Purse Cake; Servings??? Please Help!!
Decorating By kden3980 Updated 3 Feb 2007 , 10:02pm by kden3980
Ok, here is the scoop, I just got a call from a cousin and one of her coworkers daughters is turning sixteen. She wants something girly and opinionated maybe a purse cake. So, I thought great! I always wanted to try to do a purse cake
Well she does not want to pay $40 or over for the cake (hmmmm maybe I should give her a single purse cupcake hehehe) I know that there will be alot of time involved with this, but i really would like the business to get my name out there. So I thought maybe $25-$30 for the cake. Oh yeah she wants it to feed about 30-40 people, so I was wondering what a standard purse cake feeds???? Or if anyone has any other ideas for me, maybe something involving a smaller purse cake and some cupcakes then I would feel alright charging only $25. Any ideas would be appreciated, THANKS!!!!!
Kara
New York
Please forgive me, but $40 for a purse cake is ridiculous. I know that you want to get your name out there, but I personally think that it's an abuse of your time and talent to want such a crafted piece of art work (and that is what you should consider your products and talent) for such little money. If you go into different cake decorator websites that have done purse cakes and offer prices, you will see that none of them run less than a $100; even Neiman Marcus is now offering celebration cakes and you should note the prices on their cakes for small cakes - like 6". Perhaps, what you should do is a 9" round or square, 2-layer cake and then maybe do chocolate transfers of different style purses as decoratives for the cake.
i'm sorry but i would have to agree with her....i went to the neiman marcus site and yes....she would be getting basically a free cake...
http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/catalog/47/search.jhtml?ip_state=&ip_autoSummarize=true&ip_perPage=15&orgUrl=%2Fstore%2Fcatalog%2F47%2Fsearch.jhtml&srcText=celebration+cakes
I have to agree with Moralna, do not give away your time and talent so cheaply just to "get your name out there". It may take longer, but a good product will sell itself even at a higher price, because people tend to assume that a higher price means higher quality. Kick this cheapskate to the curb and focus on customers that are willing to pay for quality!
I agree...Way to cheap.
I charge $60 for my purses...the Louis Vuittton one...Last week, I had a girl complain about the servings too...I didn't know how much it served...So, I dropped it to $50. Trust me. I wish I hadn't. I think , and I have learned...that everyone is trying to get a free cake.
I actually just told this (baby shower lady from hell) that at Zehrs (gorcery store) they are frozen..etc. (you know the speel). And that she is getting a carved personal cake...with lots of accents!!
Sorry don't know how much it serves either...but don't give in on the price!!
Kara, I'm one of the cheapest people on the face of the planet...and I'm telling you if she wants a 40 serving purse cake for that price ($40), it needs to be a buttercream 2D NOT a fondant-covered 3D!!!
Check out this link to see what I mean = http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-photos-by-christeena.html
No,No, don't do that! Make her a cake mix cake. You can get a chocolate transfer sheet with purses on it from Berly's Cakes. If you decide to go that route get 2 sheets. You can wrap the cake in chocolate and use the sheet. If you go to www.coutrykitchensa.com they show how to do this. I think ShirleyW also knows as well as I. It's still a little work but not near as much as the purse cake.
Yep, just what everyone else said 
Do you really want to be known as the cheap cake decorator, or the great cake decorator?
Some inspirational threads:
http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-47695-.html
http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-40955-.html
emmascakes
Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 07, 2006
Posts: 508
Location: England
Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 12:47 am
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There's no way you should do this, no way. I've always charged relatively highly for my cakes and have built up a reputation as someone who makes expensive, but very different, cakes - I'm sure I get more bookings through this and I only get people coming to me who can afford it and know what kind of stuff I do. If you start like this you'll find it hard to get out of the rut as you'll have to creep your prices up over time. Please ask the woman to get quotes from elsewhere. You would get more satisfaction doing a fancy cake for free for your real friends or family. She's asking an awful lot from you and you are worth far more,
taken from this thread:
http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-55059-.html
HTH
Thanks so much for the replies!!! I so totally get what you mean, so I drew up some sketches for her and did some price ranges and servings and of course she went with the cheapest, but it will only serve about 25, but I guess that didn't matter to her And it is not going to be 3-D, it is going to be a 13x9 sheet made to look like a purse Thanks so much for the advice, and loved all your ideas!!!
Kara
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