Sheet cakes are a bit over $1 per serving depending on design.
This gives the impression of quality !
You could be a friend to them and make even more money by selling supplies to them, like the one I buy from. So thank you it will help me . What is a smash cake? I'd recommend a base price plus your materials and extra time. I have really struggled with fair pricing because I am pretty much learning as I go. People who ordered a bigger cake was paying more but was it really worth that. I still go back and look at things when I need help figuring something out! I look forward to seeing you here more often! I have been baking for almost 3 years and I started doing it for my daughters cake. HI!
Yo do not know how much your post just helped me. Hi! This cake flavour is only made in our home country and she really loved it! Do you mostly just have people come pick them up at your house? Oh my gosh! I can't seem to take the plunge to a more reasonable price for what i am doing . I really appreciate your posting, it help me very much. Although I was inexperienced, flying by the seat of my pants, and learning as I went, I was still undercharging. My knee cap shifted out of place and 11 months after the replacement the dr did another full blown surgery to correct the knee cap. I'm hoping you can help me with prices if I give you the following #'s since I don't know how many servings the cakes produced. 
Wow love it even thought im in Colombia south Amrica i can totally relate to it. I dont charge my time and followed the proper pricing in my website as customers always compares prices and ended up not ordering ;(((. So what we did is go cake by cake, We figure out the cost of a base cake and add on the design work. In addition to covering your ingredients, you need to cover your time to shop, plan, bake, and package the cake. Minimum $3 per serving.
I enjoy your blog so much! I charge less for immediate friends and family, but most of the business I get is from referrals.
I know I need to increase my prices (right now they are $2 per serving) but wasn't really sure how much I needed to increase them. Alsojust wanted to add.remember that its OK to just bring a gift and not feel like you are responsible for making a cake as a gift just because you are "the cake lady". I have someone wanting to make cakes with buttercream, no decor, what is starting prices for no decor cakes?
I've had many compliments on my cakes and my name is now all over the midlands of my state.
Thank you for all of your input and reminding me that "it's not just cake" because I tend to forget to value my work. Any info or ideas would greatly be appreciated . Will it make people upset? I'm saving for a shop that I can place behind my house, saving for the insurance and renovations. Thank you for the info! I would quote her a price and if she mentions that so-and-so paid less, just tell her that you give discounts to family and close friends but you can't extend that to everyone. I charge $15-$20 for plain frosted cupcakes. I do have a question - Do you have an opinion on how to adjust serving prices during this crazy inflation? How do you deal with so many home bakers who do it for pennies ( literally). I need to be paid for my time just like anybody else. You really have to research what your ingredients will cost, how much time it will take, etc. will be looking forward to more stuff from you and other wonderful helpful people like yourself. I am interesting in knowing how people can cakes in the USA..can you bake and sell your cakes in your house???? absolutely no idea on pricing it up. Smash cakes are $20-$35 when ordered with a party cake, depends on size and design. Any suggestions? Hello Rose, thank you for all your info. It is pretty much the industry standard. After exploring the start-up process and what will be required of them, Fierro and Malec knew exactly what they had to do. The other thing is about purchasing wholesale, it is not that much of a difference in cost for me and for you. undercutting means that people will flood your doorstep and overwhelm you which has been my problem a couple of times. It warms their heart to give a gift thats so appreciated, Malec said. I've had ppl ask for Elmo two tiered cakes and want to pay only $30-40??? Thank you so much for sharing all of this with us! I agree people do want a cake for free. Here is my pricing that you can find in my website:
This helps so much!
Now I'm not afraid of giving a price Thank you. Thanks, Rose. I can see that might be a problem with some home bakers. That price includes my hourly wage for basic/simple designs, the boxes, cake rounds, etc. Hi Karin! He can't see how i could do this because I Love to decorate. Our area doesn't warrant higher prices, so maybe I'll just hope to expand my area and have customers come to me to pick up their cakes. Just tried fondant for the first time last week. Customers how are penny pinchers and dont value quality over quantity. I have 3 kids and am pregnant with our 4th so working part time and chasing after my 3 year old and 1 year old I haven't been the best at advertising my business.
I mean I see so many area bakers, that are not going by what the law allows in a food business. I have to just let those orders go. Oh WOW - that's amazing Alta! I found the most help by going to my local Small Business Administration Office. I used a swiss buttercream icing with it. I'm sorry you're having to deal with that. This was such a helpful article and I'm so happy to have stumbled upon it. If so, how much would I budget for that? This has helped me so very much! This principle applies to all industries. 
If cake decorators really charged what their time, expertise, skill and attention to detail was worth, then only a select demographic of cliental would be able to afford it. How to Charge for Cakes. CONGRATS. You are just so awesome!
And when I would quote them a price, they would say "Oh, that's too much." I sure hope I can get the page back! I make delicious cakes, do you know how many times people come in here and say they do not care what the cakes taste like they are only concerned with the look. I wish you the very best with your business! 
Thanks. I've got a buttercream cake request with fondant accents and I'm not sure how to charge, and I'd like an opinion so I c an move forward confident that I'm charging what makes sense! i love the advice you given and how you've written it! so when they pick a cake picture out and then some beginning-decorator gets their order and it's NOTHING like they asked for.
The home bakery and/or cottage food laws vary by state, and I have disagree and say home bakeries ARE real businesses. (Update: most of my cakes go to larger towns around 40 miles away - this $75 fee covers those 3 towns and this only applies to wedding cakes - I don't deliver birthday cakes - they must be picked up in my tiny town). The price increases for individual fondant toppers or other details - up to $30 per dozen. Hi! I'm sorry - I rarely sell mini cupcakes so I can't really be of much help. I've also run into problems with other home bakers charging $65 for a cake that serves70. I just had a quick clarification question. Rose! But, I would never balk on a deal with someone that is about to experience their happiest day. I am a mother first, working from home allows me to raise my child and help support my family.
If I add the 3rd layer, I do 12 x 1.5 and end up with 18 servings.
Hi Rose, thanks so kuch for this! You also need to cover overhead (electricity) and packaging - any delivery time and gas, etc. My tiers are usually 3 layers of cakeMaking a 6 inch tier. I can only tell you what I charge (which is $4 minimum, no matter what). Many of us home bakers are better than bakers with brick and mortar stores!! This has helped to take the guesswork out of pricing and I know not everyone is going to buy my cakes. Thank you.
Fierro and Malec intend to grow For Goodness Cakes North Jersey to serve as much of New Jersey as possible. Your cakes are beautiful. Thanks for sharing! I have seen so many home bakers, that charge less, or know so many with a good following, they get more business than I do now. This is great! My daughter whos cake was my first, she is now following in my foot steps! Who cares if I dont want to spend $1500 on a cake, but somebody will. I have Nancy's Fancy's Cakes & Catering in Abingdon, VA. I am still so super new to pricing, and i feel like with such a basic cake and after some confusing math trying to price ingredients for the first time, I should be charging only 1-1.50 per slice. I'm having a hard time pricing fondant flowers, I don't want to overcharge but I don't want to cheat myself.
That's how I figure my prices. This information was very helpful. But, they're wanting custom work at Wal-Mart prices.
For graduations and birthdays? These measures were put in place to ensure that everyones health and safety are being considered while they share their love with these amazing youths. Hello Rose. Thank you in advance!! Thank you so much for this! If you are an agency, a volunteer, or simply want to donate, all information can be found on their website,www.ForGoodnessCakes.org. You'll just have to determine what they're worth to YOU! I have always made any baked goods from boxes. Thank you, Rose! 
Tell them that since you are trying to take this from a hobby to a business, you will have to raise your prices so that you're benefiting from all of the time and money invested. So the cake would cost $50 to $75. Your story is exactly what I went Thur and burnt my self out! Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge. By submitting your information, you agree to our privacy policy. I appreciated this so much and ,of course, I'm still trying to figure out what to charge. But I am also nervous about charging correctly or "too much" because I'm still learning. Does that make sense? I pay m,y rent and pay my employees and pay my insurance, bank product, utilities etc. Thanks for any ideas or advice you can provide . If you want to talk about "fair", it's not FAIR to say all home bakers undercut bakeries on cake and dessert prices. I always guess on how many it will serve. How do I figure out servings?? I love making little toppers out of fondant. Prices vary dramatically by location and baker. I'm going to do as you suggest. She decided to go with someone else who would do it for $65. The accountant said as a single member LLC I needed to have an Operating Agreement, so I had a lawyer draw that up for me. Ive been asked many times already how much I charge and it scared me because I had no clue about this industry. I am making a profit now and those people are no longer my clients, but I have a different clientele that doesn't mind paying for my product. How can I achieve this? I struggled in this area as well. I do still sell myself short sometimes, but after several "I can get a cake that size at Walmart for $30" instances, I realize I put MUCH more time, work and heart into my cakes than Walmart does! I can already tell you do NOT sell cake supplies to local bakers either; or you would not be ranting and slamming them publicly.
But I have a question about bundt cakes. I'm considering charging $225. Thanks waiting for you response rose. Thank you so much for posting this! I'm usually exhausted and don't always feel like I'm making enough money to continue it. After more than 2 years of that, I knew things had to change. Just a general decoration on a 1/2 sheet. Without a deposit, I don't do the order!
Thank you for this helpful information!!!! My daughter always says I undercharge. I, on the other hand, take a commitment seriously when I am asked to make a cake for someone. Can u help me out on prices! I made my first cake for a friend's child's birthday last June and the requests have been coming in ever since. Thank you for the information this really opens up my mind now..now I'm kind of stuck on pricing on square cakes on all sizes and tier ones too. My question is, I am concerned that I may be overcharging. Hello! Whenever I go to a party that has a cake, that's the first thing I look at. I get it, I really do. My chance to live my dreams has come sooner than expected but I'm ready to dive in and my biggest problem is that I undercharge. Love you Renee!! The laws and permits vary from state to state and even within some cities. They insisted on paying me $50. I take orders by phone, appointment, internet.
I learned the art of sales from a colleague who excelled in sales who showed me the ropes. I'm so happy to hear it's helped!
How do you charge wedding cakes? I'm really stuck . Learn from me: Don't even think about trying to compete with mass retailers! My grandfather also died 3 days later while I was with my daughter trying to get through this, taking down a baby crib and ultrasound photos. Set your price to succeed and stick to them! I studied Business and Marketing and have my BS degree. Represent your chapter with cute merch, Sprinkle Squad tees and sweatshirts, and summer tanks to keep you cool. You are a true inspiration. How do you get those customers to pay those prices? I am at that point of burn out that you spoke of. My husband and children are very involved in helping me.
How big is one serving usually?
New York City@forgoodnesscakesbflo NEW!! I sometimes think wedding cakes are easier! A more recent post on cake pricing that might also help you : Let's Talk About Cake Pricing & Serving Sizes!! But what does that mean I never buy cakes for birthday parties usulay just ice cream cake it or go to the grocery store get a sheet cake and or just at home out of a box. xoxo, Very helpful it's a lot of work and time consuming I Agree we have to pay ourselves.
Thank you very much for providing what you've learned throughout your career of cake decorating. So here it is. We ARE better together! Or for gold accents? I buy most of mine from brpboxshop.com, but I buy in large quantities. This page has been so helpful. It was like you were reading my diary. I am also very proud of the business I have created but it does keep me up very late at night and at times keeps me from my family so charging accordingly for my work is extremely important.