I'm no buddy Valastro or duff, I'm still learning but there is not a snowballs chance in hell that I could replicate one of these cakes and only charge $45, i'd be losing money.  She is a friend of a friend, she texted me and asked if I could make the cake and how much would i charge.  She wanted the cake to feed 40 people.  After sending me pictures and telling me that she was quoted $45 and $55, I told her that it breaks down to $3.50 per serving...she said "oh wow that is high, sorry I can't afford that."  So I told her it was no problem and to have a great day.

these were the cake pics she sent me...minus the Minnie head.

AHey. If you can't make money, why make it? That is why we're in business, right? You are right to have turned her down.

I get that a lot in my area.

Sadly it won't be the last time you get a ridiculous request like this.

You were VERY wise to turn it down.

I accepted a request like this once in the very beginning just so I had another cake to add to my portfolio.

I made no money, in fact it cost me money, then I started receiving calls from people she had referred to me who were also expecting ridiculously cheap cakes due to the fact she told everyone how much she paid. NOT the market I was trying to hit. Lesson learned...fast! 

What I get a kick of is that we get customers who come to us asking if we make sculpted cakes or similar because they think that, if we do (which we don't), it'd be cheaper getting it from us than from an independent decorator.

Um, no, it wouldn't.  If we did those kind of cakes, they'd collapse at the markup we'd put on them!

You've got to chuckle at the disparity.  People either don't honestly understand the labor involved, or they understand it, but they want to pay as little as possible.
 

The cake ingredients along would cost that much! Crazy.

Most people's cake experience is buying a mix and a can of frosting for $5, and spending about 5-10 minutes 'decorating' it. They really just have no idea .

I had one lady get really upset with me for what she called an 'absurd quote' on her wedding cake and ranted about all the bakers in towns being 'greedy thieves'. Usually I just keep it professional and wish her luck or whatever, but this time I sent her my own cost breakdown, before labour. She wanted to pay me half of what the ingredients, supplies and business expenses would have cost me.

She was pretty shocked, lol. The reply I got back was, "Omg! $52 of just butter!? I had no idea..."

Now whenever I get a request like this or someone surprised by the cost, I try and break it down a little and explain the reasons.

It's all about educating your customer. Like you stated... not many people are familiar with the costs involved to make a good product. They are used to buying cake mixes for $1.99, frostings and commercial cakes (by the way, what;'s in those frostings?...lol). When you actually break down the costs for ingredients it does add up. However, the end result is so much worth it. I rather buy a cake made from scratch than a store brought brand.

Wow now that's rude. Talk about the 'no cake for you list'! 

A

I made the same mistake doing this. Got my business nowhere and I ended up discouraged. Now, I've learned that I cannot compromise and my work is worth more than that. Yea, I've lost a few customers, but I'm not losing money out of my pocket to give them a deal.

AOnce I attempted to 'educate' a friend on ingredients costs, then she said to me 'well just don't buy ingredients from expensive supermarkets (Waitrose in the uk) go somewhere cheap???i don't even shop there, I didn't know what to say was just shocked. Where do you want me to go shopping, where do you buy your cheap groceries from? They seriously have no clue

Please friend, tell me where this supermarket is that sells butter for 5p a pack. 

My sister just called, she needs a dessert for tomorrow. I told her the price, she said, maybe i'll just buy a pound cake from the place down the street. i said it sounded like a great plan.

AJeez. Isn't it most painful when your own family doesn't want to support you? Not that they don't try, but just saying they'll go somewhere else kinda stings.

AOh, ok. So in this instance it's really no big deal. That's better.

I was at walmart the other day and they had a plain 10 in cake for 38.00 bucks. Sorry but she is crazy she needs to get what she can afford.

Good cake isn't cheap; cheap cake isn't good. Base price in my area for wedding cakes is 2.50-3.00 per serving. One of mine is 9.00 and so far this year I have two ecstatic brides who have ordered it. My base price is 4.50 because I got tired of being angry every time an undercharged cake went out the door.  I'm by far and away not the best decorator in the country or on CC, but I'm the best in the region. I've paid my dues both in time and money learning my craft, and discerning customers can tell the difference. I don't know if it's okay to post my website here, but I'll try since I haven't added photos to CC in ages. Site is: www.toptiercakery.com

Moral of the story: hang tough

HandyMama your cakes are lovely.  Very nice.  I agree with everyone else too.  Get proper compensation for your efforts and work.  Even if you have to turn people away.   If you don't you will only get discouraged and bitter.  We shouldn't expect any less.  Other professions want the same.

Happy Baking

Thanks MsGF

Sorry I have to laugh, but that must have being a joke right?

The smash cake for $45? No problem :-)
 

Hilarious.  I love it when people send me pics of Pink Cake Box cakes and then want me to do it for $50.  I so feel your pain.
 

Oh hell no.

AMaybe they should call Pink Cake Box and ask what they would charge.