What £ should I offer for this birthday cake?

[Mumblechum0]

I'm having a birthday night out (for my 60th) in a couple of weeks and have asked one of the guests to make a cake to be shared at the meal.

She does this as a hobby and often brings along a cake to parties etc. She does really beautiful cakes.

There'll be 30 of us. Lemon sponge, I haven't specified any particular decoration but I know she'll spend a fair bit of time on it.

For context, I'm paying for a couple of rounds of cocktails for everyone plus putting £1k towards the restaurant bill so everyone will only have about a tenner to pay towards the night (I've also paid for transport).

I don't want to offend her by offering too little. She's not one of my closest friends so I can't just come out and ask her directly.

What do you reckon I should offer in the circs?

Sorry, but £30 to cover ingredients for a 30 person cake is laughable🤣 If anyone can tell me where to get nice quality ingredients at that price please let me know! 🤣

OP, I would expect to pay around £100 for it. It’s not just the ingredients- it’s the electricity, the effort and also the fact it detracts from her doing another order during that time x

I would suggest £75

I'm a hobby cake maker and a friend asked me to make a cake for a jubilee party she had invited me and DH to.

I made a large two tiered jubilee themed cake cake but didn't even think about charging her for it as she was providing lots of lovely food and champagne and she's been a very generous host to us many times.

I love baking and decorating cakes so don't see it as something I'd charge for.

You'll have to pin her down on what contribution she either expects or feels reasonable OP, just give her a ring.

I must say that amount behind the bar/restaurant for your own birthday celebration is very generous. I hope you're there in return and have a lovely night!

• I hope you're treated in return and have a lovely night, I meant to say.

5 x blocks of butter = £10
12 eggs = £2.50
1kg caster sugar = £2.50
5 lemons = £1.50
Flour 1.5kg = 58p
Icing sugar 1kg = £2.40 x2 = £4.80
Cake board = £3

Thats £24.88 for a basic lemon cake to feed 30. Now I’m sure there’ll be some extra added ingredients to make it nicer than a basic one, but it’s silly for some posters to act like it’s beyond the realms of possibility for it to be done for £30.

I paid £60 for a beautiful white chocolate and raspberry cake for 30 people last week - South West.

That was only 9inches but quite tall.

Absolute minimum £100 if decorated very simply. £150-£200 if highly decorated.

You forgot the vanilla extract (yes, used in lemon cake and icing), the baking powder, the bicarbonate of soda, the milk, the decorations, the box- not to mention the cost of the labour and the fact it takes away time spent on a paid job. It’s not ‘silly’ thank you very much and unless you make cakes of this size regularly I’m going to assume I know a bit more about this than you.

also, you would need double some of the ingredients you’ve quoted!

im not saying the OP should pay hundreds for it, but people suggesting £30 is ridiculous. A normal birthday cake in Tesco would be over a tenner if it’s anything.

Hello, I'm so delighted you can come to my party and that you have agreed to make my cake.

I really wouldn't want one from anywhere else. Could you please let me know the cost asap and I will get that to you before the party. Really looking forward to seeing you,

She finally got back to me and requested £40.

I transferred £80 which I think is still reasonable. She’s a hobby baker btw

looking forward to some yummy cake now!