Cake Decorating.... would you pay???

[Joyfullyblessed]

Hello,

 

I was thinking of possibly starting a small side job of decorating cakes for people. I am attaching a few of the cakes that I have done in the past. None of these were done from molds. I did them on my own. I even drew Mario free-handed and then filled him in with icing.

 

Would you ever purchase cakes like this for your child's birthday party and if so, what would you be willing to pay?

 

By the way, I feel that I could make a cake with any type character or design... these are just ones I have made for my sons birthdays.

 

Thanks!!!

[athena1277]

Cute cakes! I really like the car cake!

 

I have a friend who does cakes as a side job. She does everything from office birthdays to weddings. She wanted to make it an official business, but then you have to deal with the health dept and the list of rules means you cannot do it from your own kitchen. My friend decided not to go official because of the extensive rules. This means she cannot advertise except by "word of mouth". She has been doing it for about 4 years now and does quite a few cakes every month. The only thing i don't know is what she charges, as I get the "very, very good friend rate".

[hsmom3tn]

I have no business advice, but I think they look great :)

[Julie in CA]

Clearly you have talent!

There are a few things to consider though. Aside from technical things like knowing if your frosting recipe will hold up to heat, etc, there are some legalities you might not want to mess with. One is that you really don't want to end up in trouble with your local health department. You maybe should check on that. In my area, for instance, it is completely illegal to bake/sell cakes from home. Yes, sometimes they check. Also, if you can do it from home in your area, do you need food handler's certification? Liability insurance? Insurance may or may not be an issue for you. It's extremely difficult to make someone ill with cake/frosting, but since my dh and I own a farm, we didn't want to take the chance on losing it because of a lawsuit.

 

The other thing is that you cannot legally make character cakes without explicit permission from the owner of the character. And yes, people do get caught, and people do get fined. I know casual cake decorators who have been contacted about the issue, though I don't know any who've actually been sued.

 

These things may seem like non-issues if you're only intending to bake cakes for friends/acquaintances on an occasional basis, but trust me, if you're good, your "small side job" will turn into a larger and larger piece of your life. :glare: Before you know it, you'll be worried about those legalities that seemed like small details in the beginning. I'm sure you could decorate cakes as an additional source of income, because I have an ongoing struggle to keep cake/dessert making from consuming all of my time. I actively discourage business at this point, and still have as much (and sometimes more) than I need/want.

 

Good luck! :001_smile:

 

ETA: Oh, btw, the best way for you to set your pricing is a combination of a couple of factors.

#1. Calculate exactly what the cost of your ingredients is, then calculate your time spent and add in your price per hour of labor to get a base price.

#2. Check with other bakeries in your area to see what comparable cakes would cost. Price yours accordingly.

Edited July 21, 2010 by Julie in CA

[2cents]

Those are very cute! I do cake decorating too but since I live in a state that doesn't allow home based decorating I can't do it legally. I only do them for friends and at cost for others. Be sure you check your state regulations before embarking on a home caking biz so that you are financially protected. Good luck! :)

 

Adding: Totally agree with the prev poster about it becoming a large part of your life. I had to seriously scale down because it got to the point that hsing was suffering. A wedding cake did me in. It was a huge commitment and took way too much time. Small jobs are ok but not doing anything that requires a super-structure and gallons of fondant. :)

Edited July 21, 2010 by 2cents

[Whereneverever]

Clearly you have talent!

There are a few things to consider though. Aside from technical things like knowing if your frosting recipe will hold up to heat, etc, there are some legalities you might not want to mess with. One is that you really don't want to end up in trouble with your local health department. You maybe should check on that. In my area, for instance, it is completely illegal to bake/sell cakes from home. Yes, sometimes they check. Also, if you can do it from home in your area, do you need food handler's certification? Liability insurance? Insurance may or may not be an issue for you. It's extremely difficult to make someone ill with cake/frosting, but since my dh and I own a farm, we didn't want to take the chance on losing it because of a lawsuit.

 

The other thing is that you cannot legally make character cakes without explicit permission from the owner of the character. And yes, people do get caught, and people do get fined. I know casual cake decorators who have been contacted about the issue, though I don't know any who've actually been sued.

 

These things may seem like non-issues if you're only intending to bake cakes for friends/acquaintances on an occasional basis, but trust me, if you're good, your "small side job" will turn into a larger and larger piece of your life. :glare: Before you know it, you'll be worried about those legalities that seemed like small details in the beginning. I'm sure you could decorate cakes as an additional source of income, because I have an ongoing struggle to keep cake/dessert making from consuming all of my time. I actively discourage business at this point, and still have as much (and sometimes more) than I need/want.

 

Good luck! :001_smile:

 

ETA: Oh, btw, the best way for you to set your pricing is a combination of a couple of factors.

#1. Calculate exactly what the cost of your ingredients is, then calculate your time spent and add in your price per hour of labor to get a base price.

#2. Check with other bakeries in your area to see what comparable cakes would cost. Price yours accordingly.

 

This, exactly. I grew up with my mom doing cakes for extra income, until the regulations got stricter. Then she quit rather then mess with the liability and health department.

[oldskool]

Very creative and beautifully decorated. I would for sure pay for cakes like those.

 

Lesley

[Annie G]

After I quit working in a retail bakery, I made cakes at home. It was hard to say no to friends when they needed a last minute cake, but I had to learn to put my family and homeschooling first. One thing I really recommend- price your cakes higher than anyone locally. You cannot compete with Walmart prices and you shouldn't even try- the customers looking for a cheap cake are not the customers you want.

 

I only make a few cakes now, for a very limited clientele. Wedding cakes are not worth the hassle- price per serving is high but so is the time involved. I really like doing half and full sheet cakes- the small cakes don't bring much profit for the time/money invested.

 

I agree with the previous posters who commented on legalities and copyright issues. You can probably start with word of mouth and treat it as a hobby- and if after six months you think you want to continue, start getting licenses and go from there.

 

I live in a small town and here's a comparison- Walmart prices are 14.97 for a quarter sheet, and mine start at $20. Half sheet Walmart- $23 and mine are $35. Full sheet Walmart $33 and mine are $60. Both of us add for photos, drawings, fillings, etc.

 

Good luck! You do lovely work!

[Joyfullyblessed]

Wow! Thanks for the replies. I had no idea about not doing characters on a cake, etc... Lord knows that I sure don't want to get in trouble over decorating a cake for someone. :ohmy:

 

I think I will just keep this as a hobby for myself... thanks! :leaving:

 

Oh, and thank you for the nice comments on my cakes. I appreciate it!

 

Have a wonderful day, everyone!!! :D :seeya:

[Classical Country Mama]

I have a girlfriend who does cakes and cupcakes as a side business--she does a few per month, and that's while homeschooling three boys (did I mention she is amazing??). She even graduated to her first wedding cake a couple of weeks ago.

 

In her case, she charges based on time and materials and a bit more--but it still works out to be cheaper and much higher quality than other cake companies (way above the league of grocery store cakes). And yes, I gladly pay her!! She's so far made a fairy cake for my dd's 5th bday, and a single-tier version of our original wedding cake for our 10th anniversary.

 

Here's what she charges (I stole this from her website :D):

 

Party Cakes

 

The price chart below shows “Party Cake†pricing for basic non-tiered cakes. Included in the price is the basic cake flavor and filling of your choice, as well as basic decoration.*

 

Mini, Square & Round cakes are priced with 2 layers.

Sheet cakes are priced with the option of either one or two layers.

 

*Basic decorations include your choice of frosting or rolled fondant, and simple decoration. Certain specialized decorations, fresh fruit fillings, tiered, sculpted & photo cakes may cost extra.

 

 

 

Party Cakes (size/servings**)

Mini Cake/2-6 1/$10.00 10+/$8.00 ea

6" Round/6-8 $16.00

9" Round/15-20 $30.00

6" Square/8-10 $16.00

8" Square/15-20 $30.00

10" Square/20-25 $40.00

1/4 Sheet (1 layer)/12-15 $20.00

1/4 sheet (2 layer)/24-30 $35.00

1/2 sheet (1 layer)/24-30 $35.00

1/2 sheet (2 layer)/48-54 $50.00

 

 

[Jann in TX]

My cake decorating instructor (I took a class at a pastry school) learned this the hard way... a $2000 fine for making a wedding cake that she was 'paid' for out of her home kitchen.

 

The second offense could bring JAIL TIME.

 

There are a few states who are trying to make small home kitchen items legal (up to a certain dollar amount)... in Texas it will be heard in the state legislature around 2014 (not a priority!).

 

Check your local regulations--all it takes is one busybody to ask who made the wonderful cake at your party---and if that busybody feels it is her legal duty to tell her husband (a local health inspector)...

 

--

I'm making a wedding cake for my nieces wedding on August 7... it will be a simple 3 tier fondant (squares) cake for 200 people-- but I'll be investing around 24 hours of working time on the cake (baking and decorating)... it will be the only gift she will be getting from me!