Ok, newbie here. Very confused about pan size vs. serving size. Wilton says a 10 inch round serves 38, with 2 layers. I make mine 3 layers, but I have the same amount of servings right? Not sure how to charge, when I look at what others charge not sure if prices are for 2 layers or three... Very confussed. My cakes seem to come out around 4 inches tall. Also do most charge by the serving or size. I have been thinking, $2.50 buttercream, to $4.00 for fondant per serving. So for a 10 inch square, 8 inch square, WASC, raspberry filling, vanilla buttercream, MMF fondant, with bow, and 2 MMF monkeys. What would you charge?

If your tier is 4" tall, that's standard. Many, many people achieve that by stacking 2, 2" layers. I torte my 2, 2" layers, so my tier has 4 layers, but is still 4" tall. Each layer is thin-ish.

The standard serving size is 1 X 2 X height (4")

Squares are the easiest to compute servings, as it's simple math. A 10" square serves 10 X 5 = 50. An 8" square serves 8 X 4 = 32.

I do not use MMF. I only use Satin Ice. But having said that, *my* pricing for fondant is $4 per serving, so for the cake in your example, 82 servings X $4 = $328. I have a $20 equipment charge for the cake drum on the bottom and the SPS system holding up the top tier. I charge $40 for a topper - any topper such as the bow. For figures, which I generally don't do, $10 each.

Total, $328 + $20 + $40 + $20 = $408 not including delivery.

However, those are *my* prices. Only YOU can set your prices in your market, based on YOUR cost of doing business.

Also, please remember that when you begin selling cakes, your state/city may require you to be inspected and licensed. You may need to take a food handler/sanitation course first, and you really, really should have liability insurance and at least consider being incorporated. Selling food is *business*. If your state/city requires you to be licensed before you can sell food, and you're not licensed, then legally you can't charge anything.