Do You Price Your Sheet Cakes The Same As Stacked?

Decorating By pamconn Updated 1 Aug 2009 , 12:23pm by Doug

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pamconn Posted 31 Jul 2009 , 5:04pm
post #1 of 14

I did try the search button first, but after the first page it tells me no topic exists-so here is my question:

Do you charge the same for a sheet cake as a stacked cake?

Is there a difference in the price if it is a simple buttercream, borders and no decorations? I'm thinking the kind that would be served at a wedding along side a stacked cake?

I know this has been answered before, I just can't find it.

Thank you for any help.

13 replies
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Kiddiekakes Posted 31 Jul 2009 , 5:28pm
post #2 of 14

I charge $2.00 per serving for simple sheet cakes..$3.00 for tiered cakes.If I am doing fondant accents,candy melt pieces etc I add from there.

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pamconn Posted 31 Jul 2009 , 6:55pm
post #3 of 14

Thank you. I know a 3 tier cake would be the same price whether it is a birthday cake or a wedding cake, but just wasn't sure how to price a sheet cake.

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Rose_N_Crantz Posted 31 Jul 2009 , 7:22pm
post #4 of 14

what you're describing would be a kitchen cake. Plain, no decorations, most bakers don't even put a border on them. They are not meant to be seen, they are meant to be cut up in the back so that if the tiers don't feed everyone, then the kitchen cake would fill in. If I sold cakes, I would charge a LITTLE less for those. You're still using ingredients and some time, just not as much as the tiered cake.

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Doug Posted 31 Jul 2009 , 7:42pm
post #5 of 14

price a kitchen cake for a wedding at exact same price as the main cake...

AND...

the kitchen cake should look, when cut, just like the main cake.

4" tall (that's 2 - two inch layers) with 3 layers of filling...in essence a giant size standard torted tier of cake.

after all -- is it really fair that some guests would get a cake 4" tall with 3 layers of filling and others "just" a sheet cake serving of two inches tall, no filling and a little smear of icing on the top?

----

this is why so many price by serving yield -- it is the same no matter the shape or style of cake.

a serving is a serving and my price is $x.xx/serving.

can you imagine if we did it McD's way?

Customer: I'd like to order a cake.
Baker: Ok, what size servings do you want? S, M, L, XL, Super sized?
Customer: well, Jethro and his kin will be coming so I'd better go with Super sized.

define those sizes if you will.

----

rather the industry has pretty much standardized on 8 cubic inches as being the "standard" size.

whether that's the 1in wide x 2in long x 4in tall wedding slice or the 2x2x2 sheet cake slice is immaterial. It's the serving size and the fee for that is $x.xx/serving.

If you want to tack on for "accessories" sure, but the base price is the same.

(it's like buying a car -- the base price is fixed. Then accessorize the dickens out of it or not as your budget allows)

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this-mama-rocks Posted 31 Jul 2009 , 8:08pm
post #6 of 14

Thank you for starting this thread!

A woman called me to price "just a sheet cake" for 35-40 servings for her DD's graduation. Wanted a fondant cap/mortar board with colored tassle, rolled-up diploma, and "something to reflect her interests and activities." I told her $85. She nearly fainted.

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tastyart Posted 31 Jul 2009 , 8:34pm
post #7 of 14

Most people expect to pay less for a sheet cake but I don't know why. It is still the same amount of food. As a decorator I would much rather make a lovely tiered cake or sculpted cake because it is more fun. I agree that the sheet cake should cost just as much per serving. Decorations and difficulty just add to that price (and fun).

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pamconn Posted 31 Jul 2009 , 9:10pm
post #8 of 14

Thank you for all the answers and sorry for the double post. icon_redface.gif My screen froze on post a reply and so I tried again.

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indydebi Posted 31 Jul 2009 , 10:25pm
post #9 of 14
Quote:
Originally Posted by this-mama-rocks

Thank you for starting this thread!

A woman called me to price "just a sheet cake" for 35-40 servings for her DD's graduation. Wanted a fondant cap/mortar board with colored tassle, rolled-up diploma, and "something to reflect her interests and activities." I told her $85. She nearly fainted.




I'd tell her, "Just a sheet cake is $45 ..... but what you're wanting will be $85 because of all the extras you're asking for." Subtle ... but lets her know that what she ordered is NOT "just a sheet cake".

I dont' charge extra for decorations on a cake, ergo I don't deduct for simple. I dont' charge extra for basketweave or lots of BC roses .... and I dont' charge less for just iced with just a ribbon wrapped around the base.

So I dont' care what pan I bake it in, it's all the same price.

What my couples like hearing is that they can get a grander, taller wedding cake for the same price as a dinky wedding cake with some secret sheet cakes hidden in the kitchen.

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tastyart Posted 31 Jul 2009 , 11:14pm
post #10 of 14

indydebi,
That sounds like such a great price structure! That way they will order what they really want and be happy with the result.....and you get to make cakes that are more fun and interesting.

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indydebi Posted 31 Jul 2009 , 11:30pm
post #11 of 14

I've never made a sheet cake for a wedding. thumbs_up.gif

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CakeDiva73 Posted 1 Aug 2009 , 4:50am
post #12 of 14

I don't make sheetcakes but I do have tiered cake pricing which is by-the-slice vs. by the size. Tiering cakes is a pain in the butt so I charge more.

As for kitchen cakes, what Doug says is correct in theory but plenty of brides have no problem serving some wonky, plain no-filling cake from the back to save a buck. I don't offer it, lol, but it's out there. And it ain't pretty....

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__Jamie__ Posted 1 Aug 2009 , 5:42am
post #13 of 14

Lol @ Diva....I hear ya!

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Doug Posted 1 Aug 2009 , 12:23pm
post #14 of 14
Quote:
Originally Posted by CakeDiva73

I don't make sheetcakes but I do have tiered cake pricing which is by-the-slice vs. by the size. Tiering cakes is a pain in the butt so I charge more.

As for kitchen cakes, what Doug says is correct in theory but plenty of brides have no problem serving some wonky, plain no-filling cake from the back to save a buck. I don't offer it, lol, but it's out there. And it ain't pretty....




they can't serve it if you don't sell it. icon_rolleyes.gif

so just guilt them into it -- or just "and of course your kitchen cakes will be........after all they ARE supposed to match the display cake" UPSELL!

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