Need Some Advice Please

Decorating By amcakemaker2011 Updated 16 Apr 2011 , 12:25am by JanH

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amcakemaker2011 Posted 15 Apr 2011 , 12:23am
post #1 of 16

I am just starting out on making pretty cakes with themes. I have orders already which is awesome so i am not charging that much. On May 6, I am doing a baby's 1st birthday cake. They want a 6" cake for the baby turning 1 all done in chocolate, and then they want a 1/2 sheet cake done in a cow theme. How much should i charge for this one?


On July 16 i have another child's birthday cake, she is turning 2 yrs old. They want her cake a 2-tier. They want a Pond on the bottom tier with Neon colors, fish, bubbles, and the pond will be done in gel. Her cake is tie dyed in pink & Purple. With her cake being White. How much would you charge for this one?

On July 30, just 2 weeks from the other one. I am doing a 3-tier wedding/anniversary cake. Buttercream icing, white cake, Silver Ribbon around the tiers, sugar beads on the cake. How much would you charge for this one?

15 replies
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CupQuequito Posted 15 Apr 2011 , 12:35am
post #2 of 16

It depends on your area, and what others are charging, to be competitive. I charge $3pp, and go up from there with designs.
Wedding cakes start at $3.50 and go up from there.

HTH

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amcakemaker2011 Posted 15 Apr 2011 , 12:43am
post #3 of 16
Quote:
Originally Posted by CupQuequito

It depends on your area, and what others are charging, to be competitive. I charge $3pp, and go up from there with designs.
Wedding cakes start at $3.50 and go up from there.

HTH





Okay so i would be okay by saying $45 for the bday cake and $45 for the wedding cake? Or should it be more like $70 to $80 for the wedding cake. Only charging for materials

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FromScratchSF Posted 15 Apr 2011 , 1:07am
post #4 of 16

Hello new people! Welcome!

First I suggest looking all over these boards for the countless threads asking the exact same question over and over, most of the threads have lots of in-depth information about your question.

There are 2 quick answers - are you legal in your area? If you are not legal, then the answer is zero. You cannot legally charge for a baked good (even if you are just charging for ingredients) unless you are licensed and working out of a health department approved kitchen. You need to check licensing requirements and if your state/county allows home-baking. Lots do not and you can get in a lot of trouble. As harsh as this sounds, since this is a forum filled with professionals this is a pretty standard answer from us.

Second, nobody can tell you how much to charge. If you are serious about starting a business you have to do your homework as to your cost of your ingredients and overhead. Checking what Sally Cake Shop charges and then using that as a model on how much you should charge is not where you should start. First, Sally Cake Shop has experience, buys in bulk, equipment rental, employees, overhead, insurance etc. These are all things you probably don't have, so how can you base your pricing off it?

Anyway, I really suggest you do a quick search here, as I said this question is asked daily.

Good luck,

Jen

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amcakemaker2011 Posted 15 Apr 2011 , 10:29pm
post #5 of 16
Quote:
Originally Posted by FromScratchSF

Hello new people! Welcome!

First I suggest looking all over these boards for the countless threads asking the exact same question over and over, most of the threads have lots of in-depth information about your question.

There are 2 quick answers - are you legal in your area? If you are not legal, then the answer is zero. You cannot legally charge for a baked good (even if you are just charging for ingredients) unless you are licensed and working out of a health department approved kitchen. You need to check licensing requirements and if your state/county allows home-baking. Lots do not and you can get in a lot of trouble. As harsh as this sounds, since this is a forum filled with professionals this is a pretty standard answer from us.

Second, nobody can tell you how much to charge. If you are serious about starting a business you have to do your homework as to your cost of your ingredients and overhead. Checking what Sally Cake Shop charges and then using that as a model on how much you should charge is not where you should start. First, Sally Cake Shop has experience, buys in bulk, equipment rental, employees, overhead, insurance etc. These are all things you probably don't have, so how can you base your pricing off it?

Anyway, I really suggest you do a quick search here, as I said this question is asked daily.

Good luck,

Jen





Us new people appreciate your input, but on the other hand you did not have to be rude about any of it like you where on here. Who cares if we are new to making beautiful cakes. That is what gives us practice so we can be perfect on things. When we turn it into a business like some of you have then that will be a different story. You had to start somewhere in your business as well as we have too. So i would really appreciate if you kept your comments to yourself and not be rude or anything to anyone that is new at making beautiful cakes Jen

Thanks

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amcakemaker2011 Posted 15 Apr 2011 , 10:32pm
post #6 of 16
Quote:
Originally Posted by FromScratchSF

Hello new people! Welcome!

First I suggest looking all over these boards for the countless threads asking the exact same question over and over, most of the threads have lots of in-depth information about your question.

There are 2 quick answers - are you legal in your area? If you are not legal, then the answer is zero. You cannot legally charge for a baked good (even if you are just charging for ingredients) unless you are licensed and working out of a health department approved kitchen. You need to check licensing requirements and if your state/county allows home-baking. Lots do not and you can get in a lot of trouble. As harsh as this sounds, since this is a forum filled with professionals this is a pretty standard answer from us.

Second, nobody can tell you how much to charge. If you are serious about starting a business you have to do your homework as to your cost of your ingredients and overhead. Checking what Sally Cake Shop charges and then using that as a model on how much you should charge is not where you should start. First, Sally Cake Shop has experience, buys in bulk, equipment rental, employees, overhead, insurance etc. These are all things you probably don't have, so how can you base your pricing off it?

Anyway, I really suggest you do a quick search here, as I said this question is asked daily.

Good luck,

Jen





Also Jen where i live you can bake them out of your home and you can ONLY charge for materials, what you pay to bake the cake and decorate it. You can not do a business out of your home though. thanks

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costumeczar Posted 15 Apr 2011 , 10:38pm
post #7 of 16

Jen's answer wasn't at all rude. Now I'll answer your questions based on the information that you've given, and I have no doubt that it will be taken as rude.

If you can only charge for your ingredients, like you said, then the amount that you would charge would be the cost of your ingredients. To get this total, you can add up how much the ingredients cost you. This will depend on how much you spent at the store, so because we can't tell how much that would be, you should figure it out from your costs and go from there to add up how much it was.

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amcakemaker2011 Posted 15 Apr 2011 , 10:59pm
post #8 of 16
Quote:
Originally Posted by costumeczar

Jen's answer wasn't at all rude. Now I'll answer your questions based on the information that you've given, and I have no doubt that it will be taken as rude.

If you can only charge for your ingredients, like you said, then the amount that you would charge would be the cost of your ingredients. To get this total, you can add up how much the ingredients cost you. This will depend on how much you spent at the store, so because we can't tell how much that would be, you should figure it out from your costs and go from there to add up how much it was.




Thank you so much for answering this. I actually have already found out with all my materials today on how much everything will cost me. Your reply was not rude at all, but hers was rude. But thanks again for your help.. Thank you

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costumeczar Posted 15 Apr 2011 , 11:01pm
post #9 of 16
Quote:
Originally Posted by amcakemaker2011

Quote:
Originally Posted by costumeczar

Jen's answer wasn't at all rude. Now I'll answer your questions based on the information that you've given, and I have no doubt that it will be taken as rude.

If you can only charge for your ingredients, like you said, then the amount that you would charge would be the cost of your ingredients. To get this total, you can add up how much the ingredients cost you. This will depend on how much you spent at the store, so because we can't tell how much that would be, you should figure it out from your costs and go from there to add up how much it was.



Thank you so much for answering this. I actually have already found out with all my materials today on how much everything will cost me. Your reply was not rude at all, but hers was rude. But thanks again for your help.. Thank you




Great! Make sure that you add in all the boards and stuff like that. Sometimes people forget to add in the cost of the boards too. That can add up fast.

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FromScratchSF Posted 15 Apr 2011 , 11:10pm
post #10 of 16

Amcakebaker,

icon_eek.gif

Wow, what a totally crappy response to someone that gave you sound business advice.

Me thinks you are a troll.

Please fellow CCers, don't feed the troll.

Jen

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amcakemaker2011 Posted 15 Apr 2011 , 11:51pm
post #11 of 16
Quote:
Originally Posted by costumeczar

Quote:
Originally Posted by amcakemaker2011

Quote:
Originally Posted by costumeczar

Jen's answer wasn't at all rude. Now I'll answer your questions based on the information that you've given, and I have no doubt that it will be taken as rude.

If you can only charge for your ingredients, like you said, then the amount that you would charge would be the cost of your ingredients. To get this total, you can add up how much the ingredients cost you. This will depend on how much you spent at the store, so because we can't tell how much that would be, you should figure it out from your costs and go from there to add up how much it was.



Thank you so much for answering this. I actually have already found out with all my materials today on how much everything will cost me. Your reply was not rude at all, but hers was rude. But thanks again for your help.. Thank you



Great! Make sure that you add in all the boards and stuff like that. Sometimes people forget to add in the cost of the boards too. That can add up fast.





Oh i did not know that. So the boards you use too you add it in? Thank you so much.

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AnotherCaker Posted 15 Apr 2011 , 11:55pm
post #12 of 16
Quote:
Originally Posted by amcakemaker2011

Your reply was not rude at all, but hers was rude.




Well then you're gonna hate me. How on earth can you not add in the cost of a board? Some of mine cost up to $12 when I have to go buy one at the store. Sheesh.

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AnotherCaker Posted 15 Apr 2011 , 11:59pm
post #13 of 16

And paper towels. And the spool pf ribbon you just had to have for the board. And the extra box of butter you didn't realize you'd need, so now back to the store. Oh, and the cake box you already have on your shelf, but need to charge for. So many things. If you can ONLY charge for ingredients, I hope those ingredients are magically very very expensive. So really? You can only charge for ingredients? And you do this kind of work...why? I mean, I see that you are practicing, and that's good. Please remember, you're going to have some very pissed off people who will probably never order from you again, when what cost them $45 will now cost $500 when you get your business going.

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FromScratchSF Posted 16 Apr 2011 , 12:18am
post #14 of 16

So you start 2 threads and ask the same question. Guess what, if you charge for something, you are operating a business. Paying yourself a wage is operating a business. How are your reading comprehension skills?

You are proposing breaking the law. We legal businesses don't like that. It's your own problem if you think that's rude.

We legal business don't take kindly to new people asking the same question with poorly written different words looking for an answer they like then calling US rude for taking the time to answer.

Sending me a PM threatening me to "take it to the next level" because you didn't like my answer is totally immature. This is what I get for answering a noob.
thumbsdown.gif

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Unlimited Posted 16 Apr 2011 , 12:24am
post #15 of 16
Quote:
Originally Posted by amcakemaker2011

....where i live you can bake them out of your home and you can ONLY charge for materials, what you pay to bake the cake and decorate it. You can not do a business out of your home though. thanks




The moment you accept compensation (whether cash or reimbursement for materials), you are "in business".

Sorry you didn't like to hear all of the good advice you've received. If you didn't get the answer(s) you were looking for, you don't need to take the advice, but there's no need to snip back with your rude response. You might consider asking for advice elsewhere, because here, you'll get good advice from both professionals and enthusiasts. If it appears that you don't appreciate the advice you've been given, you'll get fewer responses the next time you have a question. JMO.

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JanH Posted 16 Apr 2011 , 12:25am
post #16 of 16

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