Hello it's me briansbaker (christy) I am in my daughters name because my sister was going to log into my name to show my cakes. She doesnt have time to get her own name she is at work. (Probably shouldnt be on the computer and should be working LOL ) Anyhow here is my dilemma... I made this winnie the pooh cake for a baby shower. Do you think $30.00 is to much for this cake. That is what I charged. It was an 11 x 15. Buttercream icing, buttercream filling and BCT. I also used some spray icing on it. Of course everything is edible and no plastic ornaments on this cake. First she called asking for my recipes, I shared and hung up. Then she called back wanting me to do the cake (fear of messing it up) this was on Thursday. I asked when do you need it she says tomorrow. I really had to rush I didnt get what I needed until 5 or 6 pm ( I was out of a few things as usual) The cake had to be ready by 11:30 am Friday. I stayed up until midnight finishing this cake. 
When she called I told her I dont have a box, but I do have a plastic container I can put it in and you can take it with you. Reuse everytime you order a cake from me. Ok she gets to my house and decides she doesn't need the box. I removed the cake from the box, and it cracked!! 
Buttercream does that sometimes. But she said that is ok it don't look that bad. Which really it did not look ruined BUT she gets the cake to the car and holds it from the ends not the middle and damn near folded the cake in half putting it in her car on the floor board might I add. The cake is now ruined. She then moves the cake again towards the front of the floor board and sticks her fingers in the cake. She looks at me and has this mad look. I felt like crap because the cake is ruined. It looked horrible. I said you know I feel bad I should have had a box I will only charge you 20.00. She then tells me I wrote out the check and messed it up and realized it was my last check can I pay you tomorrow. I said sure. This was on Friday of last week. She has not called or came by with my money. 
I did not work my ass off for that cake on a short notice to not get paid. I am confused did I do wrong by allowing her to take the cake cracked? Should have I not charged anything?
First thing, did I charge to much? Should I charge 25 if they don't have any characters on it? I just recieved a call for a baby shower cake and I quoted $30.00 for an 11 x 15 cake Buttercream icing all the way theme Classic winnie the pooh. And she sounded as if it was to much. What do you think?
I never sell a cake smaller than the 11 x 15 . This one and the 14" round are my biggest pans and those are the only ones I make.
Am I charging to much for those sizes??? I charge 30 each for both sizes, only because I have no clue. I was just making them for fun, but now it's getting serious and I'm getting confused! HELP!!
P.S. Can someone send me a matrix!!! THANKS IN ADVANCE
Hi Christy-
I live in South Dakota and I charge a minimum of $30 for my cakes. Tha covers any character cake and the if I use more than one cake mx the price goes up form there. Like for my 12x18 sheet basic is $40.
I guess if they don't wanna pay what I charge they can go to the Wal-Mart and get a prefrozen dried out cake with gross frosting.
Thats how I see it 
Heather
LOL isn't that true. And yes it takes 2 cake mixes for my pans. thanks!
BY THE WAY!!!!! THAT CAKE IS AWSOME....SO CUTE
HEATHER
Can some of you send me a price list of your cakes. I need an idea on how to charge. That way I can give my customers detail on how I am charging and why. Some people look at me like I am crazy when I give them the price. I only have one price.. 
geezzz...
A matrix would be nice if any of you have any..
here is my address [email protected]
Thanks again.. Heather thank you for your kind words!!
Christy,
Where do you live? I just think that $30 for that cake was way too low. I suppose if you just want to make up the cost of your supplies it may be ok but that seems really really low to me.
For something like that I probably would have charged about $50.
I have to admit tho...one of the reasons that I got into this whole cake thing was 2 reasons...the first was that I wanted to make my 4yr daughters birthday cake last October. The second was my friend and I hosted a party for another friend of ours last summer. My friends neighbor offered to make the cake and showed her a 10in round cake and the design was from last years Wilton yearbook. It was the beach with the chocolate umbrella. It was a really really cute cake but I was blown away when she charged us $50 and said she was giving us a deal. I couldn't believe how much she was getting for a cake...I kept thinking "it's flour and icing"!?! Well, looking back I realize that she did give us a deal because between the umbrella and the flowers that she coordinated with the lays (I know that's wrong) we had for the party she put a ton of work into it.
I live in Northern NJ so our prices are a bit higher. The cake you did would probably cost me about $15 in supplies...plus another 4-5 hours in work between baking, prep and making the transfers....so you just worked for about $1.50 an hour!!! Even if your supplies were $5 and you got your cake for $30 that's still $5/hr...and that's best case scenerio!!!
briansbaker:
I have sent you the matrix that was sent to me, and also my custom price chart. it is from [email protected] I put cakecentral in the topic just so you wouldn't delete it thinking it was junk.
First I have to say - how cute that cake is - was. I am so sorry you are going through that. I do not think that $30 was to much, I actually think $30 was to little. You put allot of time into that, and at the last minute. I don't think that people understand how much time it takes to make something like that. I would have charged at least $45. You said it folded in half? Next time you might want to at least double up your cake boards. That's what I do, I don't completly trust those boards. But she is the one that took it from you and decided she didn't need a box. So that is not your fault. Once the cake is in her hands, it is all on her.
Briansbaker you did a great job on that cake. I think that you didn't charge enough. That isn't very nice that she still hasn't paid you yet. I would give her a reminder call or drop her a little note in the mail and tell her that she still owes you for the cake. Good luck, I hope you get your money! I am with Jennz818 and probably would have charged at least $50.00 and then some depending on how much extra icing I needed.
thank you for all the responses. I live in Texas. I will have to sit for hours and get a matrix written down. Gina thank you soooo much, BUT I don't have excel.. 
Do you have one in Adobe? I don't know I just need to sit my butt down and figure this thing out.. THANKS again on all of your inputs! 
I love the cake...you did a great job! This is what I charge and I am in Houston, Texas.
9x13 sheet: $25
11x15 sheet:$30-35(depending on decorations)
12x18 sheet: $50
Full sheet: $75
Character pans:$25-up(depending on details and size)
I also tell clients that more difficult decorations will cost more. This is just me...I feel like my prices are reasonable and several bakeries in the area charge more than me. I just try to work with my customers to make them happy. For your Pooh cake...$30 would be what I would charge...maybe even $35 for having a filling.
I think that going down on the price to $20 was fair for your customer. It was nice that you even did that. I would have done the same. I hope everything works out for you...you did a really great job on that cake!
traci
OMI your cake is sooooooo cute. I am sorry she ruined a piece of art. I would charge $30 plus. That cake was awesome.
I agree with evryone. $30 is way too little to charge!!! It's not worth your time. When you under estimate yourself and how much your work is worth, people see that and take advantage of it. $20.00??? You might as well have baked the cake for free!! You know that cake took time and energy, especially late at night and to only charge $20?? You should print all these replies and send them to your friend so she can be ashamed of herself for even paying you $20.00 - You need to have more confidence in your work. Nice job by the way!!
Hi there!
First, beautiful cake!!!
Second, $30.00 was too low for sure! I don't know what your local bakeries charge however I wouldn't be surprised if they were more. I used to charge less than the store bakery in order to get the business, plus I didn't think my cakes were 'as good' as theirs. I have since changed my mind. My cakes are better, as are everyone elses who makes them at home. Your customer would not have been able to get such a lovely or original cake for that price, or even for $40.00 or $50.00. Everyone assumes that because we are making them from home that they should be 'cheaper' or 'less expensive' than bakeries. I'm sure that everyone here would agree that we put a lot of time and effort into those cakes, plus a lot of love too, just to make them that much more special.
Tazalexis is right, when we underestimate our work, others see it and use it. You make beautiful cakes so make it worth your while!
I would have charged 40 for the cake. And she made the cake look horrible not you. I wouldnt sell to her again without the money up front
I charge a minimum of $45.00 for my cakes. I take usually a minimum of 4 hours per cake...make sure you charge what you are worth! You're cake is sooo cute! Thanks for sharing. BS
Great cake! I agree that once the cake is out of your hands, anything that happens is on the customer. Unless it obviously has something to do with the ingredients/baking/etc.... She chose to leave with no covering and she chose to put in on her floorboard (ay!).
I'd definitely be giving her a call to follow up.
1) Yes I agree you could have charged $45 for that cake, it was very cute
2) ITS THE OWN CUSTOMER'S FAULT! ok now that that's out of my system. She should pay you, you offered her a box, so it was not disposable, not your fault she did not like the box. She was the clumsy one ruining her cake, not you, therefore she should pay!
Pricing really depends on the area you live in. For instance, If you (in general) lived in a place like NYC you might get more for it than say in a small town.
Having said that, your cake is gorgeous I personally think $30 for that cake was a steal to begin with. I would have insisted that she take the box by letting her know that you would not be responsible for any damages if the cake was transported unprotected. Seems to me that she refused The box because she had no intention of ordering from you again.
In any case, she Was the one that ruined the cake. You did have a box for her to transport the cake not one that Was disposable. However, you did your part and you Should have been paid in full. Especially considering that you did all that work on short notice.
It would have been interesting to know what Was said about the condition of the cake when it reached it's final destination. Give her a call and politely remind her that she still has not paid you for the work you did.
Princess.
I just have to put my two cents in here.. NEVER NEVER NEVER give a paying customer a cake that is not in a box or a plastic container. Once the cake is boxed by you and you know it is is the condition you want it to be... it becomes the customer's responsibility to keep it safe!!! I too have see people leave my place carrying cakes in all manner of tilt, and I cringe every time. but I have learned to close my eyes, shut the door and hope for the best!! 
) Anyway.. unless you are the one bringing the cake to the affair.. always box it!!! Your cake is beautiful ! You should charge more than you did. (everyone always tells me I dont charge enough too
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