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Original poster

How much to pay a friend to make a Birthday cake??

157 replies

Pipercloe · 12/10/2024 20:54

My friends son, who is 16 bakes lovely cakes.

I asked if he would mind baking one for DH birthday.

He is excited to make the cake, but I have no idea how much I should pay for this, I have no clue how much even the ingredients would cost for a cake. I’m on a bit of a budget currently, so don’t want to pay lots but also don’t want to under pay.

What is a reasonable price? 😬

OP posts:
coffeesaveslives · 12/10/2024 21:31

ahemfem · 12/10/2024 21:26

Can you message him and say you hadn't appreciated the cost of the ingredients so could he please make you whatever he thinks is appropriate for £50 all in

Show quote history

She'll barely get anything for £50.

XenoBitch · 12/10/2024 21:30

Overpayment · 12/10/2024 21:28

No, it’s made by a worker in a country that has minimum wage legislation.

Show quote history

But he is not a worker. He is a friend.
As shit as it is, no one ever pays NMW for their friends making anything handmade, ever.

Original poster
Pipercloe · 12/10/2024 21:30

Sorry yes I mean a 3 layer cake, with some butter cream icing, chocolate accessories and fondant accessories

OP posts:
MumChp · 12/10/2024 21:30

Trixiefirecracker · 12/10/2024 21:22

Just bung him the money for ingredients and £20 on top.

£20 for doing shopping, spend time doing the the cake and also using kitchen/water/oven.
He won't have many pennies left.

But he might not either like OP have realised the real cost of the project.

Gymmum82 · 12/10/2024 21:29

I made 100 cupcakes for a school event a few weeks ago and ingredients alone cost me £40. Butter is extortionately expensive now.
For that size cake I’d expect to pay mates rates of £80-100.

Overpayment · 12/10/2024 21:28

Vettrianofan · 12/10/2024 21:26

"£120"

Is it made out of gold?🤔

Edited

No, it’s made by a worker in a country that has minimum wage legislation.

goingtotown · 12/10/2024 21:28

I don't bake as often as I'd like because the price of ingredients & electric is too expensive.

Singleandproud · 12/10/2024 21:28

Have a proper conversation with him and talk about what you are expecting and what you are willing to pay and he can then plan what he does from that without getting carried away. It's an important skill for him to develop - to be able to listen to customers and to deliver appropriately to their spec.

Vettrianofan · 12/10/2024 21:26

"£120"

Is it made out of gold?🤔

ahemfem · 12/10/2024 21:26

Pipercloe · 12/10/2024 21:17

I don’t want to seem ungrateful, I do want to pay a fair price hence asking on here.
I am just a bit annoyed with myself for asking as our finances are a bit low currently, and I was more asking as I knew it would boast his confidence, I was never fussed by the cake. I never knew how expensive cakes are to make until now

Can you message him and say you hadn't appreciated the cost of the ingredients so could he please make you whatever he thinks is appropriate for £50 all in

Candleabra · 12/10/2024 21:25

A three tiered cake is a lot of work. And he’ll have to know what he’s doing with the construction to make sure it’s stable and doesn’t collapse. Not saying it’s out of his league but certainly not a knock it up in a couple of hours affair. Are you having a huge party? That’ll be a big cake.

Overpayment · 12/10/2024 21:24

Trixiefirecracker · 12/10/2024 21:22

Just bung him the money for ingredients and £20 on top.

That’s less than two hours at minimum wage.

It will take him that long to shop for ingredients and weigh them out!

XenoBitch · 12/10/2024 21:23

Ask him. If he is already into baking, then he will know the costs for ingredients and gas/electric anyway.
Then add a bit on top for his time.

MumChp · 12/10/2024 21:23

Pipercloe · 12/10/2024 21:17

I don’t want to seem ungrateful, I do want to pay a fair price hence asking on here.
I am just a bit annoyed with myself for asking as our finances are a bit low currently, and I was more asking as I knew it would boast his confidence, I was never fussed by the cake. I never knew how expensive cakes are to make until now

Let him know this and ask for a cheap cake.

How many guests are the cake for?

You decide which cake you want to pay for - and if you choose with sense it doesn't have too be a very expensive one but yes, more than a supermarked cake.

But don't let him run wild with ideas for great and expensive cakes if you want a cheap cake. Which is a fair request. Set a budget for ingrediens and work hours but be fair.

NormaLouiseBates · 12/10/2024 21:23

3 tiers? Are you sure about that? Do you mean 3 layers? As an average 3 tier cake will feed over 100 people...

sweetpickle2 · 12/10/2024 21:22

Do you mean layers or tiers OP? Three tiers would feed about 100 people.

Trixiefirecracker · 12/10/2024 21:22

Just bung him the money for ingredients and £20 on top.

Pumpkinseason3 · 12/10/2024 21:20

I’m assuming @Pipercloe means a 3 layer cake rather than 3 tier since she said it won’t be a big cake and it’s just for them rather than a party etc.

Overpayment · 12/10/2024 21:20

Pipercloe · 12/10/2024 21:17

I don’t want to seem ungrateful, I do want to pay a fair price hence asking on here.
I am just a bit annoyed with myself for asking as our finances are a bit low currently, and I was more asking as I knew it would boast his confidence, I was never fussed by the cake. I never knew how expensive cakes are to make until now

Don’t be that person who takes the piss OP, if you can’t afford it, then you can’t afford it

roses2 · 12/10/2024 21:20

I would pay cost of ingredients + hourly living wage rate for his time

coffeesaveslives · 12/10/2024 21:19

Pipercloe · 12/10/2024 21:17

I don’t want to seem ungrateful, I do want to pay a fair price hence asking on here.
I am just a bit annoyed with myself for asking as our finances are a bit low currently, and I was more asking as I knew it would boast his confidence, I was never fussed by the cake. I never knew how expensive cakes are to make until now

Yeah, homemade cakes (done properly) aren't cheap. I think when you can buy a supermarket cake for a fiver, it's easy to forget how much this stuff costs when it's not being mass-produced.

Overpayment · 12/10/2024 21:19

Overpayment · 12/10/2024 21:17

You need to pay minimum wage, on top of the price of all ingredients and materials at the very least.

Bear in mind that mixing and baking the cake is in itself several hours work. That’s before you’ve even started decorating it etc.

You might also like to think about the misery of caged hens and pay the necessary extra for higher welfare eggs.

.

Overpayment · 12/10/2024 21:18

worcesterpear · 12/10/2024 21:10

Another option would be to ask him what ingredients he needs, then you buy them and give him some money for his time on top - £30-50?

That would only be 3ish hours of work, a three tier cake is days of work, not a few hours ffs.

TemuSpecialBuy · 12/10/2024 21:18

Three tier- presumably its a big party!

Ingredients c9st a lot more than you think'
Single tier homemade costs me close to £20

£80 minimum really £100 is more appropriate

Original poster
Pipercloe · 12/10/2024 21:17

I don’t want to seem ungrateful, I do want to pay a fair price hence asking on here.
I am just a bit annoyed with myself for asking as our finances are a bit low currently, and I was more asking as I knew it would boast his confidence, I was never fussed by the cake. I never knew how expensive cakes are to make until now

OP posts: