I have a order for a 1/2 sheet cake. i normally do not do sheet cakes, i do mostly 3D and tiered.

the cake is a buttercream icing with fondant decorations. Very basic, a silouhette of a pregnant woman with paisley and poka dots and around the bottom a ribbon with a bow of fondant to add a little something.

I dont like doing sheet cakes because it is hard to be really creative with them.

The question is what do i charge. I was thinking $50.00, but not really sure. I dont want to go through all my cost and time for this one since it is a pretty easy design. I normally have a minimum of $75.00 , but this is for a person I have known for a long time and it is her first granddaughter.

Any suggestions on pricing since I am sure there are a lot out there that do this type of cake often.

Thanks for your help.

Susan

okay, I just called one of the local bakeries and found out what they would charge and they quoted me $92.00 so I think I am definately okay with $50.00.

Thanks,

Susan

I'm just curious--why are you ok with a 40% off price tag?
Sounds like about $1 a serving?

and what are you calling a half sheet? if you HAVE to use those terms, a 12x18 is the standard half sheet and it serves 54.

Are you really willing to work for less than $1/serving?

Many CC'ers come on here and lament about "they won't pay that in MY area" yet here you have a bakery that IS getting a good price for a cake and you're not going to price yours in the local market's range? Do you have any idea how many CC'ers would change places with you in a heartbeat?

I believe her reason for charging only $50.00 is because she has known this person a long time, so she is giving her a very generous discount. I don't think op's point was to make a profit on this sheet cake. Just my take on it.

I am just starting as a business and I also mostly do 3D and tiered cakes. One of my clients is picking up a quarter sheet this afternoon ( 20-24 servings 9 x 13) covered in fondant with a mortarboard and diploma. I charged $160.00. I just quoted a !/2 sheet cake (12 x 18 48 -54 servings) with buttercream icing and fondant decorations for $325.00.

Granted that I'm in an expensive part of the country and I do from scratch with meringue buttercream and torte even a sheetcake. Being kosher lets me charge a "little" extra as well. Nevertheless....

It takes time to bake, clean up, make icing, clean up, torte and ice the cake, clean up, make decorations, clean up..... and there is time to shop and gas to shop and electricity and water and paper towels, not to mention colors, fondant tools, continuing education, etc.!!!!! I don't know if you have rent and insurance, but if you don't, you might still think of those of us who do. People need to know what custom cake really costs!

My 12x18 basic iced with simple decorations are $45.
For the fondant accents I would price it at $80 and that is pushing it in my area.

I'm beginning to make cakes also, but just for friends and family. I just did two cakes yesterday, a full sheet and 1/2 sheet. I just sat down this morning to calculate how much I spent for making those cakes. The full sheet was Tinkerbell, so I purchased the topper and the all the cake was buttercream with mango & coconut filling. I also made a little cake to shape it as a small hill to put Tinkerbell on top. The total cost for that cake came out to $47 dollars, and I'm not taking into account food coloring, oil, utilities and the pans I had to purchase. So $50 dollars for a cake you're describing is not worth it you might as well give it away for free. I uploaded a pic hope it works

I am also just starting out with selling my cakes and I am struggling with pricing. I am doing a grad cake double layer 12x18 in a couple weeks...filled with bc as well covered in mmf and with alot of detail work and a 3D cap on top of it. I just called a local custom bakery that many people around here use and they would charge 72.00 for a 13x19 (half sheet they call it) with buttercream icing and filling, picture on it, and plastic cap and diploma and basic decor. This bakery does not do fondant!
With this price in mind, I think my price should probably have been closer to 90-100.00 for the fondant covered cake . I should have called before I priced it out but at least I am making it for a good friend . Live and learn!

Lisa, was their $72 for a single layer cake or a double layer cake like yours?

IndydebiTheir 72 is for a double cake with buttercream filling and buttercream icing and a plastic cap and diploma and a photo picture on sugar put on it. I actually stopped in down there today too and priced a full sheet (4 8x13's) and it was 125.00 and feeds 100. Same thing, filled double cake.

Check that....I meant their cake was A TORTED 13X19 and filled w/ buttercream so a single cake? For 72.00 decorated. Mine is going to be double cake 12x 18.

we must have hit the enter key at the same time ... i just saw your prev post.

sorry...I just got home and din't realize exactly what you were asking until I sent the first post. Anyways...yes, the bakery's 12x18 or so is single cake filled for 72 and 18x24 single cake filled for 125. All buttercream