Does This Sound Like A Fair Price?

Decorating By amytracy1981 Updated 1 Jul 2008 , 1:01pm by FromScratch

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amytracy1981 Posted 30 Jun 2008 , 8:09pm
post #1 of 16

My SIL wants me to make a cake for her friend and she wants to know how much I would charge her. She wants the cake to be an 11x15 in sheet cake double layer (so 4in tall).
I was going to ice the whole thing in buttercream and then put Fondant flowers on it like on the middle tier of cake below. Then make a tweety bird out of Fondant to sit on top. I was thinking of charging $55 for this. What do you guys think? Is this a fair price?
LL

15 replies
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jadak Posted 30 Jun 2008 , 8:24pm
post #2 of 16

That sounds too cheap to me.

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pjmw Posted 30 Jun 2008 , 8:28pm
post #3 of 16

That much work is worth more than that. What is your per serving charge, plus more for fondant. Don't sell yourself shorticon_smile.gif (Easy to type...I do it all the time)

Paula

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aliciaL_77 Posted 30 Jun 2008 , 8:28pm
post #4 of 16

way too cheap. I charge $40 for a simple no frills half sheet 1 layer. HTH

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sugarplumfairycanada Posted 30 Jun 2008 , 8:32pm
post #5 of 16

Hi,

That sounds too cheap to me too. Figure out your costs and time and what you would charge if it wasn't family. Then offer the "friends and family" discount if you wish but make it clear what the actual price is. HTH

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aliciaL_77 Posted 30 Jun 2008 , 8:33pm
post #6 of 16

way too cheap. I charge $40 for a simple no frills half sheet 1 layer. HTH

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FromScratch Posted 30 Jun 2008 , 8:35pm
post #7 of 16

WAY too cheap.. a double layer 11x15 is 70 servings of cake. You should be charging a lot more. I'd say a MINIMUM $3/serving with all the work and the fondant modelling. I'd charge $5/serving if they came to me. I coudn't even make that cake for $55.

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KHalstead Posted 30 Jun 2008 , 8:37pm
post #8 of 16

I charge $30.00 for a 11x15 so a double layer one would be $60.00 with fondant accents (.25/serv.) the total would be $77.50!! So you've way underpriced that cake and I'm waayyyyyy super cheap!!!

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arosstx Posted 30 Jun 2008 , 8:37pm
post #9 of 16

I agree with everyone that your price seems low. You are making two cakes instead of one, stacking them and filling them with something - all that equals more cost to you.

Unless she is a dear friend and you are trying to give her a discount, I would raise your price a good bit.

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chutzpah Posted 30 Jun 2008 , 8:37pm
post #10 of 16

Oh yeah well, definately a fair price....










if you like working for free.

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MaryAnnPriest Posted 30 Jun 2008 , 8:45pm
post #11 of 16

You're worth more than that. Regardless of it being only a sheet cake you are doing more work that just slapping some frosting on.

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aundrea Posted 30 Jun 2008 , 8:58pm
post #12 of 16

hi,
let me add my 2 cents, actually ill double to 4 cents, which is what you should do (at the least) for this cake!
i just peaked at your pictures and you have talent, your characters are awesome!
dont under sell your talent.

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Zaxapi Posted 30 Jun 2008 , 9:15pm
post #13 of 16

Just wondering if you would only charge $55 for this cake what would you charge for your run of the mill 8" bakery cake ? icon_surprised.gif

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amytracy1981 Posted 30 Jun 2008 , 9:23pm
post #14 of 16

Thanks Everyone!
I thought that was to much to ask for. Maybe I'll make it a single layer sheet, she only needs 30 servings. I just like the way a double layer looks.
I guess I'm just afraid to ask for too much because I am thinking about what I can afford. And I couldn't afford $55 for a cake right now. LOL
My last sheet cake that I did for one of my SIL's friends, I only charged $45 for and it also had fondant accents too. I know "BAD Amy!" icon_redface.gificon_lol.gif
Well now I feel alot better about charging more and if they don't like it they can go to Walmart! icon_rolleyes.gificon_lol.gif

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cakegal Posted 30 Jun 2008 , 9:38pm
post #15 of 16

I think a single layer would be better, if that's what you're going to charge her. I know it's hard to charge family prices...ugh... don't you just hate that..
Good luck.

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FromScratch Posted 1 Jul 2008 , 1:01pm
post #16 of 16

That's a big problem. You can't think about it in terms of what you would be able to pay for..if you do that you will be paying people to take your cakes and you will burn out fast.

Sit down and figure out how much it costs you to make your cakes. It costs me $1/serving just to MAKE my cakes but I bake from scratch using high end ingredients and that is part of my marketing strategy. I firmly believe that no one should be charging less than $2/serving (and I am talking wedding sized servings). If you like the look of a double layer sheet then make her a 9x13. That'd be 45 servings that are a smidge bigger than the wedding slice, but I think that a single layer 11x15 would be more than fine. That'd serve 35 people a 2x2x2" piece of cake.

Figure out your costs and don't forget to include your time shopping, gas to get to the store, time to mix and bake, time to level and fill, time to decorate and time to clean it all up. It adds up quick. No one should be making a $5 profit on a cake.. icon_smile.gif

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