Cake Price

Decorating By aramosguy Updated 12 Jul 2010 , 5:52am by lovenintheoven

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aramosguy Posted 23 Jun 2010 , 4:44am
post #1 of 17

I am doing this cake for FREE (as a gift for my brother-in-law and his new wife) BUT if I were to charge for this cake how much would I charge. I'm new to this so please forgive me. I used 2 layers each of 6" (choc/rasp) 8" (almond) and 10" (strawberry) all covered with BC .
LL
LL

16 replies
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mariana7842731 Posted 23 Jun 2010 , 4:55am
post #2 of 17

you stuck rinestones in buttercream?

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JaimeAnn Posted 23 Jun 2010 , 5:09am
post #3 of 17

I think it is Beautiful !

when doing a cake with rhinestones I make sure to rinse them with vodka (sterilization) and remove them with a pair of dedicated sterilized tweezers just used on cake prior to cutting. I do not see a problem with it. They do make cake jewels though and the same look could be achieved with those and Dragees.

I would have charged $210 for that cake in Buttercream.

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aramosguy Posted 23 Jun 2010 , 8:02am
post #4 of 17

This is my first wedding cake and it's causing me a LOT of grief... (I dreamed last night that it came crashing in). I am EXTREMELY nervous about it. It's a small wedding (immediate family) and his new wife is very supportive of me so that helps alot.

Marianna---- I haven't done it yet. The PLAN is ti glue them in with RI. I am also nervous of making the lines in the BC.

JamieAnn---- $210---- The diamonds are $38 for 55 and I think that I will need about 3 packs. The Vodka won't dissolve the diamonds? They are edible.

BTW-- I forgot to mention they are paying for ALL supplies. I didn't even ask them to.

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jakesmum77 Posted 23 Jun 2010 , 8:44am
post #5 of 17

That cake is just gorgeous! I love how cake jewellery and rhinestones are really in, at the moment.
I'm sure you will do a fantastic job.

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letsgetcaking Posted 23 Jun 2010 , 11:02am
post #6 of 17

It is a very pretty cake! I can't help you with pricing, but I think you might want to use something other than royal icing to attach the jewels to the buttercream-covered cake. The fat in buttercream will break down your royal icing and you could have sliding jewels on your hands.

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aramosguy Posted 23 Jun 2010 , 3:49pm
post #7 of 17

Are you serious?!?! NO ONE in this bunch likes fondant; we like the artery clogging stuff. LOL.... I am so new to this what other options do I have to glue them. They won't stick in there long enough to get pictures? I am getting REALLY nervous about this... this is the easiest looking cake I have found and she likes it ALOT. ANY and ALL ideas are welcomed. Thanks ladies.

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cakesbycathy Posted 23 Jun 2010 , 3:57pm
post #8 of 17

If they don't want fondant then you should switch to dragees or mini edible pearls. you can use an impression mat to make the lines in the buttercream.

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JaimeAnn Posted 23 Jun 2010 , 5:40pm
post #9 of 17

I was quoting using actal rhinestones , They are a lot cheaper.That is what i said to rinse with vodka and make sure to remove them all before cutting.

If you are using cake jewels you don't have to sterilize them, and the price would be much more to cover the cost of the jewels. I would charge more like more like $350 if using the cake jewels, they are expensive!

The lines are easy., mark your points (spaced evenly) at the top and bottom of the cake then use the edge of a ruler to connect the dots.

Letsgetcaking is right ... You can't use royal to attatch the cake jewels to buttercream.

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JaimeAnn Posted 23 Jun 2010 , 7:27pm
post #10 of 17
Quote:
Originally Posted by aramosguy

Are you serious?!?! NO ONE in this bunch likes fondant; we like the artery clogging stuff. LOL.... I am so new to this what other options do I have to glue them. They won't stick in there long enough to get pictures? I am getting REALLY nervous about this... this is the easiest looking cake I have found and she likes it ALOT. ANY and ALL ideas are welcomed. Thanks ladies.




Then you havn't tried Michelle Fosters Homemade fondant. I used to make MMF now I make hers. It tastes AWESOME, it makes all those fondant haters ask for seconds!

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aramosguy Posted 24 Jun 2010 , 5:49am
post #11 of 17

JaimeAnn-- I was gonna use the ruler to do the design but since I won't get to use the diamonds we found this mat thing that someone suggested and like the design of that better.

OMW, I was looking at the price of making a cake board versus buying it.. there's not that much difference.

Can you reuse the boards IF you don't cut them? OH and that ribbon is ON the cakeboard isn't it? My MOM swears it's on the cake but I think it's on the board.

One day I'm gonna be as good as y'all are; it's just a LONG road to travel.

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JaimeAnn Posted 24 Jun 2010 , 6:28am
post #12 of 17

The ribbon at the bottom of each tier is on the cake , the cake board between each tier are thin and get covered with the icing on the sides.

I use foam core boards and cut them to the size I need. They work perfectly and they are available at my local dollar store. You can get a few cake circles from each one. The Bottom one is a cake drum you can make that also with the thicker 1/2" foam core I get that at michaels. When I use it for cake circles I rub it down with vodka to sterilize. Some people cover it , but I find that anything I cover it with gets cut with the cake and turns into a big mess.

The bottom cake drum gets covered with either fondant, freezer paper, fanci foil, or just about anything.

For the cake you have pictured I would cover the bottom cake drum in heavy white freezer paper (shiny side up) and trim the edge of it with the same ribbon as on the cake.

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mamawrobin Posted 24 Jun 2010 , 7:51am
post #13 of 17
Quote:
Originally Posted by JaimeAnn

Quote:
Originally Posted by aramosguy

Are you serious?!?! NO ONE in this bunch likes fondant; we like the artery clogging stuff. LOL.... I am so new to this what other options do I have to glue them. They won't stick in there long enough to get pictures? I am getting REALLY nervous about this... this is the easiest looking cake I have found and she likes it ALOT. ANY and ALL ideas are welcomed. Thanks ladies.



Then you havn't tried Michelle Fosters Homemade fondant. I used to make MMF now I make hers. It tastes AWESOME, it makes all those fondant haters ask for seconds!




I agree with JamieAnn on Michele Foster's fondant. That stuff is "hands down" the best tasting fondant I've ever had and for workability it's the BEST.

You asked how much to charge for the cake "if" you were being paid. I always add that the "quality of work" IS a factor when pricing cakes. The cake in the photo is absolutely beautiful and yes...I'd charge about $210.00 for it if it looked like that. You aren't doing the cake in fondant for one thing which is going to be different. To give you an accurate "price" you should post a photo of the cake that YOU make. How well the cake is constructed (stacked, leveled, smooth buttercream finish, etc) is as much a factor in "how much to charge" as the cost of ingredients.

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aramosguy Posted 7 Jul 2010 , 6:11am
post #14 of 17

Cathy--- The impression mat... got it and LOVE it now I just need to test drive it. LOL
JamieAnn--- The wedding got called off; they are no longer together. So I guess that means "no cake" --oh boo BUT I'd rather they figure it out now than 2 years down the road bc there are 4 kids involved and 3 just lost their mother so they don't need any more trauma than necessary.
Everyone-- I "dabbled" into GP tonight.... I AM HOOKED.. That's all I can say. Y'all have been so wonderful, helpful, and patient with me. I am so thankful to all of you.

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arseknoll1 Posted 7 Jul 2010 , 8:42am
post #15 of 17

Wow thats so huge and beautiful cake. The newlywed will be already hungry if they saw that.

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lovenintheoven Posted 12 Jul 2010 , 5:49am
post #16 of 17

I just started a new cake business, and I have to chime in and say that LOCATION is a huge influence on pricing. That cake in the sizes you mentioned would be easily a $600.00 cake where I am. It is a beauty...good luck. And DO try MF's fondant, it is delicious!

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lovenintheoven Posted 12 Jul 2010 , 5:52am
post #17 of 17
Quote:
Originally Posted by lovenintheoven

I just started a new cake business, and I have to chime in and say that LOCATION is a huge influence on pricing. That cake in the sizes you mentioned would be easily a $600.00 cake where I am. It is a beauty...good luck. And DO try MF's fondant, it is delicious!




Oops..thought it was bigger than you mentioned at 10, 8, and 6 inches. So this may run 500 instead of 600

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