I have been loving Cake Central for a while now and this is my first forum post. I did this cake for a birthday and just want to know what you would have charged. 
It is a 2 layer 12" with buttercream icing and fondant accents for the road and scenery. The sign is printed from the computer. Cars (purchased by the buyer) were put on after it was delivered. I charged $50 for it and am wondering if that was too much? The only reason I ask is b/c the person who ordered it posted it on her facebook and talked about how great it was and then had other friends comment on it and she commented that she it was a little more than you would want to spend on a cake, but that she loves them (she has had other cakes of mine, this is the first she has bought). I've been decorating for a few years now and am just now starting to decorate for people who aren't friends. I do undercharge my friends (which I am trying not to do as much) but want to make sure I'm not overcharging others. Thanks for all of the help I've gotten!!!
Angela
We would have charged $60.00 for just buttercream. With the fondant, it would have been $80.00.
When one first starts charging for cakes, one often feels like they are overcharging. I still struggle with that after 30 years!
Don't doubt yourself and realize that this is custom work...there is a difference!
I bet it looked super cute w/ cars, I have been decorating for less than 2 years and selling them for a year, I would have charged no more than $40 for this one more like $30. really. But if you got $50 for it, MORE POWER TO YA!!!!!!!!! I charged $50 for my R2D2 cake in my gallery, I think I way undercharged for that one. Price is so difficult, I just wish everyone would offer to over pay me by $20.00!
Your cake is sweet and it was nice she said she liked how they tasted, that's worth extra $ to most folks. 
I was asked to make one for a friend of a friend. Part of the price is going to be paid by the recipient, part by my friend. I am only charging for cost of ingredients. BUT....I had a caveat. Under no circumstance was anyone to divulge how much they paid for it. No way no how, if I find out someone thinks they could get that same cake for such and such dollars....you're toast, and dead to me as a future client. Lol...I didn't get that dramatic. But, I was protecting myself for future opportunities.
My cake serving sizes are 1.25x2x4 and a 12" cake gives me 50 servings. I charge $1.65 for non-stacked cakes so that would make my price for this cake bc only $82.50; with fondant decorations I would add another $10 or so. I am also on the low end for my area - that cake could easily have gone for $100.
HTH's!
OMG I AM IN SHOCK!!!!!!!!
SUUMEME- are you nuts! lol. I just went and looked at the R2D2 I would charged $80 or more for that bad boy.
I agree $50.00 is a deal on that cake fondant accents would get in up charge.
Cupcake
I did a 12" buttercream cake with fondant accents a month or two ago, and I charged $60.... to my mom. She was buying it for a gift for her friend's granddaughter's b-day(her family couldn't afford to buy a cake from me, but Mom wanted her to have a good cake for her birthday) and told me to charge her what I would expect anyone else to pay, so I did. She knows what kind of work goes into cakes I do so she paid that. I felt really bad charging my mom that much, but I have to start somewhere. If you want to see it, it's the happy face cake in my pics. HTH!
Price is so difficult
No, it isn't difficult. I looked at your pics, you have great talent! And you too ajmccray! Charge accordingly! MD...Maryland, right? Like Baltimore? Like the city that has the great and awesome Charm City Cakes...who practically won't even blink an eye in your direction without $1000 in hand? Getting my drift yet? Of all places in the USA, you shouldn't have any difficulty charging more, because you can always say, "well Duff's prices up the road...."
My point is, I mean there are many I can make here, but number one that comes to mind, you have to pay for ingredients, and you have to be compensated for your time/talent. Don't be cheap here. Meeting costs is not worth it in my book. Not when you have such great talent like I see in your gallery.
I think I need to be more helpful. Ahem....ok:
Check some of the websites on here and find some local to you through Google and see what they are charging. That should give you a good idea.
Do the entire community of cakers everywhere a favor though, and don't undercharge. It hurts everyone in the long run.
I would have charged $65.00 for that cake.
a double layer 12" cake will serve 50 (by my chart). You charged $1/serving. WAY too low. I charge $5/serving so that would have been $250.00 and I wouldn't have felt bad in the least. For a good friend I'd do it for a discount.
To the one who would do it for $30.00.. You definitely are giving your work away.
She knows what kind of work goes into cakes I do so she paid that. I felt really bad charging my mom that much, but I have to start somewhere.
Good for you!!
Thanks! When I think about it, I probably should've charged at least $2 per serving, but it was such a simple design, I couldn't charge my mom $100. So, I still have a ways to go with pricing, but I'll get there.
I've never sold a cake but I can tell you that I would've happily paid $75 for that cake. It looks VERY nice and Im sure you put alot of work into it.
I just wanted to say thank you to all of you. It makes me feel better that I didn't charge too much. I live in Kentucky and in my city there aren't any bakeries besides Walmart/Kroger, etc so it's difficult for me to compare prices. Thanks again!
Angela
I just wanted to say thank you to all of you. It makes me feel better that I didn't charge too much. I live in Kentucky and in my city there aren't any bakeries besides Walmart/Kroger, etc so it's difficult for me to compare prices. Thanks again!
Angela
Then YOU have the corner on the market! Awesome! Go make some good money!
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