Okay, ya'll. Long question. Promise just one more question today and then I'll leave you alone for a good few minutes When you quote a price on a cake to a bride, do you charge them more $$ for sugar/gumpaste flowers/fondant as opposed to just a BC cake? How do you figure it on a per person basis? In order to set myself apart from the other bakers here in town, I do specialty flavors like amaretto, mandarin orange, Bailey's Irish creme, etc. and those are kind of expensive to make to begin with. I don't want to price myself out of business before I get started. The bakeries/private bakers around here don't really do a lot of fondant and the one lady that does gets a really nice price out of hers. I'm getting ready to do my first bridal show on Sunday and I really don't know how to handle this issue if it comes up. Thanks in advance everybody!

I think you have 2 decisions to make

1. Can your market support the prices you need to charge in order to profit from the types of cake you want to make

2. If not, are you happy toning your cakes down, or making little or no profit.

In some areas, people are willing to pay what it costs to get a cake with fancy flavors and over the top or time consuming decorations--in other areas, people arent.

Dont sell yourself short though. If you are doing more (taste and design) than others, I think it is fair for your prices to reflect that!

There is nothing wrong with a Costco cake (and I am the first to dive in with a big fork!!) but its ingredients cost less and take less time than my cakes--so my cakes are considerably more expensive. I take no offense when somebody wants to buy a Costco cake, and I enjoy it when I'm at a party that has one--but I cannot sell my cakes at Costco prices.

(wow, that was REALLY Long! Hope it helps!)

Great response Mikaza

I agree with mikaza........you're offering a service that regular bakeries and grocery stores don't offer......hand molded figures, flowers, etc. people who want them are usually willing to pay more for it, they realize that not everyone can make these items and they also realize that it cost more when it takes more time and effort, besides if your prices are too low, they'll wonder why? You don't want to come across as someone that's not sure of her work!!! You do beautiful work and you deserve to be paid well for it. If everyone was capable of what you do........then there wouldn't be cake decorating businesses all over the world : )

I think nearly everyone charges more for fondant and gumpaste flowers than just buttercream. Some even charge per flower. You could always start with a base price for buttercream icing with buttercream filling and then add a per serving cost. For example, Irish Cream will add 25 cents per serving and fondant will add $1 per serving. (This is by no means a suggested price, just an example.)

Congrats on your first bridal show!

I agree, when you're talking about custom cakes, you're making someone something completely original. That is a very special thing. No Kroger or Sams Club cake can come even remotely close. Like everything custom made it comes with a price. I think (hope) most people ordering knows that! That kind of cake is a major piece of art. There is imagination and sculpting, painting, science, there is ALOT involved. If you're willing to go that far on a cake, I think you should be paid fairly well for it. Anyone can get a plain jane cake for 20 bucks. If they want spectacular, they should pay you for your time - and it does take alot of time! And better ingredients - that's just the icing on the cake!

That answers a lot of my questions. Thanks so much for your always prompt and well thought out answers to my plethora of questions everybody! Mikaza, you certainly gave me a lot of things to think about that I wasn't thinking about before. KHalstead, your compliments are sooooo appreciated!! Thanks to ape & parismom too for your encouragement! I'll be sure to post pictures of the cake I do after the bridal show for comments and suggestions?

Okay another question:
Is it okay when you're at a bridal show to use some of the pictures of the cakes on CC (giving credit to the original creators, of course) as a guide of sorts to show brides what I am capable of doing since I don't have but 3 pictures in my portfolio yet? All of the cakes I would want to use are all pretty simple ones, not anything that is difficult. I'm trying to make some of them as dummy cakes as I go along but I haven't gotten to all of the ones I wanted to yet. What is protocol on that?

Any guidance would be appreciated!