what does everyone charge for their cakes - Page 2

Wifeshelper,
How sweet you are!!

Actually, I kind of relate to your wife. When I was still learning (and still am with each cake) I did most of my friend's baby shower cakes and didn't charge them at all. I figured that it was good practice for me and a gift to them at the same time. However, now, since I am more confident (and your wife will be too), I am charging those same people for anymore cakes I do for them. I think this has worked out well. You give them a little taste of what you can do and offer it for little to nothing, and then once they can see what you are capable of, then you can charge more. Does this make sense? Your wife probably just doesn't feel like she has reached that point yet...BUT SHE WILL GET THERE!!! If she hasn't already. And then she will feel more confident about charging more.

Leslie

I totally agree she will get there. And when she does look out. She has really amazed me as to what she can do. I mean before she couldnt even ice a cake. Now she doing bct and what not. Im proud of her

Interesting this subject comes up quite often.

I'm really confused by all this cake stuff - I love to make cakes and usually make them as my gift for family and friends which works out good, but then my sister tried to take advantage of it and that was a whole ordeal I had posted on here awhile back. I was gifting one birthday cake for my nephew and she wanted 3! I told her that would be find but I'd have to charge her for the other 2 and she got all pissy about it and decided to make her own cupcakes to supplement my cake - funny thing is that no one ate her cupcakes and she ran out of my cake!

But anyway - I've done 5 paid cakes for others - and I really don't know how I feel about doing cakes for money - I mean originally that's half the reason I wanted to do this in the first place - I wanted a fun hobby and to make some fun money here and there.

But I feel like the stress, cleanup, preparation etc. - is not really worth what I make from the cake itself, but I don't want to charge anymore because I look at my cakes and ask myself what I would feel comfortable paying for if someone else was making it.

I had a customer spring a 5 day notice on 2 cakes she wants that I quoted her for 2 weeks ago (I assumed she thought my prices were too higher than wal-mart because she said she was going to check there and I thought she had decided with crap cake instead of mine - see my other post on this under cake ideas)

Anyway I quoted her $50 for 2 separate 10 inch themed cakes. And we're getting ready to move next week in our household so I was really only doing it as favor for giving me her new business - I would have turned down a regular with our move coming up. Anyway - for the short notice and inconvenience of baking and decorating in a bare kitchen etc - It'd only actually be worth it to me if I would have charged her $75 - then that would be worth the hassle - now I'm kicking myself for accepting the job, but I would like her future business. But then again its a toss up - all my time and effort that will go into these 2 cakes is not worth $50, but then again I wouldn't want to pay someone else more than $50 for what I'm giving her.

For what goes into my cakes - I sell them at a bargain price. I will spend at least 6-8 hours working on these cakes - not including boxes & supplies cost - all for $50 - I feel like I'm getting jipped. Oh well, I figure out some sort of system sooner or later. It irritates me how people compare a %100 homeade cake to the prices of grocery store cakes that taste like dirty sponges - gross! But they expect to pay the same as a store cake - grrrrrrrrrr. That's like trying to buy a fine piece of artwork for the price of a dollar store hang-up! There is no comparison and customers need to realize that!

Interesting this subject comes up quite often.

I'm really confused by all this cake stuff - I love to make cakes and usually make them as my gift for family and friends which works out good, but then my sister tried to take advantage of it and that was a whole ordeal I had posted on here awhile back. I was gifting one birthday cake for my nephew and she wanted 3! I told her that would be find but I'd have to charge her for the other 2 and she got all pissy about it and decided to make her own cupcakes to supplement my cake - funny thing is that no one ate her cupcakes and she ran out of my cake!

But anyway - I've done 5 paid cakes for others - and I really don't know how I feel about doing cakes for money - I mean originally that's half the reason I wanted to do this in the first place - I wanted a fun hobby and to make some fun money here and there.

But I feel like the stress, cleanup, preparation etc. - is not really worth what I make from the cake itself, but I don't want to charge anymore because I look at my cakes and ask myself what I would feel comfortable paying for if someone else was making it.

I had a customer spring a 5 day notice on 2 cakes she wants that I quoted her for 2 weeks ago (I assumed she thought my prices were too higher than wal-mart because she said she was going to check there and I thought she had decided with crap cake instead of mine - see my other post on this under cake ideas)

Anyway I quoted her $50 for 2 separate 10 inch themed cakes. And we're getting ready to move next week in our household so I was really only doing it as favor for giving me her new business - I would have turned down a regular with our move coming up. Anyway - for the short notice and inconvenience of baking and decorating in a bare kitchen etc - It'd only actually be worth it to me if I would have charged her $75 - then that would be worth the hassle - now I'm kicking myself for accepting the job, but I would like her future business. But then again its a toss up - all my time and effort that will go into these 2 cakes is not worth $50, but then again I wouldn't want to pay someone else more than $50 for what I'm giving her.

For what goes into my cakes - I sell them at a bargain price. I will spend at least 6-8 hours working on these cakes - not including boxes & supplies cost - all for $50 - I feel like I'm getting jipped. Oh well, I figure out some sort of system sooner or later. It irritates me how people compare a %100 homeade cake to the prices of grocery store cakes that taste like dirty sponges - gross! But they expect to pay the same as a store cake - grrrrrrrrrr. That's like trying to buy a fine piece of artwork for the price of a dollar store hang-up! There is no comparison and customers need to realize that!

Again, I've said this in other posts, but it really depends on where you live. I live in a small town in the south where there is no bakery and people who buy cakes have been getting them from walmart, or another chain grocery. Just starting off I would not have gotten any business even charging $2.00 a serving. They would have looked at me like I was crazy. I started out super cheap ( I thin the first one was a two layer 11x15 with a 6" round on the top done to look like an island on the water. I cahrged like $25. Maybe even $20.) The first couple were dirt cheap, but in a place where people are used to grocery store cakes and prices, you have to prove your worth. I did baby shower and cakes for church for free. Word of mouth has spread, and my skills have grown too. I've been doing it here for a little over a year and I've gotten more and more cakes the prices have started to climb. I'm still not charging quite enough for my wedding cakes, but that's going up too. If you live in a small area you can't expect to get Manhattan or LA prices. People just won't pay it. If your new, I think the best thing to do is get yourself out there (even if it's for a little less than you would like) When people see and taste what you can do they will be willing to pay for it!

Wifeshelper, you are too cute and a great husband to be so supportive!

Whether or not your wife thinks her work is up to par (I'm sure it is) she does need to at least make sure she's breaking even. How big are these cakes that she's doing?

I was in the same position, I think we've all been there....we're afraid our work isn't good enough. But she should keep in mind that it's also her time and supplies she's using and she shouldn't price any less than bakery cakes. They don't have the same overhead as we do.

Peacock is right too - it all depends on your local market and what part of the country you're in. Check out local bakery prices.

Also, I don't think $35 is too much for a slot machine cake.

I don't know how often you use your shaped pans. We have a cake store that rents the pans....and I don't have a lot of space to store them. So it works out well for me.
Wifeshelper your wife is crazy to charge $5 or $10 dollars!! That wouldn't even cover the supplies...unless she wants to buy cakes for the people she is making them for......she is nuts!!!!

What people need to understand is that a grocery store and most bakeries would NEVER even attempt to do some of the cakes we do on here...which is why a lot of these are considered a work of art. I have no problem charging a hundred dollars for some of my cakes...if they don't want to pay what its worth, then its not worth my time away from my kids and the mess in my kitchen. Believe me, there are plenty of people out there who recognize true talent. I learned to send the "cheap" people to Sam's Club and only keep my business for the people who are willing to pay what I ask.

also, one tool that helps is to use an excel spreadsheet, it's called a "pricing matrix"

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-5711.html

If you look at cindascreativecakes.com she gives prices online for cakes.She does a beautiful job.It's a great site for info.Prices may differ some in your area.

Hi becca0926,

could I ask you whether you think the prices on this site are reasonable, low or expensive . because I'm writing from asia and i'm trying to get a gauge of the pricing for tiered cakes...not that i know how to translate these prices to our dollars ( not convert but try to find the "appropriate" pricing", coz my husband thinks that my prices are a bit on the low side.

thank you!

Hi Crouton,
Yes I think the prices are reasonable.But I think only you can determine if your cakes are worth it.If you feel like your cakes are just as great as the cakes on this site,I would charge the same.But as I said above It depends on your area.I would suggest calling your local bakeries and getting prices.Just keep in mind all the work you put in your cakes and know the bakeries may not.

Hope this helped.

Midwestmom, about purchasing the Over the Hill cake pan. Have you considered making a standard sheet cake and carving it by hand? It's harder to ice carved cakes, but if you are looking to save money, it's an option to consider. I guess I would try to assume how often I would use the shaped pan and go from there. Carving the cake would increase the time you put into it, but it would save you a bit of $$... Which are you more willing to spend? Me, I'm 'frugal' (cheap) so I would probably go with carving the cake for now until I had a bigger clientele and then maybe purchase the pan if demand for that shape increased.