What should I charge for this wedding cake? Stacked 12-10-8. Bottom layer Red Velvet, Middle layer Carrot Cake, Top Layer Pumpkin Spice Cake. The bride only wants buttercream icing on it and no fillings. She doesn't want any frills, piping or flowers just a plain white iced cake with a ribbon around the bottom of each layer (she is buying the ribbon herself). I'm so afraid of over pricing this cake. I'd appreciate your input.
Figure up how many servings it will be and charge $2.00 to $2.50 per serving. If and when you make one using fondant charge $4.00 per serving! I read that on a local bakery website today!
If you are just starting out maybe charge a little less. That's what I will do when I get my first wedding cake order. But once I get established and get more wedding cake orders I will go up to the above price! Right now I'm just doing birthdays, etc. I may have my first wedding August 1.
HTH!
WOW, doesn't get much easier than that huh? What is the going rate in your area? What do YOU think you can do this cake for?
Thanks for your advice. I think I will have $35-$40 in ingredients and supplies for this cake. This is my first wedding cake. I was hoping for something a little more challenging, but I guess I have to start somewhere. As for the going rate in my area I'm clueless. The only other bakeries in my town are Walmart and Foodland. I don't think there is a "cake shop" in this entire county.
1. To me a "simple" non decorated cake is the most difficult. No decor to hide the inevitable little flaws. I always talk them into pearls or dots.
2. How are you handling the ribbon. Personally I only use fondant ribbon as I am sure that is food safe. I don't believe that the dyes used in fabric ribbon would be. At least ash it first, as at a minimum it may have been handle by lots of people in the store.
3. Most cake toppers are sized for a 6" top tier, as that is sort of a standard in the biz. It does depend on what you've designed, though, especially related to the topper.
4. 8/10/12 = 119 per the Wilton chart. And you definitely should be using the Wilton hart for wedding servings.
5. Congratulations on getting legal and licensed.
Wow, such a basic design. Leah is right. No way to cover anything up. lol
You really should do some calling around to other bakeries to get their prices so you can be somewhat competitive. You don't want to start out too low and have to try to build up your prices after that. Unfortunately, price depends on area, and what kind of demand you are in. If you are in a well populated area, and there are not very many bakeries, then you can be quite free with your choice in pricing. It can be hard to establish if you are first starting out, but after you do some high dollar cakes, and do some intensive laboring cakes, then you will get quite comfortable quoting your prices. I don't even blink an eye now when I quote price. My grandpa always said, " If they have to ask how much, then they can't afford it." lol Now I don't act like every person that calls for a cake is rich, I just don't bargain with my customers. I honestly wouldn't take less than $350 for that cake. It's three different flavors, tiered construction, and it's gonna be a pain in the a$$ to keep it flawless looking! Best of luck to you, and remember that your cakes are worth paying for your LABOR, not just supplies!
Congrats on your first wedding cake!
leahs is spot on about the style. A simple, plain iced cake often takes the most time and concentration to pull off.
If you don't have any cake shops or bakeries in your area for price comparison, then stick with the calculation from your supplies, ingred., $/hour for labor, and gas plus time for shopping.
I'd charge approx. $400 for that cake, not including delivery.
Best of luck!! 
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