Hi all I am just curious to see how many of you have price minimums for cakes...by this I mean is your cheapest cake X amount.? I am thinking of trying this as I am getting a ton of orders lately for more details, HUGE, cakes. I have actually been turning down some of the smaller cakes since my time just doesn't allow me to fit them in. I am still willing to do the dessert cakes that I offer. I am also thinking about doing Friday pick ups for anything that is not a custom cake that is due the weekend...ie. dessert cakes, that way I would have the rest of Friday and the weekend, to concentrate on the complex, money making cakes... This way the smaller cakes will not fill the slots for the larger cakes either...just curious didn't know if anyone had some suggestions, or info...thanks!

I upped it recently to $75.00.

I do... my minimum is $150 (and that may go up depending on how my current plans shape up).

Awesome Tara!

I learning my lesson...yes I have a price minimum of $40.00. Anything less is not worth my time and cost of supplies. For example I charge 1.75 a serving for a BC cake. If someone orders a 6"round that would only be $21.00. By the time I get all the supplies to make the cake I would only be making pennies not to mention the time I take me to make the cake.

After reading your question again I'm not sure my answer is exactly what you were asking. In my case I dont have orders streaming in so I have to have a minimum price.

I was wondering about this too. Jamie, your minimum is $75 - what do they get for $75? I seem to have people that pick a design and then once they hear they price, they want to know "what if you make the cake smaller" or "what if I don't have any fondant on it". It's not worth it to me to be doing $30 cakes...sometimes those take longer than the big cakes do!

I do. $140.

Just not worth my time for cheaper orders.

I'm fully booked every week.

I tell people that most of my cakes start at 50.00 because I use fondant decorations. Occasionally I'll do a flat design on a cake for 45 (9x13 or an 8 in.round) and even then I'll use fondant balls for the border That might be different if I just used BC icing but thats not really my thing. I guess I feel if I'm going to be staying up all night working on cakes, I want to be making some money doing it.

Basically like the little stripey cake in my pics. Or the quilted white cake (without tiara). And that is already as small as they come.

Tara $150.00!! wow do you get a lot of orders with that minimum? If I had a $150.00 minimum I would never sell a cake. I know I am charging way less than the average rate here in Orange county and even with my prices I get a lot of people I never hear back from.

smallest & cheapest (sheet) is 11x15 at $50; 12x18 at $75.
smallest round is 8" 2-layer. I wont' do a 6" round unless it's on top of a wedding cake or unless it's a free anniversary cake for a past bride.

Had one lady come in and wanted a sheet cake to serve 10. Told her my smallest sheet served 35 and it was $50. She said ok and wrote the check.

$120

Mine's $65.

$100 minimum and I don't care if you need 5 servings. I have a $150 for carved cakes, cause they cost more work. I notice at hom bakers are bakers that work in smaller quantities tend to have a cake minimum. Jaime you are very generous with your minimum.

wow....I guess my hubby is right (but I won't let him know that!) lol Thanks for sharing everyone and thanks for the OP

I don't have a minimum price...right now I'm happy to get any order I can! I'm sure as the orders come in I will consider it, but now it's not really an option for me.

I have a minimum of $120, so if I'm charging $4.00 per serving they can get up to 30 servings...but if they only want 10 servings, its still $120

I have a minimum of $150.

thanks guys this really helps,,,,I have been turning away the smaller priced cakes, one because I have been so busy, and two so I can allow the room to do the more expensive cakes. It isn't worth it to me to do a $35.00 cake...it takes sometimes just as much time, and the baking and buying the supplies is still the same. When I first started I had to take every order I could get, but now I am so booked that I have to turn away people. I would hate to turn away the $300.00 custom cake for the $40.00 dessert cake, that is filling the spot. Like I said I think I may make Friday's dessert cakes, if people are interested in them. I do have a 20 person minimum for all orders now. I had people calling for cake for 5 people....ummm seriously? I don't care if they are having 5, 8, or 15 they get cake for 20. I charge $3.00 for buttercream, and $4.00 for fondant, then fillings are then factored in accordingly. So people were thinking that if they had 5 people they were getting a cake for $15.00...I think not..not walmart here! That is why I did the 20 person minimum at least then it is worth my while. Thanks again!

Yep, a $35 cake isn't even in my vocab. As much as I would like to set a $100 minimum, I don't mind making smaller ones, but never under 6". Those little cakes are so cute, so quick, and easy money.

My minimum is also $75. For that, you get a 2 layer 8-inch round (or equivalent in other shapes) with basic, usually fondant, decorations, or a gumpaste spray.

my minimum is $100 but i'm thinking of upping it...

dailey... you have the cutest avatar!

thanks!

I decided a long time ago, that if I ever start selling, I would not touch a BC cake for less than $150, nor a fondant-covered cake for less than $200. I know I sound like a snob, but that way I can pick and choose the orders I work on, and work as my arthritis lets me.

Theresa

I have a minimum of $200 for wedding cakes and $40 for occasional cakes (which I'm considering upping).

Not that this helps you, but I also don't offer sheet cakes and I tell people that right up front. Not only do I not enjoy doing them, but it keeps away the riff-raff. Sorry if that sounds crass but it seems when people want a sheet cake-style cake from a "cake maker", they expect a better than supermarket cake but want to pay the same price as the crappy supermarket cake! Besides, there's a woman that lives right down the road from me that has been doing beautifual sheet cakes for years and I'm more than happy to send her the business -- she's doesn't like to do wedding cakes so it also works in the reverse!!