I often make cakes for my family and friends. They have told me that I should be decorating professionally quite a few times. I would appreciate it if you ladies could give me your honest opinion. I have thought of it myself before. Should I go for it or just stick to cakes for my own enjoyment? I would also like to know how much you would charge for a cake like this. I live in the NYC area. I don't have to tell you how much time goes into it. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
P.S. I love this site. It has everything.
Thanks Heather
That cake is great...sorry I can't advice you on what I would charge because I'm in the same situation. I've heard of tons of different methods though. There is also a thread on this site somewhere (can't remember where exactly) that has a pricing matrix.
If you have the patience I say go for it...you definitely have the skill.
That cake is great...sorry I can't advice you on what I would charge because I'm in the same situation. I've heard of tons of different methods though. There is also a thread on this site somewhere (can't remember where exactly) that has a pricing matrix.
If you have the patience I say go for it...you definitely have the skill.
That cake is great...sorry I can't advice you on what I would charge because I'm in the same situation. I've heard of tons of different methods though. There is also a thread on this site somewhere (can't remember where exactly) that has a pricing matrix.
If you have the patience I say go for it...you definitely have the skill.
That cake is great...sorry I can't advice you on what I would charge because I'm in the same situation. I've heard of tons of different methods though. There is also a thread on this site somewhere (can't remember where exactly) that has a pricing matrix.
If you have the patience I say go for it...you definitely have the skill.
That cake is so feakin' cute! That's like the ultimate Spongebob fan's dream cake. 1) yes, I think your ready & 2) $5.00 a serving at least.
Holy Cakes Everyone! 
That cake is awesome! My niece is a huge Spongebob fan! She would love that! You have the skills 
to take it to the next level! As for pricing I would go with $5 a serving!
Auhhhhh.....Yeah!!!!!!! because if you feel your not there now(which I think you are!) it won't take long to get there.
The hardest part is making the first move. I am personally in the same boat and I kept telling myself that I'm not ready. Well its either make the move and make it a business or go broke making free cakes for everyone that see and taste your family members cake and want one too but even better!
So the time and money you put into making free cakes can go into getting licensed, buying a new decorating toy so that if and when you do decide your ready, you can splurge on other things. But thats just my thoughts. 
Ohhhh and by the way, the people in this community have so much to share, In just the little time I have used this site I have seen a big difference in my work. Boy, do I wish I had found this place a lot sooner! Good luck!!!
All of you have helped a lot. Family have been pushing me lately but you are all unbiased. I'm at a bit of a loss as to where to start and that pricing thing is kind of scary ( why? ). I guess I should just jump in and go for it.
Thank you again for all of your replies.
Heather
The pricing is scary because you know how much it will cost for the ingredients and supplies and you know how much labor goes into it. The person receiving the cake does not! You want to get paid what you deserve but are afraid the customer will think it's too much. Bakeries usually do not do custom cakes like the one you've done because it is so time consuming, therefore, customers have nowhere to go but to YOU. Charge what you think you deserve, its the only way you will be happy about what you are doing. People that want a unique, custom cake will pay, because they know they cannot get it anywhere else. $5 a slice is a great start.
If you position yourself as a custom cake maker, you can demand a higher price. Don't be afraid to, you know your skill and time is why the price has to be higher than a standard cake; what you know will give you the confidence to demand a higher price.
NYC is VERY competitive and saturated already with cake designers. You might want to start out working for a well known and/or established cake designer in NYC. Your work is very good. Good Luck!
Thanks for the compliments. I've decided to at least put the word out with family and friends and to see how it goes from there. If there is a client base then we'll see. Wish me luck.
Little cakes - I take care of 2 little ones during the day ( only 1 is mine ), Becuase of this I only worked for a couple of hours each night and then put it all together the morning of the party.So the work was started about 1 1/2 weeks before the party. I did calculate an estimate of about 25 - 30 hours total. I also made the cake from scratch. The figures I would say took 1 - 2 hrs for each one. Give or take depending on the character. Is that a long time to work on characters? I've only done 4 character cakes so far but I think I'm getting better. I hope that wasn't TMI.
Thanks again to everyone who replied it truly helped me with this decision.
Heather
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