize that they pay a lot less than we do for ingredients and they don't bake theirs on site.

so , she left me a voicemail.... Apparently that is too much so she is wondering about a cake instead.... Which will be cheaper than making EIGHTY individual circus designs. But I have a 3 tier graduation cake and a 2 tier birthday cake.... I think that is enough for one weekend. I'll probably just pass.

I to am having trouble pricing these. They do take a lot of ingredients and I use bettercreme which is about 4 dollars to cover 2 dozen cupcakes. I have a request for 25 cupcakes with a teapot theme. I was going to do fondant teacups on 1/2 and then teapots on the other 1/2, however, when I thought about the work it would take and the price I would be sure to get, about 2$ a piece, I have decided to do fondant gerber daisys and chocolate butterflies from hello cupcake. So do you think I should charge 2 or 2.50? Hmm,she is a teacher at my daughter's school so I don't want word to get around that I am to expensive, but I don't want to be stuck making amazing cupcakes with so much detail for 2 bucks a piece either! Hmmm....any suggestions? Sorry if I am taking away from the original post

I don't know why she would think a cake would be cheaper. 1 cupcake =1 serving & 1 piece of cake = 1 serving. Cakes take longer to bake, longer to cool, you'd probably have a filling & then icing that baby & she'd probably want something ornate on the cake too, so more money. Granted you won't be icing that many cupcakes, but if you make a mistake icing a cupcake it's no big deal, if you smudge a cake, uh oh!

Dee1219...If your worried $ 2.50 Is to much go for $2.25 ? But of you think you can get $ 2.50 I would go for it !Once others see them and want to order will you be happy for anything under $2.50 ? Bettercreme isnt cheap ! make sure your getting that cost back !

A lady who owns a local specialty kitchen wares shop ased me to do 200 cupcakes for a graduation party, when I said 2.00 each she said she would have to think about it, and call me back. No call back, but she thinks nothing of charging 7.00 for a spatula or 3.00 for a tin cookie cutter!! Some people!

ABSOLUTELY - $2 was not too high of a price to quote for what you described the lady wanted. Too low - if you ask me. I charge $2 for simply decorated cupcakes - standard size - $2.50 for extra decorations and $3 for the jumbo cupcakes simply decorated - up to $5
SO - do not feel bad about your pricing! I have also learned that sometimes it is in our best interest to let them go on their "merry way" when they want to question the pricing - rather than come down and then slave for next to nothing. It makes me feel kind of stupid and I get mad at myself then! So I am slowly learning!

Nefgaby.. I would charge $5.50 each for that cupcake. So $3 is most definitely not too high.

Nobody stops to think that a cupcake is equal to a serving of cake. you can cut up a cupcake and make a 1x2x4" slice of cake with some left over. So they should charge no different for a cuppie and they do for a serving of cake.

i told a lady $12/ doz and she tells me Sam's makes them 30 for $11 and i say yes that's right... people are soo cheap

AMEN sisters! Thank you so much!

alicegop,

As a teacher, you know we are often challenged about our pay and how some people think since we are "off" during the summer, we are over paid! This does not stop of from doing what we love or enjoy, we just ignore those who do not know and do our job.

Same goes with decorating. There will be those who think we over charge and they can always get something cheaper. As others have said, they can go buy those others as you have a reputation to maintain. You are doing this for fun and again, it is something you enjoy. Ignore those who do not know.

Audine

Indydebi, I just loved your post about the cheap-o cupcakes. Wal-Mart sells them $3.99 for a dozen. Maybe that is what you were thinking.

UGH - I am off to bed (no really just to watch taped episodes of Ace of Cakes in bed). I have a serious problem!!!!

Amber

What people fail to realize is that the price of everything is going up! Walmart here charges $1 per cuppie now, and Sam's club just raised their prices on their sheet cakes (I have to stop by to get the free cookie for my son, so I glance). Gas prices are skyrocketing, and so is the price of food. Someone said (I forget who) that you cant even get your cake mixes for $.89 anymore. They are all a $1 or more!

The next time you charge someone $2+ per cupcake, just remember the last time you filled up at a gas station, and think about how the grocery stores and walmarts of the world have raised thier prices. Dont EVER feel bad for charging what you are worth!

I don't have a great feel for cupcake prices, but a specialty baker in town charges $2.50/cupcake (scratch cakes, no decorations) so that's what I charge. (unless they are elaborate, then they are the same as a cake serving)
I think $2 per sounds good. stick to it.

This is how I break down my cupcakes prices.

Basic Cupcakes are $3 each (min one dozen). They come in either chocolate of vanilla and iced with a swirl of chocolate or vanilla BC with sprinkles and are not filled.

Fancy Cupcakes start at $4 each iced in BC and $5 each with fondant and custom decorations are extra. You can choose any flavor combo and they are filled. Minimum one dozen per flavor combo.

That really urks me when people don't want to pay you for what your product is worth. For example, I starting baking a few months ago, just basic cakes, cupcakes and cookies. I sell my products in a conveniece store (the owner and I have an agreement). I made a 3 layer strawberry cake with strawberry filling and the people don't want to pay $2.50 yes I said $2.50 for a slice. If they go elsewhere, they will be paying more than that. What is up with people now a days wanting to get stuff for free. They don't factor in your time and the price of supplies let alone gas prices have gone up as well.

Benisha

When you guys talk about charging $2-$4 a cupcake you are talking about the standard size cupcake pan right? I feel stupid if it is because I've been charging $8 per dozen and using boxed cake mix. Maybe I will switch to scratch cake mix and charge more.

yes, standard size cupcake, isn't this amazing?

Stick to your price or you will regret it with every cupcake you ice. If they question it remember you are decorating 80 little cakes. My local grocery store bakery charges$5.49/dz for those dried out mini cupcakes that are slaped together if that's the quality and price they are looking for then that's where I refer them to. My first cupcake order I way undercharged and learnt from that!

I've really enjoyed this thread a lot. I'm a "new" baker to say the least. So on average most people charge at least $2 a cupcake for a standard cupcake, basic decs.

What do ya'll normally charge for the Jumbo cupcakes? I will not tell you how much I charged a friend for the jumbo cupcakes, big swirl icing and chocolate polka dots I did. Let's say it was WAY under priced, but I was just wanting the practice and to help out a friend.
I was thinking $2 a cupcake for the jumbos but obviousely that's a bit low based on what I've read here.

Apprecaite the feedback. Prices are so hard to figure out.

I use boxed... it is all about my TIME! Boxed tastes good, that is how they sell so much!

If I am just putting a swirl on the top I have to remind myself that I am NOT competing with Sam's Club. If they can get a dozen of them for $3.99. NOT A PROBLEM!!! GO TO THE GROCERY STORE! There has to be a reason they are asking you to do it instead of going to the grocery store.

We don't have the economies of scale that the grocery store has...

So think about it.
1 box of mix = 24 cupcakes + frosting + decorator bag + cupcake wrappers = $6.18
+ sprinkles or decopic if you're doing that.
+ box and other delivery supplies

+ electricity for your oven
+ soap and electricity to heat water to wash your dishes
+ gas to deliver the cupcakes
+ your TIME.

40 minutes to prepare and bake (make frosting while baking and cooling) + 30 minutes to swirl all of them and box them.

Time to deliver.... varies.

Let's assume they pick it up
6.18 + sprinkles+box+ at least an hour of your time to prepare/bake/frost. How much is YOUR time worth? $20 an hour?


So $2 for even a basic cupcake is low!

Now if you actually decorate the thing...........

so true it all takes so much more time at home, even if you use box mix!

I too think people don't realize they are getting a cake serving, it's just individual instead of all together. They would pay for a slice of cake, so they'll pay for a cupcake or go elsewhere! Save me some time & pain. Although I do like looking at some of the cupcake flavor combos