How Much Do You Charge For A Full Sheet Cake?
Decorating By swick55 Updated 12 Oct 2007 , 12:48pm by swick55
I had a customer order a full sheet cake a few days ago for this weekend, but contacted me last night to say she can't afford my prices. I am just wondering what you all charge for a full sheet cake? I was even going to deliver it 10 miles. I quoted $90. I am wondering if I shouldn't have quoted more around $75........I don't know......
for a 12x18, i charge $80 and that includes tax and delivery within a certain area. if they want a filling, i charge an extra $10.
i remember the first time someone said that they couldn't afford my prices. i started second guessing myself. i had taken a great deal of time to figure out what it cost me in materials and ingredients to make each cake size. i enjoy doing this but i do need to make a little $$ to continue. i am competitive with others in my area.
with all of that said, not everyone will be willing to pay what a decorator charges. that is why there are other options like the grocery store. don't sweat it. in the future, offer them the option of a smaller cake in order help with the budget.
don't sell yourself short.
have a good day!!
I would consider a 15X22 as a full sheet cake--I believe that is about 60 servings, so in my neck of the woods, rural Okalahoma, that would be $60 with simple BC decorations.
Rural Oklahoma here too and your price is very close to mine for a basic, no frills, no delivery full sheet....$55.
I have always stayed away from referring to half, quarter, full sheet cake terms, those are bakery industry terms that customers throw around and don't really know what they mean. What I do is find out how many they need to serve and go from there Here's what I charge
9x13-$25.00 serves 24
11x15--$30.00 serves 35
12x18--$35.00 serves 54
If they need something bigger, something to serve more than 54, I put two of the appropriate sizes side by side.
Then it would be:
15x22--$60.00 serves 70
18x24--$$70.00 serves 108
Hope this helps swick55
Jibbies
I usually figure a more generous serving than the Wilton chart and that's why I figure that I only get about 60 servings out of the full sheet. I too don't usually go by 1/4, 1/2 or full sheet prices. I just ask how many servings the customer wants and go from there, putting together different sized pans if need be to get the servings desired.
... i started second guessing myself. i had taken a great deal of time to figure out what it cost me in materials and ingredients to make each cake size. i enjoy doing this but i do need to make a little $$ to continue. i am competitive with others in my area...
don't sell yourself short.
Ditto.
When I first started my goal was get the pay I took Susie Ormond's advice not to charge less than what you want, even when starting out. Don't tell people you're just starting out. The customers you get who can afford your prices will refer you and pretty soon you'll have orders coming out of your ears. A good cake spreads like wildfire!
On that note, it is a good idea to think of something that sets you apart from the other bakers in town, even if it is just how you paackage your cake, or a nice little note hidden under the cake on the cake board under contact paper. Maybe a special filling or an extra torte.
I actually turned down a wedding cake order because I really want my daughter's birthday cake to be spectacular, but I did offer the bride to be a 20% discount on her next cake order and she was thrilled.
It's the little things.
[quote="MacsMom"]When I first started my goal was get the pay I took Susie Ormond's advice not to charge less than what you want, even when starting out.
Sorry that whole bit was such a jumble, I am soooo tired!
I want a do-over, lol.
"When I first started out my goal was to get the pay I knew I was worth. So I took Susie Ormond's advice not to charge less than what you want, even when you're just starting out"
I am in Oklahoma too...our stores will charge roughly 48.00 for a 'full sheet'..unfilled with basic 'kit' or deco. People don't think about how the stores can sell for cheaper. They don't realize how they are able to buy in bulk and can produce 50 cakes in a day with their industrial machines and line of employees with their unlimited supply of deco pac kits that all look alike therefore elimintates much of the planning and creativity by the creator. The advantage for the 'customer' is savings and most people like a good deal. On the other hand, their kid gets the same birthday cake as their friend did. The advantage of going to the skilled cake decorator is that its usually fresh/scratch and a personal/one of a kind much of the time. Obviously the icing is ALWAYS better..but I do have a hard time asking people to pay what I'd like them to pay. Most just don't 'get it' If they did, they probably already know how to make one for themselves. 
for a 15"x22", one-layer, I charge $60. Any additional decoration is an extra charge.
My full sheet is 15x22 and I charge $75 for it (single layer, unfilled with buttercream icing & simple decorations). That price does not include delivery. Full sheet boxes and boards are harder to find (at least they are here!) so I do charge a little more than double the 11x15 price.
I charge 92 for a full 46 for a 12 x 18 and I am gonna go up on my prices at the beginning of the year. My local IGA charges 26 dollars for a basic 8 x 12 with a couple of roses so I don't think I am off base too bad lol.
Have a great day ya'll!
Christi
I like what MacsMom said on the first page about something little that sets you apart from others, my something extra is I deliver all my cakes for free. I actually do this because most people with small children are not prepared to put a boxed cake flat on any surface anywhere in their vehicle, we have no small children at home anymore and I use my jeep to deliver. I want my cake to arrive intact, after all its my reputation!
Jibbies
Thanks ladies for all of your replies. It was very helpful. I am going to adjust my prices a tadbit. My local grocery store bakeries sell their full sheets (18 x 24) for $51 roughly. I think I am just going to let this sale go because the lady mentioned a several times she didn't want a cake from Wal-Mart or the other local grocery stores. She doesn't like their cakes. But now I have a feeling that she wanted their price for my cake. Oh well........I am not upset about it. I refuse to sell myself short. I am actually a little relieved about it. My son's 1st birthday party is this weekend and I need to make his cake and I have 3 cupcake bouquets to finish and deliver.
I charge $110 for a full sheet (2-11"x15") side by side.
This cake is heavy and I do not like to pick up a cake and it bends in the center-the cake board -3 cardboards hot glued together and then covered with foil matching the cake.
The cake box is $3.00-$4.00.
I always deliver this size cake.
Remember ladies and gentlemen to cost out everything before you set your prices.
What we do does'nt even compare to supermarket cakes!
Happy Baking and Decorating!
I charge $110 for a full sheet (2-11"x15") side by side.
This cake is heavy and I do not like to pick up a cake and it bends in the center-the cake board -3 cardboards hot glued together and then covered with foil matching the cake.
The cake box is $3.00-$4.00.
I always deliver this size cake.
Remember ladies and gentlemen to cost out everything before you set your prices.
What we do does'nt even compare to supermarket cakes!
Happy Baking and Decorating!
I so agree with ChefAngie!!! I always deliver these cakes also. And the boxes are ridiculus!! I will not sell myself short.
I am in NJ and I charge the following
9 x 13 $40 (1/4 feed 25)
11 x 15 $50 (1/3 feed 35-40)
12 x 18 $65 (1/2 feed 50)
15 x 22 $90 (3/4 feed 75-80)
18 x 24 $120 (full feed 100)
I list my 12 x 18 as a half sheet- serves 54 (2 x 2 inch slices)- $70 (recently raised price from $65).
Full sheet is 18 x 24 (or two 12 x 18's)- serves 108 (2 x 2 inch slices)- $135 (recently raised price from $110).
This reflects only $1.25 per serving! DH keeps reminding me that the same serving of cake in a restuarant would probably start at $4, and says "If they want to go the cheap route and sacrifice taste and style, then let them go get a generic grocery store cake." I love that he gets it- there's a lot of time, work, ingredients, artistry, etc. that goes into a cake. I often get people who shy away after I quote a price, but then come back to me and order, and then rave about the cake when all is said and done. If the cake is an important focal point and integral part of the event-you have to pay for the quality.
All my cakes-even sheet cakes- are torted, and I don't charge extra for fondant details or special fillings or icings. And this is for pick up- no delivery for this type of cake.
I only do sheet cakes as a combo with wedding cakes, as in a 3-tier wedding cake and a 12 x 18 sheet, so they are charged by the wedding serving and delivered with the wedding cake.
My sheet cake prices are $3.25/sv for traditional flavors, more for specialty flavors--so a 12 x 18, two layer, 4" deep sheet cake (these are huge), decorated to match the wedding cake (like in my pics), is $318.50 plus tax. I don't offer 15 x 22" sheets; doubt I could lift one.
MomLittr I am in Bayonne and I have heard of prices in your area being around the same even higher. Bakery prices in my area may even be a bit more than mine.
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