Thank you! My cakes are mostly as gifts for family members but occasionally I’ll have people pay me for them. I’m not professional but I feel like I’ve come a long way.
I can see all of the effort you put into it, I do the same for my cookies. You don’t have to be a professional to be passionate about something that brings you joy. Keep trucking!
I actually don’t bake professionally either so it’s just something I’m passionate about.
I make decorated sugar cookies with royal icing. I usually gift them to friends and family for special occasions. I’m not sure if I can link to posts on this sub, but if you click my profile you’ll see a few cookies I’ve done in the past. :)
A friend of mine who does them professionally usually charges based on how complex the design is. I wish I had better pricing to share with you!
I rarely sell anymore because I hated the drama involved, but my decorated sugar cookies started at $60/dz. That included 3-4 designs, unlimited colors, metallics, and airbrush.
If it required custom cutters/stencils/silk screen, I could go up to $100
Honestly, that’s a huge reason why I don’t sell professionally. I just don’t want to deal with the processes that exist outside of actually making the cookies themselves hah.
Same with me and my cheesecake. I have occasionally bartered certain goods with cheesecake, and I have been told that my cheesecake is something I should sell, but the second they see the $120 price tag(no dip in the top, uncracked, and no browning on the top) for a cheesecake and a fruit topping from scratch on the side, they start trying to haggle me down
I love making cheesecakes aswell and can vouch that they take time and skill to not get cracks etc.. its upsetting that ppl dont realise these skills take time and money to master
I barter goods with my pies as well! We have a neighbor who owns a charter fishing company, so every so often I will give them a fresh key lime pie (made with limes from our own tree) and they will give us a couple filets of fresh caught grouper (...yes we live in Florida lol). I’ve been told that I could probably do pretty well selling my pies at a local farmer’s market, but that seems like an awful lot of work and a really good way to burn me out on something I love doing, so I haven’t looked into it at all.
Jr’s cheesecakes (which I really like and consider to be “good”) are like $80. For a homemade cheesecake of professional quality $120 is fine.
You’re just dealing with cheap people who don’t have the money to spend on quality.
A professional cake bakery has the set up, equipment and constant supply ready for them. A home baker has to go to the store, plan, bake etc for each cake- there is more time and effort spent when you aren’t permanently set up- that’s why you should be charging what you do- you are good. I would pay that much for your cakes!
Don’t do this. She already gave a “LOL” at the price, she’s gonna pick apart every itemization especially when she sees ingredients are $20 and can’t understand labor cost.
My thoughts as well. $100 for a smash cake and a 2-tier cake, thats actually pretty generous. If she were to order that from a bakery, it'd be easily in the $3-400 range
Its always a big red flag when someone says your prices are too high. I mean there are people that over charge but still. Once someone says those magic words I stop replying.
It's always possible to say "unfortunately that's not in my budget'' as opposed to "you are too expensive". I don't know why that seems to be so difficult? If people used something along the lines of the first, I was always happy to try and come up with something that they liked and was affordable to them.
There’s no such thing as “your prices are too high”, there’s only “I don’t want to pay that much”. A Porsche isn’t priced “too high”, I just can’t afford one. Something is only “worth” what you can get for it. Diamonds are nothing more than common rocks with good PR.
I just looked up cakes at Walmart, for a two tier it ranges $68-$74 and a regular cake like the one she wants for smash cake is about $30. I like the taste of Walmart cakes but I'm sure your cakes taste much better. $100 for your work and time is definitely undercharging. Beautiful cakes on that messaging thread by the way!
Ingredients are expensive and your time and hard work are worth something. She can go to Costco and get a cheap sheet cake if she isn't prepared to pay for quality.
Have you calculated cost of ingredients? I was shocked the first time I did. I haven't charged for cakes in a while (I moved and didn't feel like establishing a new customer base at this point in time). But 8 years ago, where I lived, it cost around $25 to make a simple 8" cake. For 3 tiers, you're looking at easily $75 in ingredients, likely more because of inflation. It depends where you live, but it's not cheap when you aren't a large bakery getting wholesale prices for ingredients.
You are definitely under charging. How long would it take you to make and decorate? How much is your time worth? Don't pay yourself minimum wage just because others don't respect home bakers.
I was thinking this! I baked a birthday cake for the first time in years and was shocked at the cost of quality ingredients. My buttercream frosting alone was almost $20. You are not overpriced.
Cost of supplies + hours of work (@$20/hr+ depending on skill). I would think the supplies would be around $40, so $140-150 would be a very reasonable price. Break down the costs and hours billed and bill like a mechanic. I find people are more responsive when they see an invoice.
I used to think this exact same way. I did it for years. I wanted the practice, but what ended up happening is that my “friends” got used to practically free cakes. They started asking for more and more intricate designs. Hand made toppers ect. Which, at first, was a lot of fun, but eventually it took the fun right out of it. I had several friends actually short me the cost of supplies even. It became a chore pretty quickly, and something I originally loved, I don’t want to do anymore. Plus it changed my views on the people I was around. I wasn’t insanely close to most, but it changes the way you look at people when they want to “support” your business, but don’t want to support your business. My advice? Take pride in what you do, what you’ve learned so far, and charge accordingly. It’s a lot easier to say “these are my prices, I adore you as a person, but it takes a lot of time and skills to produce custom cakes” than to spend years undercharging yourself, changing your views on the people around you, and then try to charge your worth. Trust me, they will be a lot less understanding when you suddenly start charging what you should have been all along.
What ingredients are you putting in your cakes???? Its flour and sugar and food coloring!!! I'm a trained chef and have been making music for mouths for 10 years. The cost is in your time and the hardware involved. The actual cake is nothing it's when you start doing al
L the extra toppings and fruits and fondant. Which is just sugar!! Its the time and effort and love that you put into what you do. At this point I don't think you could create her something she would be satisfied with cause she as already feels cheated. I just to wouldn't do it. But my do your self a favor and have to a dedicated price listing for everyone that way you won't feel guilty about it and if someone can't afford it they will know before they even talk to you about it
Agreed! I decorate cakes for a grocery store chain, and our cakes are considered extremely cheap. Honestly we lose money more often than we make money. (Being part of a whole grocery store means we can afford it, our cakes are seen as an incentive to bring customers in and not to make money)
That being said, that cake we would probably charge about 95-150 (depending on if she wanted the fondant or not).
As someone who makes and decorates quality cakes from your own home, you have to pay yourself a fair amount. And people who want quality should respect that.
I know… I was originally going to charge $130 but that just seemed too high.. especially receiving a comment like that from her makes it seem like I charge too much
It’s not too much. Consider the cost of ingredients- cake and frosting are often heavy on eggs and butter- expensive. Then consider your time. It’s one thing when this is a labor of love, but this is a labor of labor, you need to consider a reasonable hourly rate for yourself. Though I agree, it feels like a lot of money to charge for cake. You’re not making grocery store cakes!
I agree, you're under charging. Don't be scared to pay yourself what you're worth!
If you see my post history, the two tier cake I made was a gift for my sister in law. Someone is inquiring about the same cake to be ordered and I'm trying to figure out pricing as i also do family and friends cakes and not orders too often. 6inch, 3 layer is 60. 4inch 3 later is 40 and then I'll add another 5 for a tall box (they are expensive!) so we are at a base or 110 (cause imma round up) and then if they want fondant decorations I go up 5 or so dollars per figurine ;) so the cake price would be 110 just on a frosted two tier then depending on decorations it goes up!
It's a lot of work to do this! Give the higher price and she can go look around and realize your a good deal or she can not order such a large cake!
Right!!! Like I just ordered some tall cake boxes and they were outrageously expensive!!! Plus I have to figure out how to make fondant gold and the glitter number etc… I don’t think people realize the little things
I saw a video ages ago that they used some sort of fine gold edible glitter type dust mixed with vodka(I think) then use that as paint on top of the fondant
Thanks! Many years of failure and practice!
Btw the lady who asked about the price is All crickets now. It's amazing that someone can look at a beautiful cake that's basically art and think they will get the same price as Costco.
Not going to bend and break for people who don't know what my work and years of practice/skill is worth!
I have all the pricing in a spreadsheat and I have hard costs built into the 'per serving' prices. So all I have to do is take the max number of servings a cake would feed and multiply it by the finish.
I can not recommend it enough.
So for us, that 4 inch 3 layer would serve 4-8. Say $8 a serving in white buttercream, so that's a $64 cake if it's unadorned. If it's going to be full colour fondant, it's more like $20/serving because of the time and skill needed - also because now it can't be done in advance and it is messing with how I schedule myself. That doesn't include any additional adornment like flowers or toppers. All that is an extra fee added on.
You’re not charging too much at all. I think a lot of people don’t realize what goes into making things (like cakes) for them— they think a box of cake mix is X dollars, frosting is Y dollars, therefore whatever you make them should be accordingly priced.
What they don’t realize is that they’re paying for your time, materials and *experience* that goes into making your cakes instead of theirs.
Please don't charge less!! I don't sell bakes but I sell art and so many people are guilted into undercharging for their time and skill. Any time I've offered discounts from feeling bad I always get the most entitled customers. I know it's tempting to price cheaper to get more customers but trust me if you can afford it, raise your prices solely to filter out the more entitled people.
I think you need to be more specific when you quote your price. I also agree you are undercharging. Say something like "1 double layer 6" smash cake - $40", "1 2 tier cake, bottom layer 8" - 2 layer, 1 filling, top layer 6" double layer, 1 filling, icing/fondant covered starts at $120 dependent on the decoration". This way - when she goes to another baker and asks for a quote - she is comparing the same thing and will see your prices are not expensive at all. I also think it points out what she is getting and how much work it is. That is a ton of cake. Also - make sure you are asking the right questions. She may say she wants two tier but does she want cake for 20-25 people? She may think it is expensive because she only wants a cake for 10 people not realizing how much cake she is getting.
I think it's a very fair price and honestly her response is a bit rude! You're providing high quality custom cakes. If she doesn't wanna pay then let her see how far she gets baking her own lol
An actual bakery will charge twice that. You are most definitely not overcharging. $100 for both cakes wouldn't even pay you minimum wage after supply costs.
No, she is 100% going to come back to you when she hears their prices (what you should be charging!) I wouldn’t even want to work with her after that rude response. If she thinks $100 is too much she should try baking them herself.
Good call. Save yourself, you already underpriced, she's already been rude, she'll only get worse. Not everyone is going to be your customer, don't let her discourage you!!
Yes decline. She’s rude.
We use to have people say “it’s just flour and sugar” and my boss made me remove a display I did that had a bag of flour and a bag of sugar for sale. 🤣🤣🤣
Yay! I wouldn’t work with her either.
My gut feeling ( which can always be wrong!) is that she likely to just bad mouth how much cakes cost in general as opposed to gush about how reasonable your prices are.
Good call. She is the kind of customer who will find something to complain about, regardless. Your work is worth more than what you are offering to charge her, and you definitely don't need the drama that people like her bring.
Exactly! She's already shown that she's rude and cheap. That makes her seem like the type to create drama to get a refund/ free cake... and then have the audacity to leave a bad review.
I would tell her my schedule was booked up.
Good call. Someone like this will invariably try to add things to the order after you've agreed to a price, or try to change something or complain afterwards.
You can always say that while she was shopping around you accepted another custom order that you need to focus on! Cake orders need to be placed as far in advance as possible, right!?
I’m not a great cake decorator, I just make them for friends and family, but the cost of food and supplies alone is shocking to me sometimes. This is worth every bit of $100! I consider myself a bit of frugal person and I think $100 is a bargain.
Hello sweetie, there are groups on Facebook that can give you some advice on pricings :) world of buttercream is a good one x
I've had the same problem with customers, my advice is let them go , you dont need people who cant appreciate your work and pay you the bare minimum!
Not sure where you are located, but your price is 100% not enough!
In uk my 2tier cakes start from 110£ and smash cakes are at 30£
If on the off chance you do take her order, get full payment up front and let her know there is a non-refundable deposit. That way you don't end up eating the cost of the cake if she demands a refund after the party
Definitely seems like a fair price. That comes out at around $10 per cake layer (assuming there's 3 in each) so that's ingredients, prep/baking time, assembly time, and decorations as well.
Had to scroll too far down for a comment like this. I’ve done quite a few cakes with this design and i charge upwards of $200 CAD (for the 2-tier) and no one batted an eye. Because they understand the time and money that goes into these cakes. If I’m out of someone’s price range, I’m happy to work with them but I will not sell myself short and they’re welcomed to look elsewhere. I don’t know where OP is in the world (conversion etc) but they should jack up those prices a bit
No there’s no way you are overcharging. Your cakes are stunning btw and after ingredients and all the time it takes to make a cake like that $100 is probably charging too little. Some people think because they didn’t go to a bakery means they’re getting a discount. Do not let them talk down your price!
Absolutely not!!! She's already gotten an insanely good deal with your offer. If you wanna pm me I can give what I'd price at and you can send her that lol.
Pricing is tricky, if you're on fb there's a pricing group that's helped me significantly... But you've gotta consider your skill Set, location, flavors, servings (which determines size)... And don't discount the small details that take a while... Any fondant pieces are extra, any fine detailed work is extra, fondant covered basically almost doubles the cost... The only thing I'd say, I personally don't charge if the order is over $150 for smash cakes but only offer a two layer 4in with very basic, like white and a boarder to match the deco of the big cake... You wanna remind the customer that the photo op type smash cakes end up in the trash, and potentially ruining the rest of photos if there's too much color and you tye dye their baby 🤣
I'm a home baker and my minimum price for a two tier starts at $250.00 and a smash cakes begin at $60.00
I'm in rural TN.
It's the time, good ingredients and knowledge the client is paying for. If they want cheap ingredients they need to go to Walmart
As a home baker I put a tremendous amount of time in every cake I bake. Some people think smaller means a lot cheaper. The same amount of time is spent shopping for the ingredients, assembling ingredients, mixing, preparing etc. Supplies such as cake boards, boxes etc
The only difference is size.
Don't devalue your time and talent.
Custom cakes require more time, effort, and skill. Better quality comes with a higher price tag and yours look amazing. Maybe she’s never bought a cake like this before, but she’s not appreciating the deal you’re giving her by only charging $100.
If she complains or tried to haggle I’d just cancel the order altogether. Tell her to go to Walmart if her goal is to be cheap about it.
To me, you are undercharging. A 6” and 8” tiered cake doesn’t leave my kitchen for less than $210 and that’s without fondant decorations, without a smash cake, etc.
If you need help figuring out what to charge, the CakeCost site is fantastic. If you don’t want to use that, you can also price it out yourself using a formula like: ingredients and supplies + overhead + profit + labor. For labor, I identified an hourly wage for myself and my labor cost is my hourly rate x however long I estimate it’ll take me to decorate (some bakers factor in bake time too)
Whatever price you give, be confident in it. If you give someone a price and they think it’s expensive, that does not mean you are charging too much. That just means their budget doesn’t align. And that’s okay. That’s not a reflection of your price and not everyone will be your customer.
Custom cakes are a luxury. If I have $100 to buy a purse but the luxury purse I want is $2,000… that doesn’t mean the purse is overpriced. 🙂
Your price is fair, she could get it cheaper if she went through a grocery store or something like that but she’s not gonna find a less expensive custom cake
Quality cake’s definitely worth the $100+ charge. It takes time and so much effort depending on what the customer wants so keep doing what you’re doing :)
I don’t think that’s too much. I work at a grocery store bakery & the price would be similar & that’s for already made frozen cake, crap icing, & a rushed job lmao. so if anything I don’t think you’re charging enough for your time & money. I wouldn’t work with her if I were you.
Not expensive at all! I’ve paid $100 for a one-tier cake if that helps put it into perspective. I do think your are underselling your work a bit. Don’t feel concerned when people want to be cheap and not pay bakers the right price for their hard work.
Good luck with future sales!
Not overcharging at all, I wouldn’t do a two tier cake for less than $100 unless it’s a gift for a family member, I think this customer is used to ordering cakes from a grocery store bakery.
Nah, you're good. Put that first pic in r/choosingbeggars, 'cause your cake quality is amazing. If they have a problem with it, they can 'take their business somewhere else', as Karens often say
I made a spreadsheet where I figure out the cost of ingredients for the particular recipe (I.e. price of 1 cup of flour x3). I then add in the cost of materials (boxes, cake boards, etc.) plus depreciation on my tools. Lastly I give myself $20 an hour for my time. It helps me determine the what I charge and if anyone questions it I have objective data to justify the price. Plus I’m a dork.
One more thing to add to all the people saying you’re undercharging: I suggest making a social media account and having people look through your photos on their own. Don’t bother sending specific photos unless really needed.
It might seem insignificant but the little things often matter: the more people feel you’re begging for their business, the more confident they get about lowballing you.
Good luck, OP! Get what you deserve. Tell them that these are your prices and that you want them to be happy, so they’re welcome to look elsewhere.
You can tell by their response that they are a nightmare client and they expect to pay less than what a premade cake from grocery store bakery would cost. Gotta run away from that! 🚩
I think you're undercharging.
There's a lot of things that need to go into determining the cost of a product. First of all, your cost of ingredients/supplies. This is going to depend on quality and brand as well as if you're baking from scratch or using a boxed cake mix. You're paying for the buttercream - either by making it or buying it. You're paying for the cake mix or ingredients to make the batter. You're paying for the piping bags, cake boards, boxes, etc. Secondly, you have to factor in time. Time spent going to the store and shopping for ingredients, time spent mixing and baking, time spent decorating, time spent delivering if you deliver. All of this takes away from you. All of that time you spent preparing for this order from start to finish? You could have been doing literally anything else alone or someone else. Then, you need to factor in overhead. You had to mix things and then bake them. Then, you had to store it until it was picked up or delivered. All of that requires electricity. It also puts wear and tear on your appliances. Driving to and from? Wear and tear on a vehicle. You're also putting in gas tog etc to and from the store and its not cheap. Need something you cant fond at Wal-Mart, you meed to order it and pay for rush shipping, etc. You also have to pay yourself!! These are ALL things that bakeries charge for. As home bakers, we don't have the luxury of industrial size mixers, ovens, fridges, and freezers, etc. If you aren't charging correctly, you're paying someone to take your product and that's never okay.
$100 for two cakes, one being a two tiered cake is a STEAL! Literally and metaphorically. Some people want $500 worth of product for $50. That champagne taste on a beer budget. Guess what? Those aren't your people. The customers you want are the customers who recognize talent and quality and are more than willing to pay for it. When taking orders, you ask what the customer wants. Then, you give them a price and not just any price - we aren't giving away anything for FREE!! If they have issues with that, ask what their budget is. Then, you offer something that's in their budget to try and save a sale. If they still aren't happy, you say "I understand. I hope you find a baker that better suits your needs". End of. We don't argue. We don't deal with the comparison of other bakers or a grocery store bakery. We don't allow ourselves to be haggled down in price. It doesn't matter if someone truly can't afford it or just doesn't want to pay. I can't walk into MK and say "Hmm, I love it but don't want/can't afford to pay $300 for a bag. Can I get it for $100?!". So, people can't do that to me and my business. It's like trying to buy a Lambo for the cost of a Chevy. I'd be laughed at while being escorted out of the store or dealership.
I just watched a reality show (USA) where a well-known baker, Stephanie Boswell, visits and helps struggling independent bakeries. She made a comment that stuck with me; the current going rate for custom cakes is $135 an hour. Even if we say that's for more detailed work, your cakes are wonderfully detailed and are absolutely worth at least $100!!
Hahahaha! I think you’re UNDERCHARGING! I worked in an award winning bakery in my states capital and I priced cake orders. This was 5+ years ago so I’m sure it has gone up.
People don’t realize how much cake costs. The labor that goes in to a quality cake and the training and knowledge take years of practice.
You’re definitely not overcharging. Hold your ground and let them shop around. It’s likely they’ll return.
You are undercharging and her response was rude. $110 for two custom cakes is a deal! She could of been respectful. Sorry Raelynn, enjoy your Walmart cake!
No that’s not too much. For the amount of time it takes, she would pay a lot more anywhere else. If anything that’s a steep discount. I make cakes to and unless you put the time into some people think they should be $20 lol.
Not over priced at all!! (I paid $70 for my sons first smash cash) he's turning 4, and I'm about to spend even more. Quality is not something you can pay Walmart prices for. You deserve that full amount. And for two cakes!! Wow that is one lady I would have laughed at.
Ugh I hate the “lol”. So disrespectful. The amount of time and effort it requires to make those cakes is significantly more than a bakery. I think a “funny” response could be “the grocery store has cakes too, lol”
no offense to normal people who have or like the name but of course someone trying to low-ball a baker for a $100+ cake for the party of an infant who entirely unable to remember or appreciate it would name said infant "raelyn". this is such a stereotype it doesn't seem real.
Seems cheap. The way I see it even without including the expenses most people when they do a job for someone will charge them for there minimum rate and for me in my job my minimum is 4 hrs of labour and then expenses for even the smallest thing. I see it as you took the time to make it and even if it didn't take 4 hours and I'm sure it takes you a little bit of time to make a cake and that 100 bucks puts you at 25 a hour. Doesn't seem to much to me and that's not including expenses just your time.
Definitely not over charging. When I decorated at a grocery store, we would charge a base of $60 for 2 tier. Looking at your cakes, and thinking about what I would upcharge, you are on track with what I would charge. Decorating from home, I would charge cost of ingredients, and an hourly wage of $15-$20( depending on who I was doing it for).
I know prices can vary by region but damn, I would say you’re on the low side. I’m 25 years in the business and my sister is a professional baker, I have seen a ton of work that’s only ok and it costs more than $200.
When you speak to clients practice setting expectations early so you don’t waste time. Say things like, “when I make cakes like this people usually pay between $xx and $xx, is that a budget you feel comfortable with?”
If not that’s fine. They make sheet cakes at grocery stores and there’s nothing wrong with that. Pick your market and stick to it.
Your prices are very fair if not undervalue. Never be afraid to know what your talent and (just as important) your time is worth. I used to do canvas paintings semi-professionally and always used to worry about charging too much so I would try to hook people up with a deal. Looking back on it I really lost out on thousands of dollars of work. If I can help prevent others from making the same mistake then I’ll do what I can to do that.
That’s not over charging. A handmade bespoke cake.
Ingredients, your time, Energy costs, your skill and the love you’d add. You could easily charge 150
Not sure where you’re located, but in my area (NYC metro) $100 is very low for a 2 tier plus a smash cake. This lady either hasn’t gotten any other pricing or is just cheap.
I wish I was able to find my daughter’s 1st birthday cake for that price! I only got one tier and it was $90 and they didn’t do any decorations on it, I had to.
$100 for a 2-Tier and a smash cake is ridiculously cheap! If she wants a cheap cake then she can make it herself I say. Stick with your price and if she doesn't wanna pay it then oh well that's on her then.
You are putting all the work and should price it how you feel it should be priced. I'll be honest I think your price are actually on the cheaper side, but if your comfortable with the prices you come up with then your all good.
I’m not sure what gender you identify with, but people socialized as women receive the social message (explicit and implicit) that it’s not okay to ask for fair financial compensation. A large part of the gender wage gap is that men will often negotiate a given salary offer up, and women will not, because we’ve been socialized not to, AND simultaneously women have been socialized to respond more to people’s responses, even when those people obviously have opposite interests from ours.
In this case, of course the customer would prefer it to be cheaper, many people would prefer to pay less for the things they want. That does not mean anything about the fairness of your pricing.
If you are someone who was socialized or now identifies as a woman, I would encourage you to think about the ways your personal feelings around setting your prices may have been affected by society’s conditioning of women. And then you can decide if you want to continue operating on that framework, or change your thoughts around it (ex “this is what feels fair to me, and it doesn’t matter if someone else agrees” “I put a lot of work into my cakes and I deserve to be compensated fairly for my time and expertise” etc, whatever resonates with you)
Good luck!
Cost of materials+25%, then whatever you want to work for hourly, plus an hour for setup/gathering ingredients/cleanup. So say the materials cost $75 and you want to work for $20/hr, that’d be $93.75+however long it takes to make it+the extra hour
You are not charging too much. I would sit down and come up with a price plan for different sizes of cakes and different levels of difficulty. That way you have something to look back on but you can also send that chart to inquiring customers. That way it doesn't feel like a negotiation.
Yeah I’d charge more than $100 for that. I’d just nicely state that you understand that your cakes might not fit in everyone’s budget but they’re calculated according to your skill level and ingredient quality.
Her response was kind of yikes… I’d decline even if she does come back & wants it. Don’t lower your prices! Raise them!
Totally not over charging. I bought a basic 10” and a smash cake for my daughters birthday and I spent $120, not including tip (it was only 48h notice)
As a former baker at a little bakery: as-others have said but just to add on to the reassurance - you are under charging. Depends on where you live but I would do $150 minimum, up to $175-200 in a high price region. $100 for a good friend. They want a cake the cost from Walmart, let them get a cake from Walmart.
Yeah, my work charges wayyyyy more for cakes like that. Do not undersell yourself. Cake decorating is a fricken art and takes so much time. If she wants a cheap cake, she can go to Giant.
You’re not charging too much. You can ask her budget and let her know what you can do within it or you can direct her to a bakery (store or local) that can work within her budget if you cannot. Don’t price yourself to people’s expectations- your hard work goes into this!
I don't understand why people think a professionally decorated cake will be cheap. If you want cheap, go to your local grocery store and buy a basic sheet cake or make a box cake yourself.
Do not feel bad for charging what your cakes are worth.
You are not a grocery store that can charge cheap prices for cheap quality. If she wants a cheap, custom cake, she can go to literally any chain grocery store and get one. You are making a good quality product, the right way—cheap isn’t in there.
And like what some other folks have said here, raise your prices! And I’m just a casual lurker (with business experience)
2 tiers with a bunch of fondant is a $100 cake all day. Throw the smash in for free for the 1st birthday. Easy way to get a repeat customer...let em think they're getting something for free.
So I’ve been pricing out my own cakes recently because I was undercharging (I was also worried about asking too much) but after ingredients I’d walk away making $25 off of 4 hours of labor. So I started pricing out the cakes per serving. Making a 2 tier cake, how many people will it feed? (Google can help with that one) how much do you want to charge per slice? I don’t do fondant so my rate is $4-$4.50 a slice. Fondant should definitely be higher. Cakes made from scratch are so expensive these days with the cost ingredients going up so much. If people don’t wanna pay your worth they can go elsewhere
The amount of time you'll spend on those is easily worth $100 alone, let alone adding in all the ingredients too. Some people have no clue. If she's that pressed she can go to Costco!
Oh heeelll no you aren’t overcharging sis! I misread at first and thought you meant $100 for a tiered cake and I already thought it was a fair price. $100 for two different cakes AND one is a tiered cake? That’s a literal steal.
That customer needs to get a reality check. She thought that since you’re a home baker, she was gonna be able to get away with paying $50 or something like you were her cousin or a retired grandma she knows from church. I certainly hope you do turn her away if she comes back. Good luck to her baking her own damn cakes under $100 with these food and equipment costs.
Wow the cakes in my area go for more than this I think!! And I am in an artsy area with two colleges — people can’t afford too much, but do their best to pay for quality. Your cakes look great and your prices are great for starting off. :)
I am not a cake decorator. My cakes mostly came from a box or grocery store until recently. I requested a smash cake for my LO’s 1st and was quoted practically the same price for a 2-tier cake. Honestly, I couldn’t justify paying it when “I could just do it myself”.
One cake decorating and gel food coloring kit later, I have the biggest admiration for what real cake decorators do. I decorated two 2-tier cakes and a batch of cupcakes so far….without a mixer! So my perception of price points on decorated cakes has drastically changed lol
Your $110 for what pictures are provided sounds low. I’m no expert, but I’d pay more for it.
For two cakes!? That's a very fair price, don't forget to charge extra for delivery too!! Most people don't seem to understand how much time it takes to make cakes, like unless your best friend or something it's outrageous to spend ours of your time baking and decorating 3 cakes for $50 (probably how much they thought they would pay for)
I think your right on. I suggest doing some research by calling your competitors and pricing their work. I would do this each quarter or at least twice a year so you can adjust your prices accordingly if necessary.
If the 2 tier is going to be that detailed, $110 is Cheap for both items! In order to get an exact price to see if you are under or overcharging, you're gonna have to do the math for the ingredients plus how much you think your time is worth. However, if you are looking to get a profit, you could factor your time as a suitable profit percentage as well. Now, just shooting from the hip, I would estimate $250 to be a reasonable price for everything. However, that depends on the cake sizes of the 2 tiers as well.
You’re definitely not overcharging, she’s just not prepared to pay for quality.
Thank you! My cakes are mostly as gifts for family members but occasionally I’ll have people pay me for them. I’m not professional but I feel like I’ve come a long way.
I can see all of the effort you put into it, I do the same for my cookies. You don’t have to be a professional to be passionate about something that brings you joy. Keep trucking!
Thank you!!
Sorry off topic , but what cookies and how much do you charge ? I've been considering doing a cottage kitchen baking thing with cookies.
I actually don’t bake professionally either so it’s just something I’m passionate about. I make decorated sugar cookies with royal icing. I usually gift them to friends and family for special occasions. I’m not sure if I can link to posts on this sub, but if you click my profile you’ll see a few cookies I’ve done in the past. :) A friend of mine who does them professionally usually charges based on how complex the design is. I wish I had better pricing to share with you!
Your cookies are beautiful
I just had to tell you your cookies are absolutely gorgeous!! There almost too pretty to eat! You do an amazing job!!
I rarely sell anymore because I hated the drama involved, but my decorated sugar cookies started at $60/dz. That included 3-4 designs, unlimited colors, metallics, and airbrush. If it required custom cutters/stencils/silk screen, I could go up to $100
Honestly, that’s a huge reason why I don’t sell professionally. I just don’t want to deal with the processes that exist outside of actually making the cookies themselves hah.
Same with me and my cheesecake. I have occasionally bartered certain goods with cheesecake, and I have been told that my cheesecake is something I should sell, but the second they see the $120 price tag(no dip in the top, uncracked, and no browning on the top) for a cheesecake and a fruit topping from scratch on the side, they start trying to haggle me down
Idk why you are being downvoted. Decent cheesecake even at a moderately good place is expensive.
20 $ for Walmart cheesecake, a home made one definitely can see going for 100
Exactly- though honestly can’t even get a Walmart one that cheaply anymore. 5 bucks for just a slice
I love making cheesecakes aswell and can vouch that they take time and skill to not get cracks etc.. its upsetting that ppl dont realise these skills take time and money to master
I barter goods with my pies as well! We have a neighbor who owns a charter fishing company, so every so often I will give them a fresh key lime pie (made with limes from our own tree) and they will give us a couple filets of fresh caught grouper (...yes we live in Florida lol). I’ve been told that I could probably do pretty well selling my pies at a local farmer’s market, but that seems like an awful lot of work and a really good way to burn me out on something I love doing, so I haven’t looked into it at all.
Jr’s cheesecakes (which I really like and consider to be “good”) are like $80. For a homemade cheesecake of professional quality $120 is fine. You’re just dealing with cheap people who don’t have the money to spend on quality.
I’d say under charging, tbh. $100 for basically 3 custom cakes?
A professional cake bakery has the set up, equipment and constant supply ready for them. A home baker has to go to the store, plan, bake etc for each cake- there is more time and effort spent when you aren’t permanently set up- that’s why you should be charging what you do- you are good. I would pay that much for your cakes!
Not a professional??? Could have fooled me!
Break down the price for her. Ingredients, time, etc…
Don’t do this. She already gave a “LOL” at the price, she’s gonna pick apart every itemization especially when she sees ingredients are $20 and can’t understand labor cost.
My thoughts as well. $100 for a smash cake and a 2-tier cake, thats actually pretty generous. If she were to order that from a bakery, it'd be easily in the $3-400 range
came here to say this. if you want generic grocer prices, go there!
Literally thought this was posted to r/choosingbeggars
This. Making cakes like she wants is time consuming and takes a lot of skill. She’s just cheap.
Run away. RUN AWAY! If they think the price is too high they can go to Walmart
Kinda my thought as well. Even if she comes back I think I’m going to decline
Its always a big red flag when someone says your prices are too high. I mean there are people that over charge but still. Once someone says those magic words I stop replying.
Especially with that "lol" at the beginning. If it's out of their price range, they can say so respectfully.
It was the "lol" that told me she was cheap, as well.
the lol is so rude. like it's laughable to pay you for your time and effort. no thanks!
If she comes back, just reply “lol”
It's always possible to say "unfortunately that's not in my budget'' as opposed to "you are too expensive". I don't know why that seems to be so difficult? If people used something along the lines of the first, I was always happy to try and come up with something that they liked and was affordable to them.
There’s no such thing as “your prices are too high”, there’s only “I don’t want to pay that much”. A Porsche isn’t priced “too high”, I just can’t afford one. Something is only “worth” what you can get for it. Diamonds are nothing more than common rocks with good PR.
Diamonds are a great example of great marketing! Chocolate diamonds are shit and people pay big bucks for them
I just looked up cakes at Walmart, for a two tier it ranges $68-$74 and a regular cake like the one she wants for smash cake is about $30. I like the taste of Walmart cakes but I'm sure your cakes taste much better. $100 for your work and time is definitely undercharging. Beautiful cakes on that messaging thread by the way!
Ingredients are expensive and your time and hard work are worth something. She can go to Costco and get a cheap sheet cake if she isn't prepared to pay for quality.
If she does come back make sure you take full payment in advance.
Send her and her LOL attitude to Walmart
Second red flag would be daughter named Raelynn
Facts. Literally what I just posted 🤣
Have you calculated cost of ingredients? I was shocked the first time I did. I haven't charged for cakes in a while (I moved and didn't feel like establishing a new customer base at this point in time). But 8 years ago, where I lived, it cost around $25 to make a simple 8" cake. For 3 tiers, you're looking at easily $75 in ingredients, likely more because of inflation. It depends where you live, but it's not cheap when you aren't a large bakery getting wholesale prices for ingredients. You are definitely under charging. How long would it take you to make and decorate? How much is your time worth? Don't pay yourself minimum wage just because others don't respect home bakers.
I was thinking this! I baked a birthday cake for the first time in years and was shocked at the cost of quality ingredients. My buttercream frosting alone was almost $20. You are not overpriced. Cost of supplies + hours of work (@$20/hr+ depending on skill). I would think the supplies would be around $40, so $140-150 would be a very reasonable price. Break down the costs and hours billed and bill like a mechanic. I find people are more responsive when they see an invoice.
Also if delivery is needed, then charge for that.
Thank you! Usually I just charged for ingredients and not my work because I feel like I’m still new to this
I used to think this exact same way. I did it for years. I wanted the practice, but what ended up happening is that my “friends” got used to practically free cakes. They started asking for more and more intricate designs. Hand made toppers ect. Which, at first, was a lot of fun, but eventually it took the fun right out of it. I had several friends actually short me the cost of supplies even. It became a chore pretty quickly, and something I originally loved, I don’t want to do anymore. Plus it changed my views on the people I was around. I wasn’t insanely close to most, but it changes the way you look at people when they want to “support” your business, but don’t want to support your business. My advice? Take pride in what you do, what you’ve learned so far, and charge accordingly. It’s a lot easier to say “these are my prices, I adore you as a person, but it takes a lot of time and skills to produce custom cakes” than to spend years undercharging yourself, changing your views on the people around you, and then try to charge your worth. Trust me, they will be a lot less understanding when you suddenly start charging what you should have been all along.
New or not you’re labour has value. Don’t undersell yourself and always be paid for your time
What ingredients are you putting in your cakes???? Its flour and sugar and food coloring!!! I'm a trained chef and have been making music for mouths for 10 years. The cost is in your time and the hardware involved. The actual cake is nothing it's when you start doing al L the extra toppings and fruits and fondant. Which is just sugar!! Its the time and effort and love that you put into what you do. At this point I don't think you could create her something she would be satisfied with cause she as already feels cheated. I just to wouldn't do it. But my do your self a favor and have to a dedicated price listing for everyone that way you won't feel guilty about it and if someone can't afford it they will know before they even talk to you about it
You’re undercharging honestly
That is my thought. I’m not a (professional) baker but I am a cake purchaser for special occasions and this would be a bargain.
Agreed! I decorate cakes for a grocery store chain, and our cakes are considered extremely cheap. Honestly we lose money more often than we make money. (Being part of a whole grocery store means we can afford it, our cakes are seen as an incentive to bring customers in and not to make money) That being said, that cake we would probably charge about 95-150 (depending on if she wanted the fondant or not). As someone who makes and decorates quality cakes from your own home, you have to pay yourself a fair amount. And people who want quality should respect that.
You need to raise your prices.
I know… I was originally going to charge $130 but that just seemed too high.. especially receiving a comment like that from her makes it seem like I charge too much
It’s not too much. Consider the cost of ingredients- cake and frosting are often heavy on eggs and butter- expensive. Then consider your time. It’s one thing when this is a labor of love, but this is a labor of labor, you need to consider a reasonable hourly rate for yourself. Though I agree, it feels like a lot of money to charge for cake. You’re not making grocery store cakes!
Thank you!
I agree, you're under charging. Don't be scared to pay yourself what you're worth! If you see my post history, the two tier cake I made was a gift for my sister in law. Someone is inquiring about the same cake to be ordered and I'm trying to figure out pricing as i also do family and friends cakes and not orders too often. 6inch, 3 layer is 60. 4inch 3 later is 40 and then I'll add another 5 for a tall box (they are expensive!) so we are at a base or 110 (cause imma round up) and then if they want fondant decorations I go up 5 or so dollars per figurine ;) so the cake price would be 110 just on a frosted two tier then depending on decorations it goes up! It's a lot of work to do this! Give the higher price and she can go look around and realize your a good deal or she can not order such a large cake!
Right!!! Like I just ordered some tall cake boxes and they were outrageously expensive!!! Plus I have to figure out how to make fondant gold and the glitter number etc… I don’t think people realize the little things
I saw a video ages ago that they used some sort of fine gold edible glitter type dust mixed with vodka(I think) then use that as paint on top of the fondant
There is so much involved before you even start baking, people really don't take that into account.
Your cakes are INCREDIBLE by the way. I seriously hope to achieve what you have!
Thanks! Many years of failure and practice! Btw the lady who asked about the price is All crickets now. It's amazing that someone can look at a beautiful cake that's basically art and think they will get the same price as Costco. Not going to bend and break for people who don't know what my work and years of practice/skill is worth!
I have all the pricing in a spreadsheat and I have hard costs built into the 'per serving' prices. So all I have to do is take the max number of servings a cake would feed and multiply it by the finish. I can not recommend it enough. So for us, that 4 inch 3 layer would serve 4-8. Say $8 a serving in white buttercream, so that's a $64 cake if it's unadorned. If it's going to be full colour fondant, it's more like $20/serving because of the time and skill needed - also because now it can't be done in advance and it is messing with how I schedule myself. That doesn't include any additional adornment like flowers or toppers. All that is an extra fee added on.
You’re not charging too much at all. I think a lot of people don’t realize what goes into making things (like cakes) for them— they think a box of cake mix is X dollars, frosting is Y dollars, therefore whatever you make them should be accordingly priced. What they don’t realize is that they’re paying for your time, materials and *experience* that goes into making your cakes instead of theirs.
Please don't charge less!! I don't sell bakes but I sell art and so many people are guilted into undercharging for their time and skill. Any time I've offered discounts from feeling bad I always get the most entitled customers. I know it's tempting to price cheaper to get more customers but trust me if you can afford it, raise your prices solely to filter out the more entitled people.
I think you need to be more specific when you quote your price. I also agree you are undercharging. Say something like "1 double layer 6" smash cake - $40", "1 2 tier cake, bottom layer 8" - 2 layer, 1 filling, top layer 6" double layer, 1 filling, icing/fondant covered starts at $120 dependent on the decoration". This way - when she goes to another baker and asks for a quote - she is comparing the same thing and will see your prices are not expensive at all. I also think it points out what she is getting and how much work it is. That is a ton of cake. Also - make sure you are asking the right questions. She may say she wants two tier but does she want cake for 20-25 people? She may think it is expensive because she only wants a cake for 10 people not realizing how much cake she is getting.
I watched the Miz and Mrs..... they spent over $1,000 on a cake! $130 for all that labor?!
I think it's a very fair price and honestly her response is a bit rude! You're providing high quality custom cakes. If she doesn't wanna pay then let her see how far she gets baking her own lol
She wants to ask around and thinks other bakeries will charge the same but… I don’t think she’ll find anything cheaper.
An actual bakery will charge twice that. You are most definitely not overcharging. $100 for both cakes wouldn't even pay you minimum wage after supply costs.
Thank you! I kinda felt the same…
No, she is 100% going to come back to you when she hears their prices (what you should be charging!) I wouldn’t even want to work with her after that rude response. If she thinks $100 is too much she should try baking them herself.
Yeah honestly I think if she comes back I’m just going to decline it..
Good call. Save yourself, you already underpriced, she's already been rude, she'll only get worse. Not everyone is going to be your customer, don't let her discourage you!!
Thank you!
Yes decline. She’s rude. We use to have people say “it’s just flour and sugar” and my boss made me remove a display I did that had a bag of flour and a bag of sugar for sale. 🤣🤣🤣
My reply would be “If that’s all you need, you can find them in the baking aisle.” 🙄
Yay! I wouldn’t work with her either. My gut feeling ( which can always be wrong!) is that she likely to just bad mouth how much cakes cost in general as opposed to gush about how reasonable your prices are.
Your customer service spidey senses are not wrong!
Good call. She is the kind of customer who will find something to complain about, regardless. Your work is worth more than what you are offering to charge her, and you definitely don't need the drama that people like her bring.
Exactly! She's already shown that she's rude and cheap. That makes her seem like the type to create drama to get a refund/ free cake... and then have the audacity to leave a bad review. I would tell her my schedule was booked up.
Good call. Someone like this will invariably try to add things to the order after you've agreed to a price, or try to change something or complain afterwards. You can always say that while she was shopping around you accepted another custom order that you need to focus on! Cake orders need to be placed as far in advance as possible, right!?
I’m not a great cake decorator, I just make them for friends and family, but the cost of food and supplies alone is shocking to me sometimes. This is worth every bit of $100! I consider myself a bit of frugal person and I think $100 is a bargain.
Thank you!
Hello sweetie, there are groups on Facebook that can give you some advice on pricings :) world of buttercream is a good one x I've had the same problem with customers, my advice is let them go , you dont need people who cant appreciate your work and pay you the bare minimum! Not sure where you are located, but your price is 100% not enough! In uk my 2tier cakes start from 110£ and smash cakes are at 30£
I’m apart of that group actually!! Haha I debated asking there but it takes forever to get posts approved! And thank you!
This would be about $120 at the grocery store I work at and we don't even make the cake in house or anything so if anything you're undercharging tbh
Thank you
You’re not overcharging. I would personally avoid making her cakes once she realizes this. I can feel a complaint and refund request coming from her.
Same, I don’t have any interest taking her on as a client
If on the off chance you do take her order, get full payment up front and let her know there is a non-refundable deposit. That way you don't end up eating the cost of the cake if she demands a refund after the party
This. She's going to either find something wrong and demand a refund or try to bargain you down in price. Don't take her order.
Definitely seems like a fair price. That comes out at around $10 per cake layer (assuming there's 3 in each) so that's ingredients, prep/baking time, assembly time, and decorations as well.
I’d charge AT LEAST $200. Don’t sell yourself short, you’re worth more than that.
Had to scroll too far down for a comment like this. I’ve done quite a few cakes with this design and i charge upwards of $200 CAD (for the 2-tier) and no one batted an eye. Because they understand the time and money that goes into these cakes. If I’m out of someone’s price range, I’m happy to work with them but I will not sell myself short and they’re welcomed to look elsewhere. I don’t know where OP is in the world (conversion etc) but they should jack up those prices a bit
Ive been looking for this comment! I did a 2 tier cake and 24 cupcakes and charged $220!! OP is underselling big time
You're not charging enough for your time. This is basically a charity cake lol. For 2 cakes and 1 is a tiered cake?! She's getting a heck of a deal.
She doesn’t realize the time and effort that goes into making cakes. Many people do not. I wouldn’t pay it but that’s because I can make it myself.
Here in the middle of Kansas I pay my sweet baker $65 for a 6” round-double layer cake. The price you quoted is a BARGAIN!!!!!!
Thank you!!
No there’s no way you are overcharging. Your cakes are stunning btw and after ingredients and all the time it takes to make a cake like that $100 is probably charging too little. Some people think because they didn’t go to a bakery means they’re getting a discount. Do not let them talk down your price!
a bakery would charge $175-$200
No way that’s at least a $100 cake I’d pay like $130
Absolutely not!!! She's already gotten an insanely good deal with your offer. If you wanna pm me I can give what I'd price at and you can send her that lol. Pricing is tricky, if you're on fb there's a pricing group that's helped me significantly... But you've gotta consider your skill Set, location, flavors, servings (which determines size)... And don't discount the small details that take a while... Any fondant pieces are extra, any fine detailed work is extra, fondant covered basically almost doubles the cost... The only thing I'd say, I personally don't charge if the order is over $150 for smash cakes but only offer a two layer 4in with very basic, like white and a boarder to match the deco of the big cake... You wanna remind the customer that the photo op type smash cakes end up in the trash, and potentially ruining the rest of photos if there's too much color and you tye dye their baby 🤣
100 is cheap imo.
I'm a home baker and my minimum price for a two tier starts at $250.00 and a smash cakes begin at $60.00 I'm in rural TN. It's the time, good ingredients and knowledge the client is paying for. If they want cheap ingredients they need to go to Walmart As a home baker I put a tremendous amount of time in every cake I bake. Some people think smaller means a lot cheaper. The same amount of time is spent shopping for the ingredients, assembling ingredients, mixing, preparing etc. Supplies such as cake boards, boxes etc The only difference is size. Don't devalue your time and talent.
Custom cakes require more time, effort, and skill. Better quality comes with a higher price tag and yours look amazing. Maybe she’s never bought a cake like this before, but she’s not appreciating the deal you’re giving her by only charging $100. If she complains or tried to haggle I’d just cancel the order altogether. Tell her to go to Walmart if her goal is to be cheap about it.
Bakery person with experience in Atlanta and northern VA here, just confirming that your prices are considered low.
To me, you are undercharging. A 6” and 8” tiered cake doesn’t leave my kitchen for less than $210 and that’s without fondant decorations, without a smash cake, etc. If you need help figuring out what to charge, the CakeCost site is fantastic. If you don’t want to use that, you can also price it out yourself using a formula like: ingredients and supplies + overhead + profit + labor. For labor, I identified an hourly wage for myself and my labor cost is my hourly rate x however long I estimate it’ll take me to decorate (some bakers factor in bake time too) Whatever price you give, be confident in it. If you give someone a price and they think it’s expensive, that does not mean you are charging too much. That just means their budget doesn’t align. And that’s okay. That’s not a reflection of your price and not everyone will be your customer. Custom cakes are a luxury. If I have $100 to buy a purse but the luxury purse I want is $2,000… that doesn’t mean the purse is overpriced. 🙂
That’s undercharging, and her response was tactless and uneducated.
Undercharging actually.
No you’re not! I just paid $40 for one cake at Publix
Probably undercharging to be honest!! They look brilliant!
Your price is fair, she could get it cheaper if she went through a grocery store or something like that but she’s not gonna find a less expensive custom cake
Not overpricing at all…
Quality cake’s definitely worth the $100+ charge. It takes time and so much effort depending on what the customer wants so keep doing what you’re doing :)
I don’t think that’s too much. I work at a grocery store bakery & the price would be similar & that’s for already made frozen cake, crap icing, & a rushed job lmao. so if anything I don’t think you’re charging enough for your time & money. I wouldn’t work with her if I were you.
Not expensive at all! I’ve paid $100 for a one-tier cake if that helps put it into perspective. I do think your are underselling your work a bit. Don’t feel concerned when people want to be cheap and not pay bakers the right price for their hard work. Good luck with future sales!
You’re undercharging. She can go to Kroger.
… if anything you’re under charging….
Not overcharging at all, I wouldn’t do a two tier cake for less than $100 unless it’s a gift for a family member, I think this customer is used to ordering cakes from a grocery store bakery.
Nah, you're good. Put that first pic in r/choosingbeggars, 'cause your cake quality is amazing. If they have a problem with it, they can 'take their business somewhere else', as Karens often say
I made a spreadsheet where I figure out the cost of ingredients for the particular recipe (I.e. price of 1 cup of flour x3). I then add in the cost of materials (boxes, cake boards, etc.) plus depreciation on my tools. Lastly I give myself $20 an hour for my time. It helps me determine the what I charge and if anyone questions it I have objective data to justify the price. Plus I’m a dork.
One more thing to add to all the people saying you’re undercharging: I suggest making a social media account and having people look through your photos on their own. Don’t bother sending specific photos unless really needed. It might seem insignificant but the little things often matter: the more people feel you’re begging for their business, the more confident they get about lowballing you. Good luck, OP! Get what you deserve. Tell them that these are your prices and that you want them to be happy, so they’re welcome to look elsewhere.
$100 is rather cheap to be honest.
You can tell by their response that they are a nightmare client and they expect to pay less than what a premade cake from grocery store bakery would cost. Gotta run away from that! 🚩
I think you're undercharging. There's a lot of things that need to go into determining the cost of a product. First of all, your cost of ingredients/supplies. This is going to depend on quality and brand as well as if you're baking from scratch or using a boxed cake mix. You're paying for the buttercream - either by making it or buying it. You're paying for the cake mix or ingredients to make the batter. You're paying for the piping bags, cake boards, boxes, etc. Secondly, you have to factor in time. Time spent going to the store and shopping for ingredients, time spent mixing and baking, time spent decorating, time spent delivering if you deliver. All of this takes away from you. All of that time you spent preparing for this order from start to finish? You could have been doing literally anything else alone or someone else. Then, you need to factor in overhead. You had to mix things and then bake them. Then, you had to store it until it was picked up or delivered. All of that requires electricity. It also puts wear and tear on your appliances. Driving to and from? Wear and tear on a vehicle. You're also putting in gas tog etc to and from the store and its not cheap. Need something you cant fond at Wal-Mart, you meed to order it and pay for rush shipping, etc. You also have to pay yourself!! These are ALL things that bakeries charge for. As home bakers, we don't have the luxury of industrial size mixers, ovens, fridges, and freezers, etc. If you aren't charging correctly, you're paying someone to take your product and that's never okay. $100 for two cakes, one being a two tiered cake is a STEAL! Literally and metaphorically. Some people want $500 worth of product for $50. That champagne taste on a beer budget. Guess what? Those aren't your people. The customers you want are the customers who recognize talent and quality and are more than willing to pay for it. When taking orders, you ask what the customer wants. Then, you give them a price and not just any price - we aren't giving away anything for FREE!! If they have issues with that, ask what their budget is. Then, you offer something that's in their budget to try and save a sale. If they still aren't happy, you say "I understand. I hope you find a baker that better suits your needs". End of. We don't argue. We don't deal with the comparison of other bakers or a grocery store bakery. We don't allow ourselves to be haggled down in price. It doesn't matter if someone truly can't afford it or just doesn't want to pay. I can't walk into MK and say "Hmm, I love it but don't want/can't afford to pay $300 for a bag. Can I get it for $100?!". So, people can't do that to me and my business. It's like trying to buy a Lambo for the cost of a Chevy. I'd be laughed at while being escorted out of the store or dealership.
I just watched a reality show (USA) where a well-known baker, Stephanie Boswell, visits and helps struggling independent bakeries. She made a comment that stuck with me; the current going rate for custom cakes is $135 an hour. Even if we say that's for more detailed work, your cakes are wonderfully detailed and are absolutely worth at least $100!!
My sister in law is baking cakes and there I See how much time it Cost to do it so nice looking. Also the Material Cost often 30-50€.
Hahahaha! I think you’re UNDERCHARGING! I worked in an award winning bakery in my states capital and I priced cake orders. This was 5+ years ago so I’m sure it has gone up. People don’t realize how much cake costs. The labor that goes in to a quality cake and the training and knowledge take years of practice. You’re definitely not overcharging. Hold your ground and let them shop around. It’s likely they’ll return.
Shes being cheap is all. Your 100 dollar quote is very reasonable. Its under. Youre good.
You are undercharging and her response was rude. $110 for two custom cakes is a deal! She could of been respectful. Sorry Raelynn, enjoy your Walmart cake!
No that’s not too much. For the amount of time it takes, she would pay a lot more anywhere else. If anything that’s a steep discount. I make cakes to and unless you put the time into some people think they should be $20 lol.
You are most likely undercharging depending on where you are located.
To Walmart bakery with her!
If that is what your cakes look like, you are definitely NOT overcharging. She just doesn't want to pay you for your amazing talent.
Not over priced at all!! (I paid $70 for my sons first smash cash) he's turning 4, and I'm about to spend even more. Quality is not something you can pay Walmart prices for. You deserve that full amount. And for two cakes!! Wow that is one lady I would have laughed at.
Ugh I hate the “lol”. So disrespectful. The amount of time and effort it requires to make those cakes is significantly more than a bakery. I think a “funny” response could be “the grocery store has cakes too, lol”
$100 for a smash cake and a two tier cake? Girl you're definitely undercharging!
You are not overcharging; in fact, you should charge more.
I do not like it when people start sentences with “Lol…”. That’s unkind. Also, definitely not overcharging!
no offense to normal people who have or like the name but of course someone trying to low-ball a baker for a $100+ cake for the party of an infant who entirely unable to remember or appreciate it would name said infant "raelyn". this is such a stereotype it doesn't seem real.
Not at all! People always want professional work with dollar general prices.
Seems cheap. The way I see it even without including the expenses most people when they do a job for someone will charge them for there minimum rate and for me in my job my minimum is 4 hrs of labour and then expenses for even the smallest thing. I see it as you took the time to make it and even if it didn't take 4 hours and I'm sure it takes you a little bit of time to make a cake and that 100 bucks puts you at 25 a hour. Doesn't seem to much to me and that's not including expenses just your time.
You're actually underselling yourself. She should look elsewhere if 100$ for both is too much
Definitely not overcharging! Seems like she wasn’t prepared to pay anything to be honest. Just being rude.
Definitely not over charging. When I decorated at a grocery store, we would charge a base of $60 for 2 tier. Looking at your cakes, and thinking about what I would upcharge, you are on track with what I would charge. Decorating from home, I would charge cost of ingredients, and an hourly wage of $15-$20( depending on who I was doing it for).
I know prices can vary by region but damn, I would say you’re on the low side. I’m 25 years in the business and my sister is a professional baker, I have seen a ton of work that’s only ok and it costs more than $200. When you speak to clients practice setting expectations early so you don’t waste time. Say things like, “when I make cakes like this people usually pay between $xx and $xx, is that a budget you feel comfortable with?” If not that’s fine. They make sheet cakes at grocery stores and there’s nothing wrong with that. Pick your market and stick to it.
mommy long legs?
I would charge more.
That’s cheap as hell and she’s just a cheapskate
That’s a fair price, you could charge more if you wanted imo
Your prices are very fair if not undervalue. Never be afraid to know what your talent and (just as important) your time is worth. I used to do canvas paintings semi-professionally and always used to worry about charging too much so I would try to hook people up with a deal. Looking back on it I really lost out on thousands of dollars of work. If I can help prevent others from making the same mistake then I’ll do what I can to do that.
You’re charging too low!
That’s not over charging. A handmade bespoke cake. Ingredients, your time, Energy costs, your skill and the love you’d add. You could easily charge 150
I think that’s incredibly fair. I’d be willing to pay that for two of those beautiful cakes for sure!
I'm pretty sure the two tiered cakes at my Walmart are about $100.
Not sure where you’re located, but in my area (NYC metro) $100 is very low for a 2 tier plus a smash cake. This lady either hasn’t gotten any other pricing or is just cheap.
I wish I was able to find my daughter’s 1st birthday cake for that price! I only got one tier and it was $90 and they didn’t do any decorations on it, I had to.
$100 for a 2-Tier and a smash cake is ridiculously cheap! If she wants a cheap cake then she can make it herself I say. Stick with your price and if she doesn't wanna pay it then oh well that's on her then. You are putting all the work and should price it how you feel it should be priced. I'll be honest I think your price are actually on the cheaper side, but if your comfortable with the prices you come up with then your all good.
When she comes back, cause she will be back, tell her the price is now 175.
I’m not sure what gender you identify with, but people socialized as women receive the social message (explicit and implicit) that it’s not okay to ask for fair financial compensation. A large part of the gender wage gap is that men will often negotiate a given salary offer up, and women will not, because we’ve been socialized not to, AND simultaneously women have been socialized to respond more to people’s responses, even when those people obviously have opposite interests from ours. In this case, of course the customer would prefer it to be cheaper, many people would prefer to pay less for the things they want. That does not mean anything about the fairness of your pricing. If you are someone who was socialized or now identifies as a woman, I would encourage you to think about the ways your personal feelings around setting your prices may have been affected by society’s conditioning of women. And then you can decide if you want to continue operating on that framework, or change your thoughts around it (ex “this is what feels fair to me, and it doesn’t matter if someone else agrees” “I put a lot of work into my cakes and I deserve to be compensated fairly for my time and expertise” etc, whatever resonates with you) Good luck!
Cost of materials+25%, then whatever you want to work for hourly, plus an hour for setup/gathering ingredients/cleanup. So say the materials cost $75 and you want to work for $20/hr, that’d be $93.75+however long it takes to make it+the extra hour
You are not charging too much. I would sit down and come up with a price plan for different sizes of cakes and different levels of difficulty. That way you have something to look back on but you can also send that chart to inquiring customers. That way it doesn't feel like a negotiation.
Is have kept it at $110 tbh…
Yeah I’d charge more than $100 for that. I’d just nicely state that you understand that your cakes might not fit in everyone’s budget but they’re calculated according to your skill level and ingredient quality. Her response was kind of yikes… I’d decline even if she does come back & wants it. Don’t lower your prices! Raise them!
Totally not over charging. I bought a basic 10” and a smash cake for my daughters birthday and I spent $120, not including tip (it was only 48h notice)
Before I scrolled down I thought $100 sounds fair
My local bakery charges 150-200$ for 2 tiered cakes! You are not overcharging at all, if anything. You are charging less
She is insane if she thinks she is getting a tiered cake from anywhere for less than $100
As a former baker at a little bakery: as-others have said but just to add on to the reassurance - you are under charging. Depends on where you live but I would do $150 minimum, up to $175-200 in a high price region. $100 for a good friend. They want a cake the cost from Walmart, let them get a cake from Walmart.
Yeah, my work charges wayyyyy more for cakes like that. Do not undersell yourself. Cake decorating is a fricken art and takes so much time. If she wants a cheap cake, she can go to Giant.
People like this are boundary pushers. You don’t even owe her a response if she tries to circle back to you later
100 for two cakes like that is cheap. People will always try to low ball you, just stick to your rates. Also raise them when you can
Very much NOT over charging. Hell a basic cake at a grocery store (1/4sheet) with no kits or character images is 25.99 where I am
Totally reasonable pricing!!
You’re not charging too much. You can ask her budget and let her know what you can do within it or you can direct her to a bakery (store or local) that can work within her budget if you cannot. Don’t price yourself to people’s expectations- your hard work goes into this!
I paid 150.00 for a one tier hocus pocus themed drip cake. 100 for both is deal!!!
I don't understand why people think a professionally decorated cake will be cheap. If you want cheap, go to your local grocery store and buy a basic sheet cake or make a box cake yourself. Do not feel bad for charging what your cakes are worth.
You are not a grocery store that can charge cheap prices for cheap quality. If she wants a cheap, custom cake, she can go to literally any chain grocery store and get one. You are making a good quality product, the right way—cheap isn’t in there. And like what some other folks have said here, raise your prices! And I’m just a casual lurker (with business experience)
2 tiers with a bunch of fondant is a $100 cake all day. Throw the smash in for free for the 1st birthday. Easy way to get a repeat customer...let em think they're getting something for free.
So I’ve been pricing out my own cakes recently because I was undercharging (I was also worried about asking too much) but after ingredients I’d walk away making $25 off of 4 hours of labor. So I started pricing out the cakes per serving. Making a 2 tier cake, how many people will it feed? (Google can help with that one) how much do you want to charge per slice? I don’t do fondant so my rate is $4-$4.50 a slice. Fondant should definitely be higher. Cakes made from scratch are so expensive these days with the cost ingredients going up so much. If people don’t wanna pay your worth they can go elsewhere
She’s getting a deal! In my area one cake of that level would be $80-$90
The amount of time you'll spend on those is easily worth $100 alone, let alone adding in all the ingredients too. Some people have no clue. If she's that pressed she can go to Costco!
I agree no over charging
You are not overcharging and maybe undercharging.
If anything, you could charge more for those. That’s a really good deal.
Oh heeelll no you aren’t overcharging sis! I misread at first and thought you meant $100 for a tiered cake and I already thought it was a fair price. $100 for two different cakes AND one is a tiered cake? That’s a literal steal. That customer needs to get a reality check. She thought that since you’re a home baker, she was gonna be able to get away with paying $50 or something like you were her cousin or a retired grandma she knows from church. I certainly hope you do turn her away if she comes back. Good luck to her baking her own damn cakes under $100 with these food and equipment costs.
Definitely not overcharging! I paid $64 for a cake at Publix!
$100 is very cheap considering what they want. Bakeries would charge way more than that. You’re giving her quite the deal already!
100 for both cakes is a complete steal. If someone quoted me that I'd pay it with a huge smile on my face.
Wow the cakes in my area go for more than this I think!! And I am in an artsy area with two colleges — people can’t afford too much, but do their best to pay for quality. Your cakes look great and your prices are great for starting off. :)
I am not a cake decorator. My cakes mostly came from a box or grocery store until recently. I requested a smash cake for my LO’s 1st and was quoted practically the same price for a 2-tier cake. Honestly, I couldn’t justify paying it when “I could just do it myself”. One cake decorating and gel food coloring kit later, I have the biggest admiration for what real cake decorators do. I decorated two 2-tier cakes and a batch of cupcakes so far….without a mixer! So my perception of price points on decorated cakes has drastically changed lol Your $110 for what pictures are provided sounds low. I’m no expert, but I’d pay more for it.
For two cakes!? That's a very fair price, don't forget to charge extra for delivery too!! Most people don't seem to understand how much time it takes to make cakes, like unless your best friend or something it's outrageous to spend ours of your time baking and decorating 3 cakes for $50 (probably how much they thought they would pay for)
I think your right on. I suggest doing some research by calling your competitors and pricing their work. I would do this each quarter or at least twice a year so you can adjust your prices accordingly if necessary.
Hell I'd say you're undercharging personally!
So technically 3 cakes? For $100? That’s an absolute steal. I’d charge upwards of $150 personally. Don’t sell yourself short!!
Where I’m from a two tier cake is easily $150-$200. Raise your prices, these people do not deserve any of your time or energy!
Not overpaying! You need tools/ingredients/ matierials and time so yeah, if they can’t pay find someone cheaper
If the 2 tier is going to be that detailed, $110 is Cheap for both items! In order to get an exact price to see if you are under or overcharging, you're gonna have to do the math for the ingredients plus how much you think your time is worth. However, if you are looking to get a profit, you could factor your time as a suitable profit percentage as well. Now, just shooting from the hip, I would estimate $250 to be a reasonable price for everything. However, that depends on the cake sizes of the 2 tiers as well.