Maybe we can all write letters to Ace of Cakes suggesting this. There isn't a place on Food Network, but here is the Charm City Cakes contact form link, and a copy of my message.
http://www.charmcitycakes.com/contact
"Dear Mr. Goldman and team,
As you know better than most, custom cakes require a lot of skill, time and energy, and therefore command a higher price. Recently a group of us on CakeCentral.com were discussing how many people watch your show and become excited about wanting a "cool" cake, however do not understand that such cakes are more expensive. We were wondering if it would be possible for you to mention the cost of each cake on the episode, so people have a realistic expectation, rather than expecting an "Ace of Cakes" type cake for a "Walmart" price.
Thank you for your time and inspiration."
Anyone want to join me?
Kathi
Maybe we can all write letters to Ace of Cakes suggesting this. There isn't a place on Food Network, but here is the Charm City Cakes contact form link, and a copy of my message.
http://www.charmcitycakes.com/contact
"Dear Mr. Goldman and team,
As you know better than most, custom cakes require a lot of skill, time and energy, and therefore command a higher price. Recently a group of us on CakeCentral.com were discussing how many people watch your show and become excited about wanting a "cool" cake, however do not understand that such cakes are more expensive. We were wondering if it would be possible for you to mention the cost of each cake on the episode, so people have a realistic expectation, rather than expecting an "Ace of Cakes" type cake for a "Walmart" price.
Thank you for your time and inspiration."
Anyone want to join me?
Kathi
I've already done this and didn't hear back from them! 
For those wondering about Ace of Cakes... quite some time ago, before they were super popular, they had it posted on their website that their minimum order for a cake was $600.
This was also when they did not do deliveries.
As we can see from TV, they do deliver now, but maybe that was because of the "show" aspect & getting the recipients reaction too.
Who knows, they may still not deliver to the general public and as far as their pricing...I am sure the minimum has increased with their popularity, workload and overhead.
Anyhow, $600 was their minimum listed online at least a year ago.
They deliver to the general public. they were gonna charge me a $900 delivery fee.
I was asked to prepare a cake for 50 guests, also. The mother suggested we exchange private instrument lessons for the cake as my son is her french horn student.
I quoted the price of $3.50/slice for buttercream and $4.50/slice for fondant. Of course, each had simple decorations. More elaborate details would cost more. Shortly thereafter, she declined the exchange due to shock.
Stand firm; supply price quotes up front; and NEVER let them see you sweat! I learned this lesson the hard way and have never resented making another cake.
***Yes, I know that we cannot bake out of our home in TX, but we were never told we could not barter.***
Just checked the Charm City website. http://www.charmcitycakes.com/
They are completely booked for almost all of 2010 and a good chunk of 2011, make 15 cakes a week, and have a thousand dollar minimum.
Must be nice.
So I guess we all know the pricing answer now, right? How much should I charge? $999. 
LESS than Ace of Cakes!
ya'll know I'm like the cheapest baker around CC LOL and even I would probably be offering something along the lines of a 1/2 sheet cake w/ a castle airbrushed on it and then set a 3-d modelled dragon figure.....but that's it for $50.00
Wow! That's nuts! My 12"x18"x4" rectangular cake (it's 2 layers), iced and filled with BC and simply decorated is $216. The castle airbrush would be another $25. The 3-d dragon figure alone would be about $50.
BTW a 2-layer (4" high) 9"x13" rectangular cake (often called a quarter sheet) will serve 58 2"x1"x4" servings.
I was talking about a single layer (2" high) 11x15" cake that serves 35...I normally charge $35.00 for it, so that would put the little dragon at $15.00, I've modelled a dragon before (simple one, nothin fancy) and it took me about 10 min. so i figure that comes out to $90/hr. for the dragon, I can live with that LOL
Oh and the airbrushed castle.....again, something simple.....a wooden door in the middle some stone look and maybe a tower on either side. Not a full on 3-d look to the pic.
I have a cake in my pics that was done with a bow around the middle. Mine was covered in fondant and i "glued"the ribbon and bow on with melted white chocolate. Not sure about buttercream. My bows are made in advance out of pastillage and the ribbon and bow tails are made out of fondant.
I was talking about a single layer (2" high) 11x15" cake that serves 35...I normally charge $35.00 for it, so that would put the little dragon at $15.00, I've modelled a dragon before (simple one, nothin fancy) and it took me about 10 min. so i figure that comes out to $90/hr. for the dragon, I can live with that LOL
Oh and the airbrushed castle.....again, something simple.....a wooden door in the middle some stone look and maybe a tower on either side. Not a full on 3-d look to the pic.
Just so you know, the 11x15 is a third sheet, not a half sheet. Also, you charge only a dollar serving? You are worth more than that, girl!
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