How Much Do You Pay/Charge for CuPampered Chefakes?

[chefshawna]

I am going to be making some cupcakes for a wedding shower and the wedding. I'm not sure how much to ask for. They will be regular sized cupcakes that are iced with butterflies and rings on top. The butterflies and rings will be hand stenciled using candy melts. I have looked online at prices and they all vary. I called a local bakery and got her price, but I still wanted to get opinions here of what you would pay/charge for cupcakes. Either per cupcake or per dozen. Thanks!!

 

[chef131doreen]

google cupcakes and get some prices we have a cupcake truck that comes into the city I think they are $4.00 each but they are big

 

[AnnieBee]

It really would depend on the cupcakes and frosting - whether they are from scratch using real butter and vanilla, and other good quality ingredients. Same for the frosting, is it real buttercream, ganache, fondant... Interesting or unusual ingredients...

I'm kind of in the same quandry, I have started making cakes for people, usually as gifts (like for a friends birthday or shower), but a couple of friends have asked my to make cakes for showers that they are helping to organise, for someone that I don't know, and have offered to pay for them. I don't want to charge too much, because they are my friends, and they could just pay $30 for a sheet cake, but on the other hand they are great cakes, good quality ingredients and take ALOT of time!

I guess I would ask yourself how do yours compare to any random person making cupcakes at home, vs supermarket bakery, vs professional bakery that makes really fancy wedding cakes... Then fit yourself into the approximate price range.

Hope this helps, I'm not sure that it does!

 

[AnnieBee]

Checkout this place that is in NC

http://www.thecupcakeshopperaleigh.com/menu.html

Or this one...

http://www.acupcakebar.com/menu/

 

[chef131doreen]

Here's that cupcake truck they are 2.00 each not 4
http://followthatcupcake.com/menu.html

 

[Teresa Lynn]

I pay $45 for a sheet cake fromt he lady who does mine when I'm too lazyDH pays $60 for my birthday cake every year its 8" round 2 layer with lemon filling and meringue from a little bakery we lovewe have a sprinkles cupcake place in Dallas and I forget what they charge.
When we do bake sales we get 75 cents each and they are just "mom made" so I think easily $1 with maybe a toy ring or a piece of candy

 

[chefshawna]

I pay $45 for a sheet cake fromt he lady who does mine when I'm too lazy

DH pays $60 for my birthday cake every year its 8" round 2 layer with lemon filling and meringue from a little bakery we love

we have a sprinkles cupcake place in Dallas and I forget what they charge.
When we do bake sales we get 75 cents each and they are just "mom made" so I think easily $1 with maybe a toy ring or a piece of candy

Wow, $60 for an 8" round!!! I should be charging more!! LOL
The cupcakes will be made from scratch cake and icing with hand stenciled butterflies made out of candy melts in two colors, white outside with pink inside and then some with two rings made out of candy melts also.

 

[pampermejolene]

My local place charges $2.75-3.00 for gourmet regular sized cupcakes that just have the swirlled frosting on them, nothing fancy. Your price might go down a bit since they are buying in bulk and using you for 2 events. Good luck. Post pics when you get them done

 

[Ish]

Sprinkles cupcakes are 3.25 and Kara's cupcakes are 3.25-3.75 each at least here in silicon valley... I have seen other bakeries anywhere from 2.50 on up...

 

[chefshawna]

Thanks everyone for your input. I was thinking $1.50 each and hoping that wasn't too much. I think it's right in line with other places though! I will post pics when I get them done. I will be practicing before the events, so my family is going to have to eat a ton of cupcakes and they are so upset! LOL

 

[Teresa Lynn]

I know its alot but I seldom eat dessert the rest of the year, so its a once a year splurge that I look forward to.

 

[AnnieBee]

I think $1.50 sounds reasonable.

I agree with the comment about it being cheaper to buy in bulk for an event than from the gourmet places where you purchase individual cupcakes that have really unusual ingredients. Plus they have overheads that you don't have (bakery, employees, insurance etc).

Hope this helps! I know it is REALLY hard trying to decide what to charge someone, especially when it's someone you know. You want to not over-charge, but on the other hand, you want to get fair payment too!

 

[Yakmama]

I used to make and sell cupcakes for $2.75 a piece. If they ordered more than 100 I would reduce it to $2.25 each.

 

[AnnieBee]

Yakmama, were/are you a professional baker? Or was this just something you did occasionally out of your home? How much did you charge for cakes? (Just curious for myself too!).

 

[kcmckay]

Thanks everyone for your input. I was thinking $1.50 each and hoping that wasn't too much. I think it's right in line with other places though! I will post pics when I get them done. I will be practicing before the events, so my family is going to have to eat a ton of cupcakes and they are so upset! LOL

I know you've probably made up your mind and $1.50 is very reasonable. I would just be sure that the amount will cover the entire cost of all the ingredients you used and consider you're energy you're using plus your time. It would stink to do all that work and not have any profit. JMHO. For awhile a friend and I did a little cake decorating on side and we always had trouble trying to figure our prices so we always figured what the ingredients cost us and added some for time, energy and labor.

 

[KellyTheChef]

I would figure out what your cost is going to be, then triple it. (The extra will be for your time and effort.)

 

[ughubug]

$1.50 is WAY cheap especially if they will be detailed I would do $2 minimum!

 

[mscharf]

I agree! Unless you are doing it as a "favor"