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first time making a big cake

post #1 of 9
9/26/12 at 4:15pm
Thread Starter 
hello everyone, I'm kind of new to this type of business and they have asked me to create a my little pony cake, I'm not so sure to what to charge. Te cake is for about 70 people, it's going to be a 2 tier cake decorated with buttercream, and they want a rainbowcake and a cream cheese fillin. I'm planning on charging $65 dls because it will include the my little pony cake toppers and also because cream cheese is a little expensive and making the rainbow cake takes time, also this cake is for a family member so I'm not so sure if it's to much or about the correct price. Thanks
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post #2 of 9
9/26/12 at 4:25pm
What are your total costs for the cake, including ingredients, toppers, your labor (wages for beginning decorators are usually in the $10-15/hour range in the US), and your overhead (business license, insurance, etc.)?

You may also want to check your local laws, in some states you must bake out of a licensed and inspected commercial kitchen before you can accept money for a cake.
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post #3 of 9
9/26/12 at 4:34pm
Please be careful about giving your family discounts.

Sooner or later one of them is going to come along and want a wedding cake for 600 people for free...because you gave somebody else a free birthday cake.

Call a local bakery and pretend that you want to buy such a cake, to find out how much it would cost.
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post #4 of 9
9/26/12 at 4:37pm
You price is WAY too low. It is going to cost you at least that much to make it icon_sad.gif
Using cream cheese for filling means you MUST keep the cake in the frig at all times. TOTAL time that filling can remain UNrefrigerated is 4 hours. That includes the time you are working on/decorating it & the time it is displayed at the party before people eat it.
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post #5 of 9
9/26/12 at 5:47pm
Thread Starter 
That's true probably I will change the fillin instead of cream cheese I will just tell them all this and do something else, like a rocky road, I know is pretty low I should just let them know as well, thank you very much icon_smile.gif this how they want their cake, but I just said no fondant because then it will be expensive.
LL
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post #6 of 9
9/27/12 at 6:38am
I'm glad that you asked for advice. This picture shows a LOT of work that has no relationship to the cost of the ingredients.

I personally had no problem taking birthday cakes to my in-laws parties as gifts, because they were really nice people and they asked for cakes with basic borders and some flowers, nothing like this.

You should look at some other posts on Cake Central forum about this subject, to see how other people deal with a demand for work without pay.

That's one good reason to get a license--you can then tell people that you need to be paid a proper salary for your time as well as the cost of the ingredients.
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post #7 of 9
9/27/12 at 9:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dark-queen

That's true probably I will change the fillin instead of cream cheese I will just tell them all this and do something else, like a rocky road, I know is pretty low I should just let them know as well, thank you very much icon_smile.gif this how they want their cake, but I just said no fondant because then it will be expensive.



icon_surprised.gificon_eek.gificon_eek.gificon_eek.gificon_eek.gificon_eek.gificon_eek.gificon_eek.gificon_eek.gificon_eek.gif $65 for that???! $65??!! 6 and 5?
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post #8 of 9
9/27/12 at 11:36pm
Honestly, I would charge $150 for that cake. That is still relatively low. I can charge a bit less because I use Pastry Pride whipped topping and it is very inexpensive. For Buttercream, I would charge $3 per serving. Please raise your price. If you are just beginning, it will be very hard to try and raise your pricing later as you gain more experience. You may lose customers by doing that.
Dora Moreno
If you work with your hands you're a laborer. If you work with your hands and your mind you're a craftsman. If you work with your hands, your mind and your heart, you're an artist
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Dora Moreno
If you work with your hands you're a laborer. If you work with your hands and your mind you're a craftsman. If you work with your hands, your mind and your heart, you're an artist
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post #9 of 9
9/28/12 at 7:30am
Quote:
Originally Posted by dark-queen

I'm planning on charging $65 dls because it will include the my little pony cake toppers and also because cream cheese is a little expensive and making the rainbow cake takes time, also this cake is for a family member so I'm not so sure if it's to much or about the correct price.



It's the correct price for the '70s (.93 per serving if 70 servings) -- not too much now... definitely should cost much more.
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