This is the most common question I get asked when I’m quoting for a celebration cake, so I thought I’d go through some of the costs involved in making a cake. A popular response from the person asking for a quote is that they can buy a cake for under £10 in a supermarket – which is true. You can get a cheap celebration cake in a supermarket… because it is a supermarket. They make things cheap because they are HUGE, but I’m betting they don’t put in the time and effort of a local cake baker and it won’t be personalised exactly to your specification. And I can pretty much guarantee that it won’t taste anywhere near as good! I recently saw a quote somewhere (sorry, I can’t remember where or I would have credited them) that said “Good cake isn’t cheap, cheap cake isn’t good” – I think that sums it up pretty well.
I am the first to admit that there are some cake makers who charge extortionate prices, with cupcakes starting at £4 each and price hikes once they know the cake is for a wedding. However, this is not the norm amongst independent bakers and I for one, never add anything extra onto a wedding quote. If anything, I often undercharge for my cakes.
Those of you who bake at home will know that good quality ingredients aren’t that cheap and recently there have been huge price hikes in the supermarkets. To make a 2 tier cake, for example, with 9″ and 6″ tiers you are looking at quite a lot of ingredients – a dozen eggs, couple of packs of butter, half a bag of flour, half a bag of sugar, flavourings….
Then you have the decoration materials:
- Sugar paste to cover the cakes and the cake drum (approx 1kg for an 8″ round cake at £4 per kg)
- Buttercream to fill the cake and stick the icing on
- A cake drum for the base (approx £1.50 for a 10″ round drum)
- A cake box (approx £1.50 for a 10″ box)
- Thin cake card for each cake that is going to be stacked to sit on (otherwise the supports will squish into the cake above and disaster will ensue – approx £0.60 for a 6″ round card)
- Dowelling rods – 3 or 4 per tier (these are vital if you are stacking cakes otherwise the whole lot will collapse -approx £2.00 for 4)
- Then you have extras such as wires, jewels, posy picks, modelling materials and not forgetting electricity/gas to bake the cakes.
All in all, for a 2 tier cake (such as the christening cake here) you are probably looking at £25-30 worth of materials and ingredients before you take into consideration my time. To make a sugar model you are looking at a good few hours work, depending on how intricate the model is. Decorating a cake is a time consuming task and very often I am working for less than the minimum wage. This is not meant to be negative and you may ask why I’m doing it, and the simple answer is because I love it. I love being creative and I love seeing the look on a customer’s face when they collect their cake. It’s all worth it.
So please remember, if you ask an independent cake maker for a quote, you are not going to get it for supermarket prices – but it will look and taste an awful lot better. Promise!
56 comments
Catherine says:
Jul 17, 2011
Good for you – what a great post. You are making something handmade and handmade is a bespoke, unique, custom product that a customer should feel proud of – they are supporting small independents, getting an absolutely dedicated product, and avoiding mass market production of lower quality products.
I’m retweeting!
amylane says:
Jul 17, 2011
Thank you for your lovely comment and retweet. I hope as handmade products are becoming more popular people will shop with independents and appreciate the time, effort and quality that go with them. x
vintageviolet says:
Jul 17, 2011
i totally agree with that quote – cheap cake is not good cake – it’s yucky, normally really dry and with cheap yuck filling. Yours look gorgeous keep doing what your doing and charge for your time too x
amylane says:
Jul 17, 2011
Thank you! I totally agree with your cake comments – supermarket cake is all those things! I am getting better at charging the right price…
Donna-Michelle plumb says:
Jul 17, 2011
Well said xx
amylane says:
Jul 17, 2011
Thank you, x
Louise says:
Jul 17, 2011
So true, plus supermarket cake tastes awful! I must admit though my prices are lower than they should be and I give away far too many freebies but all worth it when someone absolutely loves their cake
amylane says:
Jul 17, 2011
It is really hard to judge prices, isn’t it? I’m trying hard to charge a fair price for both parties, but it isn’t easy
Daniel Would says:
Jul 17, 2011
I think a similar thing can be said of all independant makers and crafters. There is no economy of scale, it takes hours to create a physical thing, and that effort is required again every time.
I read once that for a crafter (in this case woodturner) to make a reasonable living, they need to be generating roughly £20 per hour for their time in the workshop. That’s after material costs.
This is not about competing with mass produced items churned out of factories (or by exploiting child labour in third world countries) and you simply can’t compare costs like that.
I once quoted £20 to make a small oak doorbell surround. For which you could easily buy a whole new doorbell mechanism. But the person was willing to pay because they specifically wanted to keep the house original doorbell, and appreciated that what they needed was necessarily custom. In truth it still took me more time than I thought and they got my time cheap. However they were very happy with what they got, and part of it is the joy of making something one off and bespoke.
amylane says:
Jul 17, 2011
Thanks for your comment, Dan. You’re right, it is the same for all independent crafters. When I was at the craft fair last week, I was amazed at the talent and sad that some people really couldn’t be making a living on the prices they were charging. I was also sad to see some customers walking round blatantly moaning about the prices. I think that when you are a craftsperson yourself, in whatever field, you really do appreciate that you are getting good quality, custom items when you order through another small craft business. I also agree that the joy you get out of making a bespoke item that is really appreciated is immense, even if you haven’t made much money from it.
kerrycooks says:
Jul 17, 2011
Totally agree! Supermarket cake tastes terrible on the whole, although there are a few that taste good, but they’ll never be able to match up to HOMEMADE cake!
Thanks for a very informative post!
amylane says:
Jul 17, 2011
That’s very true Kerry, not all supermarket cake is hideous but I’m almost certain they don’t taste as good as homemade. Thanks for stopping by and commenting, x
Cookie jar says:
Jul 17, 2011
Some people think just because you are not a company you should be giving the cakes away. They don’t think about the time and efford that goes into a hand made cake. You are making a one off just for them. Looking at the cakes in the pictures above they are getting a bargain if you only charge them £25-30.
amylane says:
Jul 17, 2011
I do often come up against the attitude that I am just a ‘Mum who sits at home baking for fun’. £25-30 is the cost of the ingredients before my time is added on, for a 2 tier cake I usually charge about £65.
christine Bell says:
Jan 9, 2012
I’ve often been told I could make and sell my cakes but I alwys felt I could not justify charging large amounts of money. Your article is quite enlightening…thankyou
Cookie jar says:
Jul 17, 2011
They are still getting a bargain and a gorgeous one at that. The cake is the talking point of any party. They guest will be talking about your cakes long after the party is over.
amylane says:
Jul 17, 2011
I do hope so – I get quite a few orders from people who have seen a cake at someone else’s celebration, which is always wonderful
Becky Willoughby says:
Jul 17, 2011
I had wondered how much it would cost to make! I know that making 2 Victoria sponge cakes cost enough in basic ingredients when I made my granny’s 94 th birthday cakes…
amylane says:
Jul 17, 2011
Yes, ingredients aren’t that cheap – but it’s worth it
Lorraine from The Party Times says:
Jul 17, 2011
here, here! go girl go!
amylane says:
Jul 17, 2011
Lol, thanks Lorraine!
Zoe says:
Jul 18, 2011
Well said!
amylane says:
Jul 18, 2011
Thank you
angelsandurchinsblog says:
Jul 18, 2011
And the cake is often more photographed than the guests. Love the blue and white starburst cake, beautiful.
amylane says:
Jul 18, 2011
Thank you! You’re probably right about that
Lucy, Vanilla Frost says:
Jul 19, 2011
Excellent post Amy, well said!
amylane says:
Jul 19, 2011
Thanks Lucy, x
Kim says:
Jul 19, 2011
Great post! I only bake for fun at the moment, but was a bit upset recently when I was asked to make a novelty cake for my niece’s birthday. It was absolutely massive and I couldn’t believe how much it ended up costing, not just financially but I also had to write off a whole weekend. I was a bit hurt when I wasn’t offered anything towards ingredients/materials for the cake (although I probably wouldn’t have taken anything!) but since then, and after reading this, I’ve realised that it’s probably because they have no idea how much these things can cost! I was grateful to be asked and also it was a great experience but I’d definitely think carefully about doing it again in future even though I love baking. This post has made me feel a lot better in that I wondered if I could have done it cheaper, but I’m guessing not! That christening cake is fantastic.
amylane says:
Jul 21, 2011
Oh no, that’s a shame that they didn’t even think to cover the ingredients for you! But I am convinced that people don’t realise the cost of things, especially if they don’t bake. I’ve just ordered the cigarellos and truffles for my friend’s wedding cake and those alone came to £120! There’s no way to make a cheap cake unless you are a supermarket I’m afraid! x
Sarah, Maison Cupcake says:
Jul 20, 2011
Marvellous post, I too have undercharged for the few cakes I’ve sold. An incredible amount of work goes into making a personalised cake and it all has to be done in a very tight time frame so it’s as fresh as possible. If you look at supermarket childrens’ birthday cakes, the best before dates are 2-3 weeks ahead. That says a heck of a lot!
amylane says:
Jul 21, 2011
That is true – I am often up until 2 or 3 in the morning because I want the cake to be as fresh as possible. The thought of a cake lasting 2-3 weeks is just grim, I dread to think what they put in them! x
Arline says:
Jul 25, 2011
I totally agree! Fab post! I think this is the case with most handmade items. I make cards and occasionally sell them (to be honest I undercharge just because I enjoy it and it isn’t a business venture) but people don’t realise how much it costs to make a decent handmade card. When we ordered our wedding cake it was really reasonable considering some quotes that we had, it was excellent quality, personalised and much much better than we could have ever bought. We didn’t mind paying for something that was so special to us. Well done on posting this…that quote is sooo true!x
amylane says:
Jul 26, 2011
Thanks Arline! I used to make cards too and I know how much effort go into making them look so beautiful. It is so difficult to charge sensibly for handmade goods! x
chantelle says:
Aug 24, 2011
Good for you, what a great post. I stopped making cakes to order because people were always questioning the cost, and that started to make me question myself!!
Your work is great and I love reading your blogs
I have your pocket baking bible – its been very helpful for bits and pieces
Xc
Why so expensive? « Cooking, Cakes & Children says:
Oct 7, 2011
[...] go to cookingcakesandchildren.com to read the rest of this blog [...]
Gem says:
Oct 20, 2011
I also agree I charge even less that u and not even makin a pound an hour people think that we must make a huge profit or else we wouldn’t do it which is untrue making someone else happy is priceless
xxx
Kate Emmett says:
Oct 24, 2011
Well said! Hours of work go into each of my cakes, which are baked to order using fresh, quality ingredients NOT premix! And if you look at the prices of novelty cakes by the large supermarkets that start at £40-£50, the supermarkets aren’t really any cheaper and of course won’t be personalised. I always price my cakes fairly to reflect the amount of work that goes into them and I get great feedback from customers. I don’t know anyone who makes cakes for the ‘money’ (I wish!), we do it for the love of cake : )
fi says:
Oct 28, 2011
Great post Amy, could not agree with you more
Kay charlton says:
Nov 6, 2011
this post is great and it has really cheered me up. had my first person today who thought i should of added more detail for the price. i spent a long time working on the cake and after costs would not of even got a min wage. was so gutted though as i really do try and make all my cakes special. wish customers would realise how much things cost us. i may even consider writing a break down of typical cake costs to show anyone who complains again. regards Kay xx
amylane says:
Nov 8, 2011
I always include an indication of time and costings in my quotes and explain how I’ve come up with the final figure. The more info you can give them the better, Good luck, x
wendy says:
Jan 9, 2012
I teach sugarcraft and know the hours that go into making the decorations. I made a 3 tier stacked wedding cake with brush embriodery on the sides with sugar roses & ivy trailing down. It took me over 100 hours to make and I only charged them £500 by the time you take off the ingredients it’s less than £4 an hour.
Baking Decorations says:
Jan 9, 2012
Thanks for that post. I hear so many times that people say they rather pick up a cheap cake at the supermarket. Well, you get what you pay for. I can’t compete with the prices, but with the quality. Making custom cakes is expensive and time consuming. It is always great to read articles like yours.
Denise says:
Jan 9, 2012
Thank heavens for your common sense, from another cake decorator. Can I share on my Facebook page?
amylane says:
Jan 9, 2012
Thank you! Please feel free to share
cakelaydee says:
Jan 11, 2012
I’m in the U.S. and I think my work is better than some professionals with shops and culinary training. I spend many many hours on each cake I make and dwell on details so much that sometimes I think it borders on obsession. My time is money and my art is worth more than I used to think, so I now charge a flat rate of $5.00 per serving…if you don’t like it, don’t order. I won’t ever take an order if from someone tries to haggle me in price, in fact, it annoys me so much that I either don’t get back to them at all or tell them came up unexpectedly and I won’t be available that weekend….maybe that is rude but I have no patience for you if you don’t value and respect my work.
nai says:
Jan 13, 2012
youve hit the nail on the head!! thankyou for this artical this is the very point i have to make everytime someone asks for a quote and they give that look! but most know me through others comments and recommendations and are greatful for the quality, i just wish there were more of them! i have shared this artical and will post it on my page too xx
Hulya says:
Jan 13, 2012
Brilliant post and I would go far as saying that the post covers all forms of creative work not just baking. I do have a question, say you know how much you have spent on the products and the of course you want count into the fact your time and energy…how do you calculate what you charge without either underselling yourself or over charging?
gill says:
Jan 14, 2012
so totally true, i have had looks from people & when i work the cost i don’t charge for my time just what it cost me,
Sharon says:
Jan 15, 2012
Fantastic comments – I too undercharge and even then peoples response at the price is surprised. Its the boards and boxes and moulds that add up too.
eleonor mendiola says:
Jan 16, 2012
..so true and very well said..I normally baked at home for my family and its not easy …looking for cheap ingredients for a Good cakes..I agree…
Yve says:
Jan 16, 2012
I totally agree! As a crafter myself I always underprice. When I make something gorgeous for a present people say you could make a FORTUNE doing this for a living. If only they new how much time and money it cost. They don’t realise that the day job subsidises the creativity.
Brenda says:
Jan 17, 2012
Well, what can I say to that other than you’ve taken the words right out of my mouth! I myself make cakes and I must admit that I do sometimes feel a little guilty when quoting a price for them, I suppose when you first here you must “think oh my goodness” but then when you think of the effort that goes into that individual product theres nothing that can touch it, and also you will never get two the same so thats also an added bonus and makes each cake so much more personal and unique! So lets not give up and give in to the giant supermarkets that would be such a terrible shame. It gives me so much pleasure to see the face of the person collecting their cake and you know in an instant that it is going to make their celebration no matter how big or small that little more special. I love my job and wont give up and I hope others out there wont either. Let the home bakers of the world unite i say!
ella says:
Jan 17, 2012
excellent post, one i wholeheartedly agree with, i could have written it myself!!
Rob Thomas says:
Jan 18, 2012
I couldn’t agree more – very well said indeed. People just don’t realise just how much expense, time and effort goes into making a cake.
Bespoke cakes can take many hours to make and the price rarely reflects this. As previously said above, when you take into consideration the amount of time taken it is nearly always at below minimum wage and more often than not the designer/baker does it for the love of it – simple as that!!
Cakes and Bakes of 2011 | Cooking, Cakes & Children says:
Feb 9, 2012
[...] to make the cake and table centres for my best friend’s wedding, a cake to celebrate my Dad’s 60th birthday and my first wonky cake for my niece’s first birthday. The girls and I also did lots of [...]
brenda spotak says:
Feb 14, 2012
well i think we as cake makers and designers have all agreed that we all do it for the joy and love of it and for knowing what pleasure our endevours bring to the people who ask us to make them and for me that makes my work most worth while, its something i love to do and will continue to do it while people ask me to do it. later this year i have the homour of making my own daughters wedding cake and for me that really is such a great honour and will pour so much love into doing it tooas i do with all my cakes its such a labour of love and that itnobody can really put a price on the work we do but to see the joy our work brings is just magical!