To expect to be paid more than half? (Pic included)

[MrsA2015]

Background: I'm a home baker using decent/top quality ingredients in my cakes, friends and family buy off me for special events and am trying to kick start a little baking business from home ( after receiving loads of compliments and encouragement which I'm thankful for!) A friend has requested a cake (pictured) and offered well below the asking price knowing what quality I use and usually the one to berate others if they take the mick when it comes to price. I don't over charge and usually find I've undrecharged when adding up costs ( new to this). How much would you expect to pay for this cake? I'm just feeling a little upset really, I love her and will still make it just surprised at asking to pay less than half. I understand mates rates and all...
Before you ask
Yes she can afford it
I don't buy wholesale ingredients
No I didn't stick to my price (out of shock)

ilost has got it I reckon. Friend offered £500

I think she offered you 20£

Shameless placemark to find out price offered.

Op has slunk off in embarrassment at our ridiculously low guestimates, ChequeOff

Are you going you tell us?

Blatantly placemarking ... amazed by how much money people are willing to spend on cakes (food that will be eaten and exist no more fairly rapidly), yet understand that of course costs should be covered for friends.

Guessing she offered you £40?

Come on op!

I've had something similar I paid £80 for.

I'm just here for the reveal

£30?

My friends dog had a litter of puppies, I really wanted one and said that I would probably have one if possible out of the next litter. They are £1000 each and she said that she would give me one half price; I said no way! That would be effectively giving me £500 and I just couldn't show myself up scrounging like that! Especially when I've seen the work that goes into raising them. I would offer the going rate if I could afford it at the time or just leave it.

I'm crap at pricing cakes but really hope you get back to her with a right price.

I'm all for helping friends but doing a cake at less than half price is a 'friend' taking the piss imo

She is being very U to ask you to make hr a cake on the cheap. I wouldn't dream of expecting my friends to offer advice/services in their specialist areas at mates' rates - this is their living and they are entitled to charge appropriately for their time and expertise.

Don't do it cheap for three reasons:

1. You will feel mildly resentful (knowing that she can afford full price)

2. She will expect it again and will be annoyed if you won't continue cheap prices. She may then start to badmouth you and that will cause a lot of bad feeling and you may even fall out over it. At best she will get huffy.

3. Word may get round that you are "cheap as chips" and pressure will be put on you by other people (possibly all of her relatives) every time there is a celebration cake wanted. Then you will be in the awful position of having to refuse cheap prices to other friends when you have given one to her.

Get back in touch - say you're really sorry but you can't possibly do it of the price she offered and tell her your price. If she's a real friend she will appreciate that you deserve to be properly paid.

I'm going with £25. I do cakes for friends just like you, and I knowingly undercharge, but do it for fun only.

WHAT DID SHE OFFER TO PAY?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

I reckon she offered £40 .

It depends how big the tiers are and depth but I used to make cakes for people and before reading threads I thought about £45-£50. I used to charge less and had loads of orders then I checked out local prices because I felt like I was spending hours and hours and not actually getting paid much more than the ingredients and occasionally I worked it out and it was less. I put my price up to £35 per tier and possibly more for a lot of decoration. I have one order since!
I did make a wedding cake where the bride asked me for two tier. I checked it out with her daughter and she would have liked three but could only afford two. I had known her quite well for a long time so instead of a present I made the extra tier. It really set the cake off beautifully. I was quite proud of that one as I hadn't made a wedding cake for a long time. I had only made three before that.
I think pricing is really difficult especially novelty cakes as you don't really know until you've made it.
It is quite unusual.

Gahhhh! Just tell us!

Where are you based? Would pay £200ish. She probably offered £40?

I guess she offered £50!! Cheeky!!

To be fair though I have a friend who makes amazing cakes as a hobby. She charges £30 a cake and her designs are amazing and usually have moving or interactive parts!!!!!!

Come back OP!

My instant thoughts were £200-275 vs £50.

Where's OP?! We need the offer.

I love the idea of presenting her with a cake, or perhaps saying I've done the sums, for your budget the cake can feed 6 - is that ok?

I'm voting for cost would usually be around £150 depending on type of cake. OP was thinking of charging £100 (as she's still new and undervaluing her time!) and she was offered £35...

In my experience people royally take the piss with cakes "because you can get a good big sponge from Costco for £15" or "a nice little wedding cake from m&s for £30" I gave up and started telling people to bloody well go to M&S.

I hate it when OP's turn into magicians on this type of thread