I was asked to make 20 individual/10 serving wedding cakes to be used as centerpieces for the reception tables.  They do not want anything fancy.  A simple buttercream and no decor other than pretty borders.  I am not professional.  This is for a friend of a friend that simply loves my home-made cake recipe.  Any suggestions on a reasonable cost?

What will you costs be? How much time will it take you to make them? These types of questions may assist you with your pricing.  I would also make sure you google pricing and read through the many threads on this site..so much information!!!

200 servings--just the handling of 20 cakes --is it layer cake?

figure 40 cake layers at a minimum depending on if you tort or not -- that's a lot of patience-- you said you're not a pro so just trying to give you a brief preview of the scope of the work involved--plus you can fit how many in your oven at a time--how many pans do you have to use you gonna buy more pans? that's baking time alone of many hours -- you gotta get 20 boxes to transport them all-- get some bigger boxes to stack them in so you don't have to make a zillion trips -- 

a reasonable cost would be something like $35 - $40 per cake--

these are going to be 6" cakes probably --serves 12 -- and just so you know-- if they are going to be iced white they can come out looking like so many rolls of toilet paper with just a bottom border-- just saying -- once you view the room all set up with each table sporting a little white 6" cake...

thoughts for you

Thank you.  This info does help me a lot into researching further.  I've sold quite a few 'celebration cakes', but have yet to tackle anything like this!  I have 2 weeks to accept/decline the offer.  Thank you so much!

AWhen I did wedding cakes I LOVED brides who chose centerpiece cakes! 6" rounds only, easy to ice and decorate. I suggested the cake "stand" of four upside down wine glasses. Generally the caterer provided them free or at minimal cost, and it was the perfect height. Guests could still see each other across the table. I am a pro with two ovens and a dedicated cake freezer.

I personally love doing six inch cakes.  I would pass along that vision of toilet paper rolls though.  Probably not something your bride thought about.  Maybe a simple flower on each cake that goes with the wedding bouquet. The wine glass idea is clever, leah_s,  so the cake doesn't get lost or banged up during dinner.

i love the wine glasses too, leah

I have an order for that for Sunday.  9 Table Cakes.  All 8" X 4" and I charge $50 each.  As for the stands, I suggest the bride raid the cupboards of family and friends, gathering as many pedestalled cake plates as necessary.  Family loves to participate in an event like this.  Just make sure you place a non-skid mat under each cake so that when the staff whisks them to the kitchen to be cut or the people at that table cut the cake, it won't slide off the glass plate.  The bride made silk toppers for each and I'm also providing two Cake Cups to be presented to both Dad's as it's Father's Day.  Oh, and leave some of the boxes at the venue because guests will want to bring home the extra cake.

that's a sweet order, denise--

ok wait--  two Cake Cups? not cupcakes?

Right.  I invented (or would like to think I invented) a better cupcake.  I call it the Cake Cup and it's an upscale cupcake you can easily fill with layers of fillings like a cake, drizzle with brandy, hard  STRAIGHT sides you can decorate with ribbons and bows, the cups hold much more than a cupcake and you eat it civilly - with a  fork!!!!!!!!

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i thought there was more to the story there--so cool, denise!

would love to hear more but i'm not asking you to reveal trade secrets either--

and that's why i've always balked inwardly at the thought of cupcakes for a wedding--no forks!

that's a beautiful cakescape too

Now that the cupcake craze is on the way out, I don't mind talking about my idea at all.  Two of my most popular cake flavors require drizzles of champagne and the other is brandy.  You can't do that on a baked cupcake without it running off and soaking the cupcake paper.  And I also object to the huge cavity cupcake corers leave.  Guests take a bite and get a huge mouth full of filling - unpleasant.  Also don't like the color leaching of the baked batter on white cupcake papers.  Tried to purchase lined white papers and they were pale gray - the company said that's how they end up after the lining is inserted :-(  Guests get all dressed up for a wedding, book hair and nail appointments and get babysitters then give the couple a nice gift and you hand them a cupcake?  It just didn't make sense to me.  Ever tried biting into a cupcake topped with a mound of icing - right up your nose then as you take bites of cake the paper crumbles in your hand - the cupcake threatens to fall to the floor and crumbs go down your V-neck.  Nope, not my cup of tea.  So I found straight sided portion cups and decorate them easily.  They hold the equivalent of one and 3/4 cup cakes and you eat them with a fork.  You bake several sheet cakes, fill and drizzle your heart out then take a biscuit cutter with handle and cut out each round and put them into the cups.  Top with icing and a fondant flower and you're done.  I lowered the price of each - just below my regular cake serving prices but the real savings for the couple is in avoiding the cutting and plating fee of venues - at least 1 to 2.50 per serving.  I just love them.  Bought out the store of these cake cups and have them stored for future weddings  - but when these are gone, so goes the idea of Cake Cups.   I just can't bring myself to do cupcakes - but for none of the reasons you might think.  I'm a cake artist and there's not enough room to be creative on a cupcake.  Hope this helps.