She Said "what?!?!?!".......is It Her? Or Me? Ple
Baking By JessDesserts Updated 3 Oct 2008 , 2:34pm by mama5kiddos
My husband's former boss needed cake for 70 people for a retirement party. Could I give her a quote, even though he told me she would be too cheap to pay it? Sure. He later told me her budget: $25. He also said the cake she got looked like it cost $25, too!
$2 for a custom decorated cupcake is very, very reasonable.
I agree with everyone, $2 is a steal!! I charge $2.20 per cupcake, or I would if anybody ever ordered cucpakes. LOL Your work is fantstic, you definitely have a lot of skill!
I do have to say though, I have brought my practice stuff to work so that I don't eat it myself, I don't think you have any grounds to expect compensation whether your previous coworkers did or not. That being said, I find a better place to bring my practice cakes is to a local soup kitchen, where I know it is appreciated and enjoyed, and leaves me with good feelings inside....
Hi everyone,
I only have a fraction of a second to type, but I felt it was important to reinterate something, or maybe clarify.
I dont have time to re-read my original post, but, I didnt mean to imply i expected to be compensated by my co-workers for the cupcakes I bring in. I bake them because I enjoy it, I need the practice, I am taking Wilton classes and honestly, sometimes its even theraputic.
I think I was 'spolied' from my previous job. They did compensate me when I brought things in, and to me, it wasnt about the money, it was a sign of appreciation.
My new job is the polar opposite and its not to say my co-workers arent grateful; maybe I just think it would have been nice to offer. I only used the money ( and believe me it wasnt much at all) for more ingredients anyway.
I only mentioned that originally because I thought it might have some bearing on the way the co-worker that requested the cupcakes for the Halloween party thinks and/or perceives me.
Maybe I could have been more clear, i'm sorry.
Jess
1 last thing: I do not know how to quote someone in that little white box and then write my response underneath, but, to the person who said that it doesnt cost $80 to make 40 cupcakes......you're right. But my time is worth charging for, as well as my experience ( as little as it may be).
I also feel that 2.00 a cupcake is very reasonable. I have also just started baking heavily again int he past year, so I am also new. I have yet to do
baked goods for profit. I have made a couple of cookie bouquets that I have given to friends as presents, and when I tel them the going rate is about 5 dollars a cookie they say they are well worth it.
A couple of weeks ago I made a 3 tiered stacked cake for my daughters 17th
birthday. She was afraid we would run out of cake, as she is used to her friends having store bought cakes. The tiers were 1 layer of chocolate mint cake with one layer vanilla cake. There was a dark chocolate ganache filling.
The frosting was a mint buttercream. I told the kids to take small pieces as the cake was very rich. My daughter was so very amazed at how filling a scratch cake is.
So, if people want cheaper store bought stuff, they get cheaper ingredients. If I have a very special event, I would rather have spend a little more on something that will be more special. Our country has focused so much on quantity vs quality for so many years. Thats why our obesity rate is so high.
1 last thing: I do not know how to quote someone in that little white box and then write my response underneath, but, to the person who said that it doesnt cost $80 to make 40 cupcakes......you're right. But my time is worth charging for, as well as my experience ( as little as it may be).
1st - all you have to do to quote someone is to click on the quote button on the top right of that persons note.
Second, I agree with you 100% - you DO deserve to be compensated for your time, your talent and ingredients! I definitely think they are worth the price....
My point was, if you told your co-worker that you don't make them for profit, that she was probably expecting them for cost. That her reaction, although rude isn't that surprising. Everyone's response here has been that $2 is a fair price for those cupcakes, that is what they would charge, but those people would be getting compensated for making the cc's.
That is all I was saying. 
My point was, if you told your co-worker that you don't make them for profit, that she was probably expecting them for cost. That her reaction, although rude isn't that surprising. Everyone's response here has been that $2 is a fair price for those cupcakes, that is what they would charge, but those people would be getting compensated for making the cc's.
That is all I was saying.
This is part of the issue. Most cake civilians have no idea what cost consists of. They think $1.98 or whatever for a cake mix, or as has been said so often, "it's just flour sugar and eggs" and that's it. They don't even consider all the other items much less the electricity, water, paper towels, etc. They have no clue, because they don't think.
This is part of the issue. Most cake civilians have no idea what cost consists of. They think $1.98 or whatever for a cake mix, or as has been said so often, "it's just flour sugar and eggs" and that's it. They don't even consider all the other items much less the electricity, water, paper towels, etc.
Sadly, there are cake makers who think their "cost" is strictly the stuff that goes in the mixing bowl, too. It's like they've never heard the term "overhead".
There is a place here that charges 2.75 or 3.75 per cc I can't remember. They are very very good, but not decorated like yours, which are really cool. You should have said. "Well, I can tell you how to make them, but I charge $50 for the class." lol....lol
I'm agreeing with everyone here about the cost of your cupcakes, but I have another aspect to consider about the co-worker.
I just got married and I was told by many magazines/friends/family that no matter what price I'm given for the product (cake, flowers, invitations, etc.) act like it's too much, the vendor might lower their price to get your business. So your co-worker may have thought it wasn't expensive, but just trying to haggle you. My opinion? When it comes to compensation for my talent, I don't haggle.
....no matter what price I'm given for the product (cake, flowers, invitations, etc.) act like it's too much, the vendor might lower their price to get your business.
Anyone else insulted by the idea that the magazines think we're all a bunch of cake-hookers, standing on the corner having a "getting into the business" sale going on, and that we have a quota to meet or the powdered sugar pimp will beat us with a wire whisk?
1 last thing: I do not know how to quote someone in that little white box and then write my response underneath, but, to the person who said that it doesnt cost $80 to make 40 cupcakes......you're right. But my time is worth charging for, as well as my experience ( as little as it may be).
If you're charging for your time and experience, then you're doing it for profit. Not much profit at $2/cupcake, but for profit. 
If you first state that you don't bake for profit, and then you clearly quote something more than the out of pocket expenses, I would have been shocked, too. I'd hope I'd be a little more polite, but I'd still be shocked by your quote.
Do a cost card. Figure out what it really costs, and feel free to charge exactly that if you're genuinely not baking for profit. (Of course, if you're not licensed and not working out of a legal kitchen, even that's illegal--and a whole different issue. As an attorney I feel obliged to mention it.)
I don't bake for profit, and I don't accept money for cakes. I only do them as gifts for friends. But I do keep cost cards. When friends have offered to pay for the ingredients, I'm willing to show them the cost cards so they know that I'm not kidding when I tell them that there are $63.79 worth of ingredients in the cake. I still don't accept anything in return, and even though it feels a bit uncouth to reveal the exact dollar amount, at least they're being educated as to exactly how expensive the product really is. I also like to point out what a standard bakery and a luxury bakery's standard markup over the cost card price is, so they don't have unrealistic expectations of how much it would cost to buy the product. It's my small effort to educate a small section of the public.
Perhaps I'm a cake snob already, but I gladly pay $4 each for tasty cupcakes at our local cupcake shop (they're popping up all over here!). The "decorating" is nothing more than a piped top or schmear of frosting.
To have a custom decorated cupcake? I'd be prepared to pay out the nose!
On the topic of the cupcakeries - I laugh cause people are always complaining that they'll run out of a flavor or two during the day, or that they don't offer every flavor every day. Um, hello? This isn't the grocery store - and you want to pick up 2 dozen cupcakes at closing time? (No, it's not Sprinkles.)
Anyone else insulted by the idea that the magazines think we're all a bunch of cake-hookers, standing on the corner having a "getting into the business" sale going on, and that we have a quota to meet or the powdered sugar pimp will beat us with a wire whisk?
indydebi that is too funny 
, I love it!!!
This could almost be my exact story. I always take cc and cakes into work, and they liked them so much that they hired me to do the baking for their fundraisers (whole other basket of worms) anyhow, I've had two people so far, ask me to bake 50 cupcakes one was for a shower another for a 40th birthday. I fill all my cupcakes and make my own homemade buttercream that they love. I also use ganache over on certain ones. Anyhow I quoted each person $1 a cupcake, yup you guessed it they both looked surprised , said they'd get back to me and never did. I will no longer do cupcakes for anyone at work. They truely do not have a clue. Plus I KNEW I was undercharging them to begin with!
lori
I just taught my first Wilton class this month, and the students were simply amazed at how much TIME and WORK goes into decorating one cake! Making icing, coloring it, spending money on the equipment...it was dawning on them why $25 for a cake just doesn't cut it! It was neat watching their eyes "opening" to cake decorating. As a matter of fact, I had eight original signups...only four made it through to the end and signed up for the next class...I guess the other four didn't realize what they were in for. THAT is why we charge what we charge....
As for offering money...I honestly probably wouldn't have thought about offering money...although I probably would have taken a turn bringing donuts or something (or even my own cupcakes I guess!) to work. Its never crossed my mind, though, to offer money to people who leave snacks in breakrooms. Often its "leftovers" anyway, the people I know who bring stuff to work its because they want to get rid of it. So maybe they haven't a clue.
I do think possibly the lady who wants your WAY COOL cupcakes took you for granted though.....but that is her own personal problem...don't let her actions punish the rest of the people who probably appreciate your practice gifts!
I do want to ask...what is wrong with getting profit? It doesn't have to be your business...but if friends/family/coworkers want cake, then charge them for the cake and your time. They need to realize that just because you took Wilton classes doesn't give them free or cheap birthday cake...no, it gives them the opportunity to PURCHASE really cool ones.
Good luck!
I don't think $2 is unreasonable - as a couple of the other ladies have pointed out - that won't even get you a cupcake here in Australia.
The ones I have seen run at least $3 each, but gourmet ones run about $42 for a dozen.
Your cupcakes are mega cute - and ingredients alone for the werewolves would be quite a few dollars.
I too know how you feel. I think her reaction must have mostly been because previously she had been GIVEN the cuppies for free at work. You are charging appropriately, and dont back down.
I have several family members (there are about a dozen kids' birthdays per year in our family) do I ever get an order from THEM for a cake...nope! I had made a free cake for my FIL, and for one of my neice's. After that I realized how much is coming out of my pocket just for ingredients, so I asked for them to ONLY purchase the ingredients. I would bake, assemble, decorate for free. They couldnt even handle that, and still they never asked me to do a cake. Recently I decided that family or not, they WILL pay my prices (maybe a little discounted) but how I see it, they had their chance to get a "free" cake or close to it! I made a 3D ladybug cake for my daughter, the ladybug was sitting on a 12" round. My SIL asked "how much would you charge for this cake?" I told her $70, but that was just ballparking it, and I definitely did underquote that amount. Her eyes popped out of her head! She ended up ordering a 1/2 sheet cake for $50. If she wanted just a 1/2 sheet cake, I could have made one close to what she paid, for the minimal decoration she got on it! They dont even think to order cakes from me, but LOVE to taste em when they come to visit.
I dont mean to hijack your thread, but I wanted to point out that when they have been given free cake they basically expect it to stay free or close to it!
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