What would you expect to pay for this cake?

[braylan]

This seems like the best place to post this since most of you are planning a wedding or have had one at Disney. I make cakes, and I had someone contact me and ask me to do a cake for them. It's 4 Tier with 4 different flavors as each layer, vanilla, butter pecan, coffee, and chocolate. It's covered in fondant and the shells, and fence are made from gum paste, the netting is fondant. This is a VERY time consuming cake and pretty costly with it being 4 Tier, using fondant, and the 4 different layers. She sent me this picture and told me what she wanted. I sent her back a price of $400 and that was being extremely generous because I haven't made many cakes for weddings or people outside of my family. I love making cakes and I make them for my kids, and people in the family who ask me to. She sent me a email back saying the most she could pay was $200. I sent her one back telling her we could cut it down to 3 Tier, 1-2 flavors, and NO fondant, but still all the decorative things. It just really bothered me that she would even think I would do it for $200. Wal-Mart does a 4 tier white cake, butter cream icing for $150.00, so my cake would have been more than $200 being made from scratch. I think this may be more of a rant, but I do have a question for you all. What would you have expected to pay for a cake like she's asking?

 

[bellebride116]

Wow! I would think way more than $400!

 

[ColeV]

My three-tier cake cost $1300. It wasn't overly decorated, but had a complicated front sugar glass piece. $400 sounds very, very cheap to me! There's no way she could find someone to make that for that little and expect it to look or taste decent.

 

[lurkyloo]

Disney charges $1,062 for a similar cake with less detail!

 

[aristocatz]

I agree that the cake in that picture would be worth WAY more than $200!!

If I were you, I would just email her back and simply say that the price you are charging is much less than corporate cake businesses & you are garunteeing something completely homemade with quality ingredients and quality work. If she is interested in purchasing the cake, it will cost $400 but you are willing to adjust the price if she wants to adjust the size or remove aspects of it. If she is not interested, than wish her luck on her journey & leave it at that.

 

[girli565]

Wow, you were very generous because that will entail so much work for you.

I think for $200 it should be 2 tiers, no fondant with some decorations.

She can't expect the same cake bc I'm sure the one in the picture is worth at least $1k.

 

[puente0629]

Through Disney I can easily expect to pay over $900.00 for that cake...from a local bakery I would say no less then $600. If it was 2 layers, less detailed then I could see how $400 would be a good number...family, friend or not this cake a worth a lot of time and effort and you shouldn't do it for any less then your first quote (I still think that's low for 4 tiers and the details).

 

[erin.w]

I think the $400 price tag is more than appropriate! At $200 you would be giving away your time. I would just tell her you can't make the cake for her. I would hate for you to give her a cheaper price and then her not be satisfied with the cake in the end.

 

[Kate and Pete]

$200 is INSANE! $400 is a bit nuts, but nice of you to offer. When I first saw the pic., I thought, "No less than $800." But then I heard Dis prices...! I would do what PP suggested - tell her she can cut it waaaaaaaaaaaaaay back for $200!

 

[Tweevil]

Nope she is nuts.... supplies along would cost you $200 without paying yourself and your overhead.
$200 would be for the top two tiers and minus some fru-fru and you cut yourself short with the $400 price. Figure out the servings on these and then times it by what the standard places in your area do - I have seen anywhere from $4 for BC only and $6.50 for fondant and up to $15 a slice. Mine are 2X3 (usually 3 layer) slices.

I would save myself a headache and stick to your prices. If you bend on this you will set a precedent. Wallyworld is where she should go. Buttercream out of a bucket, some premade frozen layers (cake blanks) and plastic decorations is what she would get there....

(I really hate it when people disregard the amount of money and TIME it takes to do these.......)


Champagne wishes on boonesfarm budget.
(nothing against boonesfarm....)

 

[Skylarr29]

I think your price is more than generous. My Disney wedding cake was 3 tiers, with plain white fondant - they did none of the decorations, my florist did, and it was more than $800.00! I agree with the others that you should just tell her that is the lowest you can go.

 

[Keira1387]

She is being unreasonable! I think you sholud be charging more for all those details.

 

[Brit_Jude]

I would suggest politely that if they consider the price you are charging is too high then they should seek some quotes for the same cake from other places. That you will leave the door open for them to get back to you but that you cannot possibly create the cake for less than your original quote.

 

[BecBennett]

Hmmm... want to do my cake?

 

[braylan]

Thank you all for making me feel better about this. I did email her and ask that she check around at other places, and get back with me if she wants me to do it. If not..... even at $400 it would still be a hassle and not worth my time. I just can't believe people want you to do something for nothing. Wait, yes I can!!

 

[decdisneybride2011]

It's sad that people think your time and effort is worth less than what it really is. I know how you feel. I am a baker and I would definitely have charged more than $400. Product cost is one thing, time and effort is so much more. It sounds like you love what you do and are good at it. Don't lower your price just because you haven't made many wedding cakes outside of family.