I did this cake for a friend, but it generated some possible business for me and I am just getting started. Everyone told me I could charge $300 for this, but when asked...none of them would spend that much, but knew people that would. I am one of those that wouldn't spend that much, but I also know how much time and effort goes into a cake like this. Any suggestions would be great, plus any ideas on how you guys figure your prices would be great as well.

What size/how many servings?

That's a lot of detail with that fish and the creel.

12x18 single layer with 6" double layer on top. Probably about 45 servings.

About $450USD, plus/minus.

I really appreciate your help. That's a lot of money to charge for a cake. Maybe I could get that in a big city, but I just don't see people in Mississippi paying that kind of money for a cake. I am not sure I could even charge half of that.
Where is it that you live that you can charge that much for a cake like this?

Pricing is tricky. YOu have to go a bit by what is the 'going price' in your area.
Your work is great. It is a very special, sculpted cake that you need to charge for! Not everyone can do such special work.
In N.Ind I'd probably ask something lke $275 but doubt I'd get many orders.

You can double the serving size easily by adding another layer of cake, without creating much more work for yourself. It's a little easier to swallow that pricing for a cake that serves 90

Not that I can make a cake like that - that's a skill level I just do NOT have - but I certainly wouldn't do it for less. Just because more people would be willing to pay half the price doesn't make it worth doing it for half the price for you.

I live in a fairly small town north of Gulfport, MS and you have to drive 40+ minutes to get anywhere that has shopping. The only bakery we have is at Walmart, lol. Someone who saw this cake says she drives about an hour to a bakery to get a specialized cake, so she is definately interested. People here are practical, yet there is definately a market for a specialty cake shop here...so that is definately in my favor.

One of my good friends just went around our area pricing cakes and the best prices she found were about 7.50 a slice for just buttercream and around 9.00 for fondant. Any extra fondant figures or gumpaste were loads more.

They have options..either pay whatever you ask for the cake or do something more simple!..
Edna

I'm not to far from you. Right outside NOLA, so I get the pricing thing here. It's maybe a bit better here in the city, but similar. Definitely think making it a double layer is a good idea. I've learned pretty well what I can expect to spend time wise on a cake and then when I'm giving quote I pay myself hourly. Now sometimes it bites me in the butt, because I end up taking way too much time. And sometimes things go quickly and I make extra.

I'm right outside of Memphis, in North Mississippi... there is no way people are going to come up off too much money for a cake. Their argument is that they can find it much cheaper in downtown Memphis... I recently had a bride get so frustrated with me about my pricing that she got up and left and was really kindof ugly about the whole thing. I told her I wished her the best of luck in her quest for finding a wedding cake with gumpaste flowers for under $2.00 per serving!

I personally think that cake, as it stands, will serve 50 easily. So I would charge my basic buttercream for the 2 cakes: $2.50 x 50, plus $25 for the basket weave (just because I loathe doing it!), and at least another $75-$100 for all that gorgeous gumpaste work. So from me this cake would be $225-$250. I'm not considered cheaper either (although people are unaware that most places here that do custom cake work charge at least $5 per serving, most of them starting no lower than $8 per serving - so yeah, compared to them, I AM cheap!!!!)!

What a great cake. I have so many friends husbands that would love this cake. I would charge at least $250 and also add an extra layer of cake. I love the fish! Great work!
Faye

Thank you all. I have another newbie question. Several of you say I should have added a layer, however I intentionally didn't as I was trying to stay at about 45 servings. My question is, when you guys do sheet cakes, do they typically have 2 layers, even if they are a full sheet? I just always thought they were typically single layer. I have seen some torted with filling...but not a whole second layer. I have to do a sheet cake in a few days, so I guess that would be nice to know.....

I think most people do a second layer because torting a sheet cake is just too much work. At least I think it is. It's hard enough putting a single layer onto a board let alone try and move a "tort" layer. If your worried about it being to high, just don't fill your sheet pan so full(about a half is good) and then bake it.

It's always better to have too much than not enough!

And I think that pricing is a matter of what costs you have put into the cake ingredients, and then the time it takes to bake, and put it together and mold all the decorations. Everything is worth money to you.

I think $300.00 is a very fair price, if not to low. Small town or not...they'll not get a cake of that calibur for cheaper.

Good luck to you!

What an awesome CAKE!!!

On sheet cakes I always make them 2 layers high.

I rarely make sheet cakes two layers. Now, I "cheat" if I want to torte a sheet cake. I make two thinner cakes because I can't torte worth spit! LOL

Your cake is GREAT, but, in KY I'd be LUCKY to get $100.00 for it. Heck! I might choke even trying to SAY it! I've only charged "triple numbers" for ONE wedding cake. That was the only one I've charge for so far! LOL

Good Luck! You know what you have in it. Charge what YOU think it is worth. You might want to add a bit, cause we NEVER charge what our time is worth.

Beth in KY

Ok, that definately helps, thanks again.

Something else, it seems different people have different ideas on how big a full sheet cake is. My understanding is that it would be 2, 12x18 cakes butted up together...does that sound right? It makes for an awful big cake.

Hi,
I live 30 minutes from hattiesburg,Ms., so we're practically neighbors.I get the "I can get it cheaper at WM or sams "all the time.I have been doing cakes a little less than a year and sometimes undercharge for my work because of such comments.But I've come to realize that my time is valuable and so are my materials.So if people want a WM price they can buy a WM cake.Take pride in your work,Its beautiful !!!

I do not do 'sheet cakes', however if I need to make a rectangular cake, whatever size always has two layers & is priced like any other cake. You made a great cake & a lot of work went into it so don't sell yourself short.

Wow, i wish i could get some of these prices for a cake like that. My husband always says that i should charge more, but i price them with what i would be willing to pay. I might be able to get $75 around here(South Central PA). It has alot to do with the fact that if your just starting out you should price on the low side to get more business. If someone got a good deal and was happy with what they got, they are more willing to tell their friends about you.

I already have gotten two more orders within the week of doing the fish cake, basically from word of mouth. This is a small town and everybody basically knows everybody...so spreading like wildfire! I love it! Hee hee. Thank you all for your comments as well. This has given me so much confidence that I apparently didn't have before and I feel like I can conquer the cake world now!