Currently I am charging about $2.50 for a basic round/square party/wedding cake. Decorations on top of that are easy for me to figure out. However, I have come across my first 3D cake order, and am having a hard time figuring out how much to charge.
They would like a cake similar to this one in the link below, with a logo on the cap. Done in all buttercream frosting only, no fondant work (and no stars). To serve approx 15-20ppl. How much would you charge for a cake like this? I am thinking of about the $80 range?
TIA!
http://blog.pinkcakebox.com/baseball-hat-birthday-cake-2007-10-07.htm
Okay, I have since edited the original link to the cake pic, so you can see the one specifically I was talking about. Thanks in advance for your help!
My 3D pricing starts at $4/serving, and depending on the complexity, goes up from there. I would consider this an easier "shaped" cake to make. You could use 1/2 of the sports ball pan for the cap...on top of 8" 2-layer rounds. No real 3D carving, just some slight carving on the outside of the 2-layer cake to angle the sides! Since you're carving away some of the 2-layer cake, you could bump it up to 10" rounds to ensure enough servings. I think $80 is fair for this cake....that's about what I could get for it in my area!
You know....I just re-read my post and I want to apologize for sounding a little "snarky" with my "I would consider this an easier cake to make" comment....that came out all wrong! I'm truly sorry and meant nothing by it! GEEZ.....I need to review my posts before I submit them!
Good luck with the cake!
I start at $5/serving, but sometimes charge more, depending on the situation.
Deanna
Some people don't do a per person charge; rather, they charge for the number of servings for the cake that is baked and needed BEFORE the carving takes place. As an example, if your rate is $2.50 per person and you bake a cake that will feed the 20 but yet it serves 40, then charge 40 X $2.50 or $100.
HTH
Paul & Peter
I now understand what Cambo meant in another post about re-reading before hitting send. In my first statement saying "some people don't charge a per person rate", my intention was that some people don't increae the per serving rate just because it's a carved cake. They simply charge for the cake that the originally uncarved cake COULD have served.
Hope this clears up any confusion.
Paul
Paul,
I know exactly what you mean! Some of my customers just don't get it....so I stopped explaining to them that although they need a cake that feeds 20, I had to "start" with a cake that fed 40 BEFORE I started to carved it down! So, I just factor all that in! VERY good point!
Carved cakes require a higher price.. #1 they are more work.. #2 like Paul said you have wasted cake. I start 3-D cakes at $250 and I require fondant, though I wouldn't charge that for this particular lil'beauty. It's not really carved too much. Like Cambo said you can use the sports ball pan for the body of the hat. The topsy turvy cake on the bottom is pretty basic. What I do I charge my normal #of servings.. but a higher price. So say it's a 10" round. A normal 10" round serves 35 and I'd charge $5/serving. For the whimsy look I make it 6" tall which add's 50% more cake.. but to get the shape you are carving off the servings you are adding so you are left with 35 servings still. So to compensate and make for easy math (not confused customers).. I charge $7/serving for whimsy shaped cakes.
I'd charge $7/serving for the cake. It'll compensate me for the carving and the building of the hat brim. Now you don't have to charge what I do, but the pricing should follow the same thought process. So add about 50% of your base price to your per serving price and you should be okay for your business.
I do scultped cakes as well and I am a little confused as to how I would figure out the total servings of the carved cake. For example I am making a purse cake using a sheet cake. I carve and carve until my desired shape is achieved. How do I know how many servings are left?
I do scultped cakes as well and I am a little confused as to how I would figure out the total servings of the carved cake. For example I am making a purse cake using a sheet cake. I carve and carve until my desired shape is achieved. How do I know how many servings are left?
4littlewops, it comes with practice. I know that doesn't help you much, but it's true. I've been doing it a while, and when a customer says they need, for example, a dog that feeds 12 people I know what to do right away. It helps if you start with cakes that are as close as possible to the size of the finished carving. You can go to my website at www.cakedalaska.com and see some of the cake sizes I start out with and how much I lose when I carve. The diaper bag cake, for instance, lost almost no cake to carving. Same thing for the monkey cake, except for having to carve down the sports ball pan for the head. You start to learn where to use scraps to make up part of the shape of the carving, too.
But for a rule of thumb, for someone who's just starting out (and I know you're not new to this) I would say they can expect to lose half of their cake to off-cuts. As beginners get better at estimating and planning ahead, they'll lose less.
Did that help any?
Deanna
yes, this helps. You are awesome to put free tutorials on your website. I will take a look at them when I get a chance. I would love to know the content of your dvd as well. What sculpted cakes do you cover on it?
Your work is amazing
Dina
Thanks, Dina. 
I'll PM you about the dvd. You can see the two main cakes that I make on it by following the link in my sig line. There are some additional photos at the end of the dvd lesson that show you can make a rabbit, cat or teddy bear with the same template and instructions that I used for the dog and lion.
Deanna
Carved cakes require a higher price.. #1 they are more work.. #2 like Paul said you have wasted cake. I start 3-D cakes at $250 and I require fondant, though I wouldn't charge that for this particular lil'beauty. It's not really carved too much. Like Cambo said you can use the sports ball pan for the body of the hat. The topsy turvy cake on the bottom is pretty basic. What I do I charge my normal #of servings.. but a higher price. So say it's a 10" round. A normal 10" round serves 35 and I'd charge $5/serving. For the whimsy look I make it 6" tall which add's 50% more cake.. but to get the shape you are carving off the servings you are adding so you are left with 35 servings still. So to compensate and make for easy math (not confused customers).. I charge $7/serving for whimsy shaped cakes.
I'd charge $7/serving for the cake. It'll compensate me for the carving and the building of the hat brim. Now you don't have to charge what I do, but the pricing should follow the same thought process. So add about 50% of your base price to your per serving price and you should be okay for your business.
Excellent explanation, Jeanne!
Deanna, I am so very impressed with your website. Thank you so much for your willingness to help those of us who have just started in this business. I have a passion for designing cakes but I dont know all I need to know, and probably never will but its great to know that you can gleen some knowledge from someone that does such nice work. My email address is [email protected] I wasn't able for some reason to see the dvd info so if you would please send me some info about this. Thanks again.
Teresa
Teresa, I'll PM you. Sorry for the delay, but I couldn't get on the site for the last couple days.
Deanna
Deanna
Loved the website; apparently from my name you can guess which cake i loved- thats right the monkey-she is lovely....the dvd is very tempting too....I dont do too many carved cakes but still it is handy to learn cool stuff....great work, very inspirational!
Thanks the pm! I just got back in town and plan to get right on learning more from you thanks. I will be ordering to dvd soon. 
I have finished my version of the cake (buttercream only), and it is posted in my photos if you are interested!
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