I made the mistake of doing a consultation with a bride the other day before I'd set a price for extra sheet cakes to be served at the wedding...She wants a tiered cake for 100, and then 100 servings of sheet cake to save money you know. How much do you all charge per serving for extra sheet cakes? I had to make something up on the spot...I charge $1.95 per slice for the wedding cake, so just quoted her $1.25 for the sheet cake servings. She went with it! Do you think that is too much or too little?

The sheet cake price is ok, but the tiered cake may be a little low, depending on how much detail she wants. did she sign a contract?

I charge $1.25 for wedding sheet cakes, and $2 a slice for buttercream wedding cakes. I KNOW that it is too low, but i am still new to wedding cakes, want to get my name out there and get more experience, and then I will raise my prices. See what others in your area are selling them for.

ok, I just looked at your website and i think you are charging too little. Your cakes are beautiful!

I charge $3.00 for BC Wedding cakes. And $2.00/serving for "party" cake.

Thanks, Lisa...I know I am charging too little, but I am a new business AND in a new city and I really need to build up my portfolio, so I have decided to charge dirt cheap for the first year. A lot of people have advised me against this, but it's helped me book clients this summer and I'm really grateful to have them. I know it's difficult to raise my prices later, but I'm just going to do it!

I'm just glad to hear that I'm not charging too much for the sheet cake! After she left, I started thinking, oh, no...what if other people charge like 25 cents per serving!!!!

Oh, I meant Mommy Edzards...who is lisa?, haha!

You were right, I am MommyEdzards and Lisa....hee hee!

I charge the same for a tiered cake as a do for a sheet cake for weddings. I explain that I do not charge by design - I don't charge extra for basketweave or other special designs. They are getting the same amount of cake with the same amount of icing, no matter what pan I bake it in. I'm still delivering it and setting it up. It takes no more time to set up a cake for 100 than it does to set up a cake for 200.

No difference.

I feel the same way, cake is cake. If I do a sheetcake (and I try to avoid it like the plague, I actually try and talk them into getting their sheetcakes from Costco) they will get the same cake batter and frosting and filling so as to make it look like it came from their wedding cake, but no decoration, maybe a shell border or something SIMPLE! Definately not matching the stinking cake! I do charge less, also it is cheaper since I charge more for tiers than satellite cakes.

I have a spreadsheet I created to help me if you want a copy just email me at [email protected]

oooh, that is a very good point!

If you were in this area, I would definitely say you are charging WAY too little...

For future reference, I'd recommend keeping your sheet prices the same as you would for a comperably priced wedding cake. In other words, your base price for a slice of wedding cake is the same price to have your sheet cakes priced at. The reason is the slice is suppose to be the same size, why are you cheaping yourself out of hard earned money??? You are doing the same amount of work on the sheets as you are on your basic wedding slice, so why charge less?? OTOH, I know a baker here that has a TEENY slice for their flat, aluminum pan sheet cakes, they charge $3.00/serving, then they have a regular sized wedding cake slice that is $3.25/serving. What people don't realize is that they're actually paying MORE per inch of the sheet than they are for the wedding cake.

Just remember, you're doing the same amount of work, don't undercut yourself ever..

I agree that they are getting the same amount of cake, but there is a lot more stress and detail put into a wedding cake vs. one that will be cut in the back and no one will see. I can whip those suckers out no problem, but the actual wedding cake takes a lot more time and attention to detail . Most people in my area (KC) price this way.
I hate pricing You don't want to be the cheapest and you don't want to be the overpriced one. Most brides i have talked to just want the lowest price they can find. Your cake could taste the best, but they want el-cheapo!!!

In my area, the trend is "simple and elegant". I'm getting requests for wedding cakes that have no icing borders, no decor on the sides. The brides are attaching ribbons to the base or adding fresh / silk florals as the only decor. The wedding cakes I'm getting requests for are quick simple and easy. So there is not always a lot of extra detail in a wedding cake than in a sheet cake.

I would say, as previously mentioned, keep your base pricing the same for weddings and sheets and then add costs for the above-and-beyond decorating efforts that they may ask for on the actual wedding cake.

Cake is cake and it should cost the same no matter what pan you bake it in. If you charge extra for design, then charge extra for "design".