"naked" wedding cake - no icing

Not any less than any other cake. You'd need to take care that it doesn't dry out, like keep it wrapped in plastic wrap until shortly before the ceremony.

WOW! I am scandalized!!! I think the photography makes it look sweet and romantic, but in real-life, I think most people would be wondering where in the hell the icing is! And I would charge my base price. 

That cake is going to go stale fast! The bride needs to know this....and you've got to think about if you want your name attatched to a cake that no doubt everyone will complain about....

Why is there no doubt that everyone will complain? Even if the cake was completely stale, it woud be exceptionally rude for anyone to actually complain to the bride about it.

 

Plus a quick search has shown that this look is pretty popular. I doubt that all of them were stale.

 

OP, I would just keep it wrapped until the very last minute. The decorations don't look like they would take very long to put on. Cake doesn't go stale in a couple of hours.

I like the idea of keeping the cake wrapped until just before service , I would also brush those edges with a little sugar syrup before I wrapped it , that should give a little more shelf life unwrapped . 

Is it possible that this cake is actually made from a brownie mixture? That being said if it is the outside should be crunchy but the inside super moist and delicious.
I too would charge what you usually charge per serving.

I know we all love being paid a fair wage etc etc so I I would charge less. No sugarpaste, no rolling out, no borders, no sugarcraft.

Not significantly less, but I would take off the time and sugarpaste, and add the time to set up and stack at the venue. And these are popular here, magazines, brides and guests love them but decorators, not so much.

To each his own. Sounds like they want two cakes so I am assuming the other cake will have icing.  The icing cake will probably be eaten much quicker than the non icing cake. Most people love butter cream cakes. At least, I know I do. The non icing cake shown does at least have some type of filling in between the layers. The saran wrap is a very good idea for cake not to dry out prior to putting cake out. As long as the bride is happy that is all that really counts!!!

a carrot cake made with pineapple or an apple cake would never dry out and if it did somehow get a little crusty that's my favorite part

 

yes it is popular now

No reason that cake should go stale. If you have a good moisture-rich chocolate cake recipe then it should be just fine. it would be helpful to keep the tiers wrapped with a plastic wrap or those firmer clear plastic sheets (not sure exactly what to call them). but it should be just fine. i'd brush the outsides with a simple syrup just to give a little extra moisture barrier for the few hours it will sit out before it gets served, but it'll be fine. I personally like this rustic look. its different :) i'd charge the same base as any other cake, bc thats what a price per serving is. a base. it can't go any lower and if the bride wants no outer buttercream then thats her decision :)

 

good luck!

i would charge the same base price

 

you have no icing to hide any booboos

 

you have to turn out a nicely browned, well rounded cake

 

we may do this anyway in our sleep but it's not a small amount of expertise either

 

it has to be expertly torted because it's all gonna show

 

so maybe you have an agbay and it's always done perfectly--you paid an arm & a leg for that tool

 

i'd charge the same base price as for my smbc--i upcharge for fondant (not popular here) so that's what i would do