Right now I do b'day cakes, but my goal is to go to more large party & wedding cakes. Right now I am still trying to get my customer base up so b'day cakes, cuppies, cookies, etc. for me!
I'm just starting out but I'm trying to do only weddings. They pay so much better and I feel like I'm not wasting a lot of my time. However, this does mean that I haven't had any business for a few months, which is ok with me. My summer is getting booked and the word about me and my cakes is spreading so next summer should be pretty busy, plus I will be upping my prices a decent amount so I'll be making more money. Whenever I do small cakes I feel like I'm putting in so much work for not much profit. I don't enjoy doing those very much.
They are technically birthday cakes, but the budget and syle are weddingish. In fact, any birthday cake I did would be at least be a $100, seeing as I have a price minimum.
I just do birthday, I've done 1 wedding cake and it was soooo stressful. Maybe one day I'll get to the point where I do weddings only, but I will need a confidence boost.
The woman who did my wedding cake was a former neighbor who did all the birthday, 1st communion etc. cakes for the neighborhood when I was younger. When I got married 5 years ago she said she was only doing wedding cakes.
I do both. I find that birthday cakes are a quick and easy way to network to 10-40 people at a time, I always send business cards. Seems like every three birthday cakes I do results in a large event referral or a wedding cake. Birthday cakes are also a good way to work in new techniques. 
I do both , I offer birthday cakes for people just wanting a small simple cake and not have to go to the grocery store for a crappy cake or pay a minimum of 100 dollars in most bakeries. And if I can fill, ice, and decorate a simple basic cake in 30 min its not as stressful as doing a wedding cake. But I do prefer doing wedding and tiered cakes cause there more unique and have that wow factor but I cant do 10 wedding cakes in one weekend like I can with basic cakes. So i think its good to have a variety...... Ill take what ever comes my way.
Mark Mexicano
I do mainly wedding cakes, but I'll do birthday cakes if they're for previous wedding cake clients, or if they're larger or 3-D. If someone calls me for a sheet cake they're usually looking for an $18 cake, which isn't what I do 
Technically NOT an at home baker. Studio is attached to home, but since the whole place is a former business anyways and the entire block is zoned commercial....ok, so:
Really, a cake is a cake. So a certain person happens to be wearing a poofy white dress at the party...ok, big deal. But either way, I don't make anything that doesn't take hours and hours. Party=hours and hours. Wedding=hours and hours.
When I first started making cakes a couple years ago, all I did was birthday cakes. They ranged from $20 - $40 per cakes, with only a few wedding cakes tossed into the mix. I worked 45 to 50 hours a week as a Corporate Accountant, then rushing home to make cakes. I was pushing out 2 to 3 cakes a week and quickly burned out after a year. (Luckily, I lasted long enough to re-coop the 2.5K I had spent on all my pans and cake supplies). So, I quit for a while, and have only just recently started feeling the bug again. I love creating something that people get so excited over, but this time Im going to stick to doing wedding cakes, 3D cakes, and specialty cakes. Im not even going to open my oven for less than $75.00. I really enjoy doing 3D cakes best, but wedding cakes are a close second.
Not a home baker but....
Cake is cake ,I charge the same regardless why it is served, but I prefer to make birthday cakes.
They are just more my style and the themes are funner.
I agree the money would be better with a 200 serving wedding cake but my average price per cake is $200.00 something and I'm ok with that.
I get to make cakes I enjoy.
I'm still trying to get my name out there and bring in business so I am taking anything and everything cake related (birthdays, anniversaries, baptisms, weddings, etc). I've been doing this as a home business for a year now and it's still slow going for me.
I do roughly $1500 a week in cakebusiness, some are weddings, usually around 2 weddings a week then some higher end birthday cakes ($200 ea), average cost of wedding cakes around here are $2-$3 a slice, if that puts into perspective my business average a week
I have been a home-based baker for over two years now. I have actuall only done one wedding cake. I do a ton of birthday cakes. I dont mind it although I would like to get into doing wedding cakes more. Business is so slow, Im just happy when I get a call for a cake order anyway.
Birthdays during winter, wedding cakes during the summer. Thats just how it is around here I guess. Its been a slow season though. Slower than normal.
what about seeing if you can attend a wedding show-there's usually something coming up in the spring-have a booth, make fake cakes, maybe some cookies and a small sampling of popular flavours you offer along with your portfolio of course. you can hand out cards or a pamplet with what you offer that's unique, maybe have a draw for a small event cake (10" simple cake). i love doing cakes and i find if someone wants unique or to match a theme or tiered i get a call. now i have a lot of regular clients as well and word gets around. hope that helps. and i agree that cake is cake no matter if it's for a wedding or not-i put in the same amount of time and stress- i want it all to be perfect
I do mostly BD cakes and other types, I just recently booked 2 wedding cakes this summer. I agree the wedding cakes are where the money is, but right now any cake i do is practice. I also work 40 hours a week as a Human Resources Manager and have to do the cakes in the evening. Since i just started I have over 2,500 in tools, and accessories and just now started making more money on the cakes. I have a min. starting price which has helped in getting what the cakes are worth.
I started out only doing birthday cakes and not doing weddings or really large events. I am glad I did. I have learned so many different techniques and even stacking techniques through the 100's of birthday/shower/etc cakes. I am now adding some weddings and feel much more confident about it!
I do both. I find that birthday cakes are a quick and easy way to network to 10-40 people at a time, I always send business cards. Seems like every three birthday cakes I do results in a large event referral or a wedding cake. Birthday cakes are also a good way to work in new techniques.
I agree ! But I also have a minimum price for birthday cakes
I only want to do baby showers or birthdays. No desire of dealing with wedding cakes or Bridezillas or any wedding related stress. DH says I'll change my mind if the price was right but if it's not fun for me to do then no price is right.
I started making cakes a year ago last Sept and only started selling them in August last year. I work 4 days a week and then do cakes. I have only had birthdays, christenings so far however I do have one wedding booked for Oct but a very simple cake with just ribbon round the tiers and a bride & groom plonked on top so v cheap esp as its my first!
Am planning on doing a local fete for a friend with a 'guess the weight of the cake' stall and will have leaflets to give out. Am also planning on making soem dummies and getting some leaflets together and doing wedding fayres next year so heres hoping however I think starting off on bdays is def much less stress although you should have seen me before someone came to collect a cake the other week stressing they wouldnt like it lol
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