Price the Cake (Professional) - Page 2

I had a bride bring in that picture as her inspiration about a year ago, we kept the shapes, but did a piped lace pattern and topped with a rose. It was a small wedding, thank heaven, just 30 small cakes and no topper cake. I charged $16 each, and would have done $90 for the topper. Going to see if I can dig up a picture, just to prove what a turd I was for agreeing to it.

So for the exact one pictured, $1178, and it wouldn't be enough.

I may accept the challenge but in my relexion, i'm sure i'll made many mistakes from a beginner...

For the mini cakes, I will start in mind the basic price for a standard cupcake and compare the job....

My cupcakes started at 3.50 for a big cupcake with a simple "rosette" of icing with a little decoration like Wilton flowesr plungers.

For the mini-cake,

1. I have to put icing for a crumbcoat (?), I put the second coat and (try) to smooth it as my little dear cakes are running on the table cause it don't want to stay in place.......

2. I must the good colors (I buy if I can!), roll the fondant, be sure it will not dry into the operation... covering, smoothing, cutting...

3. I have to prepare royal icing, piping, put the gold... going to my chiro, put the gold, going to my chiro... etc.

4. Doing the 4 stages sweet little flowers and put it together (and find the place to let them dry)

5. Find the good colors between ribbons and fondant, mesures et fix it without scrapping the pipping....

So! 15$ per mini cakes.... and I take the contract if there is less than 25 mini-cakes!!!!!!! Addind to that, I charge 150$ extra for the chiro...

For the big one.... about 80$

The six inch I would charge as 18 serves , @ $6.25 each.  So that $112.50 .

I would charge around $18-$20 each for the mini cakes. They are a PITA to do and very time consuming. 

The last lot that I did , was for a friend's son's wedding.( she is a cake decorator too and my best friend and assistant )  We actually had a production line going with several of us working on each step then passing it on to the next one.  ( That was a love job) 

You have to board each cake individually, then ganache , then cover , pipe, handpaint gold detail, ribbon, make flowers , and match all the colours. 

It is a lot of work. 

SO if we are assuming 68 cakes $1224-$1360 plus the $112.50 for the top cake. 

The flowers are simple . 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Koccy 

So! 15$ per mini cakes.... and I take the contract if there is less than 25 mini-cakes!!!!!!! Addind to that, I charge 150$ extra for the chiro...

Is that $150 for a chiropractor? I'd need to see one also if I did that collection of minicakes. 

Would you consider doing these in a poured fondant, rather than rolled?

Nobody seems to have mentioned that the cakes are shaped, at least they appear to be very rounded on top. 

Shanter,

I need to see my chiro 3 times for this cake! ahahaahah

What does mean PITA???

you forgot to add the cost of the 6 pack or 40 oz of your favourite booze to help you get through all those mini cakes.... willing to bet by the 4th or 5th one you could use a stiff drink!  And I thought I was crazy doing decorated cookies. 

are they really that much of a pain to make?

Quote:

Originally Posted by A Cakerellas 

are they really that much of a pain to make?

YES! I've just covered 12, and its 3:00 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Koccy 

What does mean PITA???

Pain In The A** (substitute "s" for each *)

thats a really good idea

what time did you start?

Yes they are a major pain.  Let me put it this way, I can cover a 14" square cake in fondant and do it just find on the 1st go - my 6", 5" and 4" cakes almost always take 2 tries.  Little buggers.

As for the source photo, it looks like the cakes are square but covered in really thick fondant, making the tops really rounded like that.