My base prices for tiered cakes are only 50 cents per serving less. The only reason I do them for less if that normally they are picked and less detail on what I have experienced. If someone orders a cake that is primarily a wedding cake for a party it will still be a wedding cake price. But most of mine are only 2 tier and have minimal decorations to them. But then again they are my base prices and that is how I state it on my site.
Thank you Patticakesnc. By the way, your baby's picture is adorable!
So when you figure how many people the cake will serve, you figure same amount be it a party or wedding?
I'm learning, anyone else with some words of wisdom?
I'm there with Texas_Rose. I don't charge for my cakes. I can't, I live in TX and we can't do them in our own homes.
If I could charge big money, that cake would be a minimum of $400. That would be for the draping.
The flowers, that's really big money.
You have to take charge! One thing I have seen on this site, is you can't sell yourself short.
You are an artist. Now let everyone know you are!
Since we're in the subject of pricing, I have this very important question,
What about non-wedding tiered cakes? If that was a birthday cake? In May I made a 3 tiered cake for my daughter because I wanted to practice and covered it in fondant. It was a star shape pan and 8" & 6" rounds. Someone asked me how much something like that would cost, I pointed out that it was fondant, and the decorations on it too, I said for sure over a hundred. I'm sure they thought it was a lot.
I've noticed that on the Wilton cake dec books, they give you the break down for how many party servings, and how many wedding servings. ei. an 8" round gives you 20 party serv. or 24 wedding serv. I know I spent my time on my daughters, so even if it's non-wedding cake a lot of cakes can take alot of work- right ladies? just look at all the cakes here at CC.
Please reply
You can call it a birthday cake, a celebration cake, a wedding cake, a kiss-my-butt-at-8th-and-main cake .... makes no difference to me. Same cake, same work, same price.
As far as serving size, I use the wilton wedding chart. If they want to cut the cake bigger they can. The cake is still the same price. If that means they need to order a bigger cake, then they have to order a bigger cake. KFC tells me that 2 pieces of chicken is a serving. If my clan eats 4 pcs, I dont' get the bucket for 1/2 price because it feeds half the number of people.
You guys are awesome - thanks so much for the help!
I planned on using a 12" round on the bottom, 8" square in the middle and a 6" round on the top. I am not going to be using gumpaste flowers - going to go with silk or real (depending on the cost of real ones at the time - it's a Feb 6th wedding - they love jacking up the prices of roses around Valentines Day!)
If I can get her to go with buttercream icing, what would be the best way to get the heavy swag to stay put?
Thanks again!
I'm anxious to see what others will say about fondant swags on buttercream. I can't imagine that would work! The buttercream would mess up as soon as you touch the swags to it, wouldn't it? You would have to reposition it and that wouldn't work with buttercream, right?
I'm anxious to see what others will say about fondant swags on buttercream. I can't imagine that would work! The buttercream would mess up as soon as you touch the swags to it, wouldn't it? You would have to reposition it and that wouldn't work with buttercream, right?
This is why I apply swags, dots, swirls, flowers, whatever at all, even the main layer of fondant to a firmly chilled cake. That way, no you aren't dinging and denting the cake at all. If you do ding it a bit, another trip into the fridge and a small hot spatula smoothed over it does the trick!
I think its easier to apply fondant to a chilled cake. SO is that the right size Jamie.....12 8 6 or a smaller square?
6 round, 8 square, 12 round. It is skirting dangerously close to looking like a 10" on the bottom though. But maybe not. If it were a 10" round on bottom, it could be extended with more icing and thicker fondant, and the 8" square above could be shrunk a bit with less icing and thinner fondant, making it fit just snugly. But, it's probly a 12" like everyone suggests.
I told her that if she still wants to go with a 3 tier - it would be way more than 50 servings. she is thinking about a 2 tier, but has not gotten back to me yet.
If she goes with a two tier - I am wondering, should I suggest two round tiers, or would the round bottom tier and square top tier would still look good by themselves??
I think a 10x6x4 round square round is a very cute cake--close to the right amount--but yah gotta tell, her prepare her for the petiteness--y'know upcharge for the fewer servings I mean if it doesn't hit your minimum--but it's fun to make a petite cake. Less is more or something.
Very well said Indydebi! Thank you!
It's so easy to second guess yourself, and to sell yourself short when you're beginning and learning. You're right same cake, same work and when you're practicing it takes longer to get it just right.
Us newbies, have a lot of trial and error ahead of us, but thanks to everyone here at CC will avoid a lot of that.
By the way Bellesmom, is there a Costco near you, flowers are always cheaper there, their roses come in bouquets of 2 dozens, last time I bought roses there I payed $16. Saves you time too, if you don't have to make flowers. And by looking your picture of the cake , it looks like you may keep a dozen for yourself!
[quote="makeminepink"]I'm anxious to see what others will say about fondant swags on buttercream. I can't imagine that would work! The buttercream would mess up as soon as you touch the swags to it, wouldn't it? You would have to reposition it and that wouldn't work with buttercream, right?[/quote]
Meh, I do a lot of fondant swags on buttercreme. But you're right, you've only got one shot to get it on there. Have to be right the first time!
Thanks Jamie, I got an 8 inch square and it measures on top corner to corner 12 and on bottom 10 1/2.......I am going to try it ...keep fingers crossed for me eeeek.....many first time things going on here for me hehehe....not trying to steal thread...but I love this dang cake....gonna turn it into a birthday cake if I goof, its only for me thanks for the help
Cool Madge! Why is there a diff in your measuring though? Should be a bit over 11 3/8 inches corner to corner. Any way you do it....where's this 10 & 1/2 coming from? Or am I the doof here?
(wouldn't be the first time....heh heh)
lol.......no I would say it would be me who is doofy....maybe I measured wrong...spent last 2 nights at ER so I am a bit droopy....I thought I got 12 diagonally on top of pan....and bottom it was 10 1/2 diagonally...h....I put all the pans together and its really gonna be close with the square, so I may trim it down a bit.......I am excited to try it......it could turn out to be my best~est birthday cake ever or the biggest mistake .......but I am still dopey enough to try
would you lay that drape in three sections...in three pieces rather than one really long one? Also can you use the air spray stuff to clean off keyboard to freeze stuff to cake? What is that I see them using?
Do a separate drape for each tier, trying to do one long one is a nightmare. Start from the bottom up. I always attach them with RI.
Well my cake is finished...OMG it is to date, the most difficult cake I have done. I could not work bottom to top with drapes, it just seemed backwards for me...they are really hard to do jeeze........they looked easy haha......tell me if you think its too colorful....its not as pretty as the one posted for this discussion, but I tried
You did great!
First time with a drape and first gum paste flowers??
Wow you did good--tons of learning curve there huh.
I really like the way it came out perfectly birthdayfuly rather than it looking bridal like the picture--you pulled it off great.
Btw--Happy Birthday, CakeBuddy!!!
Edna, how do you make your customers overspend on their budget? I have recently lost a perspective customer as the bride set her budget really low, I tried to accomadate and reduce my price but she wanted it ridiculusly low. In the end she found a bakers that would do her wedding cake really cheap. Her budget was £200. I quoted £240 with the delivery fee. The cake was worth much more, around £300 but I reduced the price. Her fiance later enquired about a wedding cake at a bakers near his office and they were selling a 3 tiered cake for just £100! I couldn't compete with that and there was no way I would have brought my price down that low, not worth the effort. I was really excited about getting my first customer, now I feel hopeless in getting customers.
Sorry I didnt get notifications on this topic
I believe that you shouldnt acomodate to a customers budget, they need to acomodate their budget to a style of cake they can afford.
You basically show them what their budget can afford and go from there.
When you loose a client cause they went to another place cause they paid less, dont feel bad. You need to teach people the kind of store you are and that quality is something that needs to be paid.
I dont think that me gaining $50 on a sale for a cake is enough money to cover my quality work, materials and all that is included with it.
Making cakes is time consuming and difficult. And people don't know this.
Stay with costumers that appreciate your work and dont cater to those who feel they need to be paying less.
Remember, for one good quality cake and a happy costumer, you will keep getting more costumers. Word of mouth is your best bet. You want the people to come to you cause you do qood quality work and not cause you do cheap cakes, cause then you will always have this problem as the type of costumers you will keep getting is those that think you do inexpensive cakes.
Edna
Edna, how do you make your customers overspend on their budget?
Usually if they dont have the budget I move them to something
that goes more to what they can pay for. Is not fair your work has to suffer cause they dont have the budget.
Teach your clients to go for what they cant buy or you will end up loosing money.
Edna
I think she meant to type: Teach your clients to go for what the can buy or you will end up loosing money.
Yes..thats exaclty what i meant!.. Spanish still my first language..lol..
Edna
Here is a 6" round on an 8" square, and a 6" square on an 8" round. You can see how one config works fine, and the other one does not.
Ignore the water spots.
I can't stop looking at the water spots now!....
Edna
I'm anxious to see what others will say about fondant swags on buttercream. I can't imagine that would work! The buttercream would mess up as soon as you touch the swags to it, wouldn't it? You would have to reposition it and that wouldn't work with buttercream, right?
Meh, I do a lot of fondant swags on buttercreme. But you're right, you've only got one shot to get it on there. Have to be right the first time!
I do swags all the time in buttercream. You just need a relly good buttercream. If it's too soft it wont hold as well.
Edna
Edna: I Absolutely adore all of your work! I also subscribe to your youtube videos. I'm a very visual person and your tutorials have really made a difference for me! I can't thank you enough for sharing.
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