How much would you say I was asking for this cake?

[Cosmos45]

Just out of curiosity really.. I make cakes as a hobby, they are buttercream decorated rather than fondant and I have made some recently for a few local people (NHS workers and stuff). Someone local asked me if I would make them a cake, I do not know this person but it was someone who knew someone type of scenario.

I sent this message:

"I don't actually have a cake business but I do make cakes for family and friends. I have been asked recently to do a few for people - the ingredients, box and board come to about £9 and I am starting to ask for a small amount (say £10) to cover a bit of my time. I only do swirly icing types ones and I could do you pink swirly one, I will send a picture of the type of thing I mean"

Reading that, how much would you have given me for the cake when you came and picked it up?

£10 on the first reading, then £20 when I think about it when prompted by this thread. Beautiful cake btw.

Let's hope they don't come back asking for the same or sending a friend because they got such a bargain.

Also, if you're not set up professionally, I'd word it as 'I've started to ask for a donation as compensation for my time, of £10 per cake' or similar. Also, I'd round your £9 up to £10 (fuel costs, wear and tear on implements...), so it's a simple 10 = 10 = £20.

If they want to buy a bland, sugary, fondant-iced cake from a supermarket, for less, they can. You're offering something much fresher and tastier.

Thing is, if you act like a carpet people will treat you like one. Give them an inch, they take a mile

It was obviously £19 so would've given you £20 and it looks lovely too.

Whoops! 10+10=20!

Did they see a sample cake before you agreed to make it? £10 for the cake is waaaay too cheap but it also looks significantly better than some of the shite that gets posted to FB

I’d have been really embarrassed to give tou a tenner and get this

a cake takes about 5 minutes to mix and about 15 minutes to do decent decorations

I can only assume this was written by someone who has never baked or decorated a cake!

@OnceUponAThread - thank you.. I have actually donated all of the money (happily post a pic of the just giving page and me donating the money from the couple of people who paid me saying thank you for the cake). So I am not even breaking even really! But all of that information derails from the original thread and it didn't seem at all relevant to the post and the original question I was actually asking.. Thank you for getting it.

@ShirleyPhallus - yes I sent her a variety of pictures of similar cakes/cupcakes.

@Cosmos45

Where are you based, I could murder a decent homemade cake today..... anywhere near the midlands 😂

Your cake looks amazing!

I first read it as £10 all in and I was thinking a small amount for ur time, a quid eh 🤷🏻‍♀️ then I realised you meant £10 on top.

They shld be rather embarrassed though giving you a tenner for that beautiful cake!

It does look fab OP!

You could get costs down if you wanted-for example I use butter for mine but with 175g for the cake and 75g for the buttercream so I only need one block, having said that if you are only doing it for fun you might not want to worry about costs which is fair enough.

@loubieloo4 - sadly not...

You should be expecting £0, you're not allowed to accept money for making cakes if you aren't registered with your local authority and HMRC.
Wrong! As long as she declares the net profit (Revenue minus costs = profit) at the end of the Tax year. Unless she earns quite a lot she may still fall below the tax threshold.

It’s lovely. I’ve paid more for having cupcakes made. You set a price in future.

@FreeKitties - how can you only use 75g for the buttercream? I am intrigued.. I used about 265g for the first batch, then ran out and used another 125g for a top up batch. That was to fill it, crumb coat it and then pipe on the swirls.. it was only a 6inch cake as well.. maybe I go a bit heavy handed..

Lol @TheRattleBag no I used to make cakes and sweets as an on the side business to pay for uni costs - which is my money advice is probably skewed actually OP because this was 15 years ago!

People are thick. Don't do favours for friend of friends type. Should have charged £25

@FreeKitties - I think I must be going very very wrong here.. because it takes me much longer to mix my icing, blend it etc (I do different tones) crumb coat and then decorate the cake. In all a cake like that takes me about 2 hours in total?

To be fair your beautiful cake does use a lot more buttercream than the much plainer cakes I used to make !
75g butter to 150g icing sugar and mix using a tablespoon or 2 of milk would fill and coat an 8 inch gateau cake

I can't believe someone had the neck to hand you a tenner!!

I only came on to see the picture.
OMG it looks amazing. My mouth is watering! I'll give you £30

I think its perfectly clear the cost is £19

It was very clear, only not to thickos or CFs who deliberately misinterpret.
Also baffling to think there are people out there who think you shouldn't charge unless you're giving as gifts to family and friends! Just because you enjoy making cakes doesn't mean every Tom, Dick and Harry who fancies one is entitled to one ffs.