What Do You Think Of The Price?
Decorating By mamagraham81 Updated 1 Oct 2010 , 12:59pm by Kiddiekakes
Some one asked me to do this cake. At this point I am waiting on her to tell me how much she wants it to feed. I am thinking 8,6,4 for the sizes and thinking about charging $50. This is out side my comforts zone of prices, but my husband says I need to charge more for my cakes or to quit making them. 
Here is a bigger pic of a similar cake that the customer sent. http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_355893.html
Where I am, New York, that cake would be about $200.
It all depends on where you live... and yes, $50 seems too inexpensive for a 3-tier cake! Agree with your husband.
I am in a small town in Iowa. I was thinking $60 with fondant and $50 without the fondant. Just seems like a lot for "cake". Guess thats why I make cake and not buy it!
haha, Your husband sounds like mine....
I learned my lesson though....Yes, that is worth way more than $50! Your labor should be able $50....there is a lot of detail in that cake. I would say mo less than $100. and I live in a small town in upstate NY.
I am thinking 8,6,4 for the sizes and thinking about charging $50.
I consider those sizes to serve somewhere between 40-50 (depending on which chart you use). You do realize that you're only charging about $1.00 per serving for a cake that you could be selling for $4.50-$7.00 or more per serving, right????
For that much work and such? Around here, that price would barely cover ingredients. I've winced at times when I give a price for a cake and so far, no one's hesitated because they've seen the quality of the work, have read the folks who have posted on our facebook about taste and they're willing to pay for a one of a kind cake. Heck, we found out this past weekend, that a local bakery quoted my friend $600 for a two tier topsy turvy cake. o.O
I just added up the ingredents and I came up with $31.11 then I added $5.00 for the dowel rods and boards. So I came up with $78. ahhhh. and I only came up with it serving 28 people 16 for the 8", 8 for the 6" and 4 for the 4". The only bakerys around here are grochery store ones and the very few other ones won't really share how they do things. Thanks for all your help ladies.
So should I just go with what the cake guides say to for serving amounts. I always go bigger because I would be afraid that if I was the one cutting it, that I would do it wrong and then run out of cake.
She just responded and said she wants it for 50, so should I go 10,8,6 for stay with what I have? EEkkk
i'm in iowa too and just the 8" with only buttercream would be $50. I would charge $90 for a 4-6-8. If it was in fondant then an additional $45
Cool where are you at? I know I need to change my prices, but it is just so hard. What I really need to do is make a set price. I usually do what ever. AHH
I just added up the ingredents and I came up with $31.11 then I added $5.00 for the dowel rods and boards. So I came up with $78. ahhhh. and I only came up with it serving 28 people 16 for the 8", 8 for the 6" and 4 for the 4". The only bakerys around here are grochery store ones and the very few other ones won't really share how they do things. Thanks for all your help ladies.
My serving sizes are 1x2x4 (which is about the size of a peice of bread folded in half) it's a good size serving, if the customer wants to serve larger peices then they can order more cake.
so the 8" serves 25, 6" serves 14 and the 4" serves 6
For 50 servings and a 3 tier cake i like to do 5-7-9 which gives you 59 servings (make sure you charge for the # of servings you're providing, not how many they want it to feed)
if you do the 10-8-6 it feeds 78
so give your customer the options of how many each cake feeds and the price for each. Then let her decide, maybe they'll want the 10-8-6 for extra cake, but it's going to cost more.
You in Iowa? in Houston this cake will be no less than $100, not a matter of how many servings only, also consider all the work and material
So should I just go with what the cake guides say to for serving amounts. I always go bigger because I would be afraid that if I was the one cutting it, that I would do it wrong and then run out of cake.
She just responded and said she wants it for 50, so should I go 10,8,6 for stay with what I have? EEkkk
If you go with this size then you really won't make any money you'll be paying for her and her party to eat cake
50 wont even cover your ingredients. I agree no less than 125 would be a good deal.
An 8",6",4", tierd cake will yield 44 ,1"x2"x4" servings .If you charge a minimum of 3.00 per serving, which is very reasonable for a cake with those details, your total charge should be $132.00. I wouldn't do it for any less than that . That design can be very time consuming . And I am guessing that you do want to make a profit and be paid for your time .
I would have quoted $200 for this cake, maybe more if I was doing a sugar figure for the top, and I do realize I'm in a bigger city, but I agree with everyone, 50 is not enough. Imagine it this way, if she took everyone out, would she pay $1 a piece for a dessert? I mean, maybe at McDonalds, but I'll go out on a limb and say you're probably better than Mickey D's. So set a per person price. Say $2.50x50 servings=$125. add more if you do additional sugar or gumpaste work. Don't underprice yourself because it's a disservice to you and other cakers! 
So should I just go with what the cake guides say to for serving amounts. I always go bigger because I would be afraid that if I was the one cutting it, that I would do it wrong and then run out of cake.
She just responded and said she wants it for 50, so should I go 10,8,6 for stay with what I have? EEkkk
Technically, how they cut it is not your problem. A can of Campbell's soup says it serves 2.5 people, but when I make a can of tomato soup, the whole thing goes in my big coffee cup and I dont' share it with ANYONE! Do I get it cheaper just because *I* say it only serves one? No. Do they give me a bigger can just because *I* say it only serves one? No.
As someone mentioned above, you can tell them what each size serves (and I also use the wilton wedding chart to determine that). "A 4/6/8 will serve about 40-44 or a 6/8/10 will serve 74, when cut in industry standard sizes. The first one costs $120 and the second will be $210. Which would you prefer?"
Very well said, debi!
I have to say I was shocked when I saw the price you were thinking about charging. $50?? Seriously?? i am not trying to be rude but that is a STEAL for that cake! They could not get that ANYWHERE for $50! Even a grocery store.
I like the idea of letting the customer know about serving size and total cake servings and prices with that. I would not charge less than $100 for the cake. Yes, it does depend on where you are but you can't do this for free, and at $50, you basically are.
I would be charging $150 - $200 at least for the cake.
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