Ok - so I usually have a ban on sheetcakes, don't like them, don't want to do them, just prefer personally to make something other then a sheet cake! So this question may sounds stupid but do you all consider a sheetcake only one layer? I'm trying to help someone out in my office with a look she wants but a budget that's small - (I guess that's my first problem) I figured I could give her the look she's after but with a single layer sheet cake to cut down on the cost.

I've been reading some posts about pricing and servings- sheetcakes vs. layered rounds/squares/etc. It seems that the consensus is that people are charging a flat rate for sheet cakes 1/4, 1/2 etc. then charging by the slice for a round stacked/layered cake.

Can someone please set me straight. I was figuring I would charge $30-$35 for the 1/4 sheet - does that seem right?

And did I mention - I HATE sheet cakes.....I'm such a sucker....I know, I need to stop that too!

I also have a ban on sheet cakes, lol. Just hate 'em! I think a sheet cake serving (with the height like Costco, etc.) is 2" x 2" and for a 9 x 13 there would be 29 servings. HTH

There was a thread a while ago about finding all the amazing sheet cakes posted on cc. It really renewed the fun of doing them, and was a good creativity booster. Let me see if I can find a link.


As to the question at hand, I do them once in a while. I don't mind them, I just think of them as another opportunity to make a cake.

In the wilton books a one layer 9x13 will feed 14 people. I really like making sheet cakes. If you just need fresh ideas Cakery has the greatest portfolio for designs!

I mostly only do sheet cakes...whats the big deal with no one wanting to do them...?

I would explain to anyone thinking that a sheet cake should be priced less than another shape of cake that you charge by the number of people the cake needs to serve. You put the same or more cake batter into sheet cakes as you do into other shapes of cake and further with a sheet the decorating area can actually be larger and therefore require more time and energy to decorate. I recently decorated a full sheet and even though the pattern was simple, because of the size it took some time to do. If your client is on a budget than she either needs to have less people being served cake or ask you just to provide cake with no decorations other than a simple border!

Meh. I can't find that thread about the amazing sheet cakes. Maybe I'll try a different search later.

I have a set of prices for sheet cakes and a different set of prices for layered cakes. The point to note is-I can out of one recipie make two 10x2" round cakes or one sheet cake of 11x15. That tells you that a 3 layer round cake takes almost the same amount of batter and therefore frosting as an 11x15!
My prices for slabs are nowhere cheap...they are as much effort if not more.

You know - now that I think about it you're right - If I use one batch of cake batter to fill a 9x13 and I use one batch of cake batter to fill 2 8" pans then yes, it is the same thing!! LOL - duh, I don't know why I have such a block on this. Oh, I know why, I just don't like them!! LOL Ok - So I guess the one small difference would be that I would fill a single layer sheet cake but I would for a 2 layer round. Minimal cost there if they are only requesting buttercream. So 20 servings is 20 servings is 20 servings, no matter what shape it is! I guess I've always thought that but I have read a lot of posts where everyone is charging a flat rate for a sheet cake as to a layered round/square cake which they charge per serving.

I still don't want to do it!! LOL Don't know what my issue is, it just is!

Thanks guys

In my area, a sheet cake is a single layer, no filling, rectangle cake.

It's not that I have a "flat" price for sheet cakes and a per-serving for other cakes, it's just that I've already done the math for them. It's just semantics.

A cake that serves 50 for $3/serving is "$3/serving for 50 servings" or it's "$150". Semantics.

I had a hatred for sheet cakes, until I started doing more of them. I advertise that I only do fondant cakes, but I started doing all BC sheet cakes to try and get more business. A lot of people in my area either don't want fondant or they don't want to pay for it, or both.

I have found tons of great ideas for sheet cakes in the CC gallery and am having a blast making them. I don't know why I hated them before. You can take a lot of fondant designs and turn them into BC designs. Now I won't do everything in BC because I'm not that good at it yet (buttercream that is), but I'm learning not to hate sheet cakes! Come on, give sheet cakes a try.

I do them only as a side cake or kitchen cake with weddings, and I charge $0.50 less per serving than my weddings cakes (i.e. sheet cakes are $3.50/sv), because they are only one layer of filling, as opposed to three in my wedding tiers.

So when they find out that the 12 x 18" sheet cake, which I stack two-deep, fill once, so it's about 4" deep, will cost them $343.00, they either say or they say yes. I'd prefer to have them pay $4 for an extra amount of actual, tiered wedding cake, but hey, whatever they want...

I have never made a sheet cake, but want to try. What is the reason for "no makie" sheet cakes? There seem to be a lot of sheet cake haters! LOL! I am so curious. Is there something about them I don't know or should look out for. I may be making one for my daughters communion. Any tips or advice would be great.

Thanks

Cake with filling $3.00 per serving
Cake without filling $2.50 per serving

If your filling you cake I would charge the same amount that you do for a stacked cake. If you really feel the need to undercut it cause it is just a sheetcake then undercut yourself by like .50, but realize that you are using the same amount of batter and the same amount of filling as you would for one tier of a stacked cake.

If you arent filling, and it is just a non-torted sheet, then I undercut myself by .50 a serving (hence the 2.50 a serving), because I am not filling it with anything.

Make sense?

I think sheet cakes have a place in the cake world, just depends on the occaison. I would never do a round or tiered cake for a memorial service, but I would do a sheetcake with some tasteful decorations, kwim?

I LOVE sheetcakes and that's what I almost ALWAYS do. Yes, a sheetcake is a single layer. I think sheetcakes should cost less than layer cakes because they only go in your oven once. For a layer cake, in my case, since I only have ONE set of wedding cake pans, I have to bake one cake, let it cool, take it out of the pan, wash the pan, then bake another cake to make two layers ... much more time consuming than a sheetcake. Secondly, you don't have to level a sheetcake like you have to do on a layer cake. That is why I think they should cost less.

People think sheetcakes are just flowers on a cake or something ... no way. I draw pictures on my sheetcakes. They are works of art. I chargee $30 for an 11x15 and $36 for a 12x18 (basically $1.00 per serving.)

is it still considered a sheet cake if torted and filled? ( stupid question, I know!) Should this cost more?

I like sheet cakes. I think they have their place. There's definitely times when a nice looking made from scratch sheet cake is more appropriate than a big multi-tiered dripping with fondant creation.
Then again I don't do this as a business and its always been my choice for what size/shape I make.
They take just as much frosting and batter size wise as well. I guess I don't get what all the hub bub is about.

I absolutely do sheet cakes.If the customer wants one..I will make one..now that's not to say I like doing them because I find them a pain in the a$$...I charge mostly the same as everyone else.I charge $2.00 per serving for my sheet cakes so whatever they feed times that by 2. Mine consist of one 2-1/2 inch layer torted and filled with the same BC as the rest of the cake.I can't see how you will refuse to do a cake that is still quite popular with customers.I always give them options and if they choose a slab cake..so be it!! I'll take their money!!

I do sheet cakes every week, thats all I do unless I do a wedding cake. Mine are only one layer with no filling. I use one and a half cake mix for a 9x13 to serve up to 20
2 cake mixes for the 11x19 to serve 30-35
3 cake mixes for the 12x18 to serve 50-54
Lots of my sheet cakes are half and half also, choc and white
I never have a problem with coming up with designs but if I do I just get on CC and look and it gives me an idea. Sandy

I think this is the thread ya'll were looking for. HTH K'ly

http://forum.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=5895388#5895388

Yes! K'ly, that is the thread I was looking for! There are *lots* of fun ideas in that thread!

I know in my area everyone wants a sheet cake, so that's what I end up doing. Since I have done so many sheet cakes it's a snap for me. I have more trouble with the round cake's he he, go figure!

I just love when people are all stuck up about making sheet cakes. Its not really a big deal. I charge the same amount per serving as I would a Round Cake. If you dont do sheet cakes you shouldnt do Round cakes because its the same thing just square. So do you not do square cakes as well. Thats just my opinion. It's a difference when you have a preference with what you like to work with but to act like they are beneath your talent is ridiculas. It shouldnt matter what shape a cake is its still cake. Thats just my .05 not that it's worth that much. When I have to pay the bills I will take it. I have a sheet cake to make and I'm making $65 off of this do you think I really care if it's round, square, rectangle, or a two tier? I could care less. Money is still money and that's rectangle as well!!

I think often times people order sheet cakes because they are more comfortable cutting them (as opposed to cutting a round).

My sheet cakes are two layers of cake with filling inbetween.

Hey Guys,

I don't want to step on anyone's toes here, but money is money. I am not turning away anything because that one particular cake that you turn down can lead to bad word of mouth from that customer to new potential customers. I had a customer that wanted a cake with daisies on it, and lo an behold I was afraid to do them because I thought it was a pain, but then I thought to myself, you are in this business to make money and satisfy your customers so I made the cake with the daisies (they turned out great by the way) and got a referral for a wedding consultation in two weeks.

I make sheet cakes all the time. Mine are 2 layer with filling (buttercream, fruit...).

A 1/4 sheet,9"x12", serves about 20 and starts at 30.00.
A half sheet ,12"x17", serves about 55-60 and starts at 55.00.
Full sheet 17"x24" serves 100-115 starts at 95.00

I cant afford to not do sheet cakes. I made 22 wedding cakes last year, maybe 30 sculpted cakes but I on average I made 11- 1/2 sheet cakes per week last year.

For you sheet cake lovers like me here is a good tip I use all the time. I always bake mine a few days ahead, I usually bake on Weds, cool well, wrap well and freeze. Then when its time to frost I get them out the night before and ice in the morning but here is the good hint, I put the sheet cake on the board frozen so its really easy to place on your board. I wrap with plastic wrap and just let it sit on the counter all night to thaw. Everyone always tells me how moist my cakes are. Hope this helps all the sheet cake makers. Sandy