Somebody's been watching too much Ace of Cakes! Wants a 3D purse cake with shoe box and gumpaste shoe to feed 75.

I quote $8-$10/serving depending on the purse and shoe design.

*GASP* That's TOOO much money!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah...well...its also TOO MUCH WORK!!!!!

What do these people think? Oh well, I guess before I started this I didn't know cake cost so much...

These shows need to start mentioning some prices so people aren't so shocked when they get quotes.

I agree...anyone from Food Network watching??

A friend was asking me about an upright spinal column groom's cake. I told her my son was graduating around the same time and I was not available to make it for her (from me it would have been a gift.) She asked me to refer her to someone else. I cautioned her that it would be a very expensive groom's cake due to it needing an aperture made especially to support it,etc. I told her to expect to spend no less than $350.00 (and that's probably a low estimate.) I then went on to explain that if AOC had been doing it, it would be a minimum of $1000.00... needless to say, she was shocked. I agree, someone should petition all these cake shows that look as if they have whipped out a cake in 8 hours at minimal effort and have them provide some dollar figures. It would be a real wake up call.

No kidding...and my husband and I were talking that technically I can offer them for less...for instance if a cake shop does something that detailed, they have to still pay for their rent and supplies and the salary of the person dedicating a whole day or two (or more) to the project.

If someone on Ace of Cakes spends an entire week decorating one cake, then he has to pay them an entire week's salary plus overhead and then he has to make his own profit as the owner too. So I can understand why they would charge much more than I would for the cake.

But even my prices get people turning tail and running...unless they've truly done their homework and then they are generally satisfied with my price.

I wish too they would post prices...I send brides all the time to the Wedding cake show because at least they say things like Three Days before the wedding. I am glad to see Ace of Cakes doing that now. They think we can whip up a cake in an hour.

We will never get them to put up prices..that would kill the fantasy for the viewer. hahaha!

btw, there ARE people out there that appreciate that a cake car will run 500.00. The TV shows have shown all the work involved.

Then at least a little disclaimer saying: for prices check out our website. LOL

Yeah, that too. LOL

I have one friend that orders cakes and she is my favorite customer ever! I made my first ever carved cake for a customer (not for me or for class) for her. She recently asked me if I could do a deer and as it turns out, she wanted a full deer standing up. I told her that I could but it would cost more than the regular carved cake. Her response "It's almost like you're my "fairy godmother" and you can make all my wishes come true... i'll gladly pay whatever it costs...i totally understand it's not a typical cake..."

That is her exact words and she means it. She's ordered quite a few cakes from me and has never quibbled on price, EVER. I wish all of our customers were like that. I totally understand budget, but no champagne taste on a beer budget.

I always want to say to the customer when they tell me "I can't afford to pay 200.00 for a cake" that Well, I can't afford a porsche. Do you see one in my driveway? I mean really, if you can't afford it, then go somewhere else. I had one father of the bride ask me if I would give him free delivery and lower my cost because they just bought a new house. c'on, I gotta pay my bills too!

I had a bride contact me for a large 5 tier GOLD cake sitting on smaller gold satellite cakes for her wedding at an upscale DC location. It was going to be in the grand entryway so it needed to be big and impressive. She wanted real gold leaf not "that paint stuff". I gave her a price and she nearly choked! She said she really didn't need that much cake to actually eat so what would it cost if I used mostly fake tiers. I gave her the same price. She told me that was crazy because I could re-use the gold tiers for another cake so she shouldn't have to pay for them. I can only imagine what she paid for the venue but she couldn't afford a cake to fit the venue!

I've gotten two email inquiries this week, about the fake cakes/sheet cakes. I try to gently explain that that is the MOST expensive option. One of the brides rented a venue for $1800 - that's just the room and table and chairs. No table linens nothing else. Just the room. And she says she can't afford more than $300 for cake to serve 150 guests.

Seriously, can WalMart even meet that price any more?

My delivery and equipment fees eats up $80 of that.

I know I was curious about Ace of Cakes prices so I did some research. On their website it says cakes START at $1,000 per order since each cake is a unique creation. Maybe you could reference that price!

I had a gal once ask me for a really elaborate cake design and I quoted her four figures because it was so danged complicated to do and she said "If Ace of Cakes did it, it would be really expensive, like $100." Honey, you ain't read his website prices, have you?

I thought IndyDebi referenced Duff's prices all the time.

"Yeah, aren't those cakes on those shows amazing! Good thing I don't charge quite as much as they do, I start at only ..."

I think I remember Debi saying that once in a thread.

Yeah I just love it when people send me cake idea pictures that are from Ace of Cakes and then expect me to do it for $50.

Instead of champagne taste on a beer budget it is Ace of Cakes taste on a Wal-Mart budget !!!

I always like the "it's just a cake" or "it's just a cupcake".

It was IndyDebi that used the saying about taking 150 ppl dressed in formal attire to a restaurant for dessert and seeing if you can get it for $5 per serving (or something similar). I like that one - and have used it!

"Exactly! I once told a bride "then make your own wedding dress -- it's just material and thread."

Or how's this one "why buy fresh flowers?? They're just going to die. The dollar store has such lovely CHEAP flowers and they'll last FOREVER!"