The cake costs how much??!?!?!? - Epilogue

I just wanted to clarify and discuss a few more items concerning my previous blog post.  This is probably going to be a bit of a bullet point list since this is the way I usually think...

- I thought about that blog post for a while... a really long time and tried to figure out how to attack it.  Yes, I know I didn't discuss the other major side of the coin... the cost of ingredients, pans, cutters, tips, overhead, etc. I chose not to add this in because there are a TON of variables there.  Obviously having a storefront has more overhead than running a business out of your home.  Using only organic ingredients costs more than non-organic.  Getting equipment wholesale costs less than buying it at retail, etc.

- Another thing I wanted to discuss was hourly wage/experience and how they play into the price of a cake, but I didn't want to my blog post to end up being a short story.

- Kids... yes kids... I have 2.  Most of the time I work when the little one naps or the both of them are in bed for the night.  Occasionally I need to hire a sitter to watch the kids so I can get things done.  In my opinion, it is something else that needs to be factored into the cost of the cake.  Most folks, most of the time wouldn't take a job where they would bring home a $300 weekly paycheck and have to pay $150 a week in daycare expenses.

- I hope it didn't sound like I was complaining about how long it takes to make a cake.  I just wanted to make it clear that it takes hours, not minutes to do a cake.  And yes, because I typically have to stop and start things because of the kids and the fact I don't have a commercial kitchen, it takes me longer to complete things.  So for me, it may take me 5 hours to make cake a particular cake, but only 3-4 hours without the interruptions.  This is something I accept, and don't figure that extra time into my costs.

- My To Do list my differ from other cakers.  I know some make their own fondant and others who buy their buttercream and all their fillings.  While purchasing pre-made things are a time saver, they also typically cost more.

- I guess the last thing I wanted to mention was doing things assembly line and speed.  I usually group similar things together to save time, I don't do one cake from start to finish.... just wanted to clarify this.  And no, I don't work at the speed of those on Food Network Challenge all the time.  Just like everyone else I have days where I get things done faster and other days, stuff just seems to go all wrong.

Alright, I think I covered everything else I was thinking about since I posted the previous entry.  I will now lay the cost of cake to rest... at least until I encounter a new situation.

The cake costs how much??!?!?!?

Ah yes... something every custom cake decorator/designer/artist hears at least once a month.  It's the one thing we complain about when you get us in a room together.  While we realize sticker shock is part of our business, we do wonder why folks think custom cakes are comparable to those from grocery stores or a "high-volume" bakery.  It's like comparing a filet mignon at Ruth's Chris to a hamburger from McD's or a MDF storage unit to a skilled carpenter's cabinet.  There's just nothing to compare in either of these cases... apples and oranges.  However, both are needed (well the McD's hamburger is debatable) and have their uses.

To me, one of the biggest differences between the two is the amount of time it takes to prepare from start to finish.  From ordering to cleanup.... I, with some help from hubby, am responsible for everything that goes into one order.  I have to answer emails/phone calls, discuss/sketch designs, and host consults.  I (or my husband) buy all the ingredients that go into my goodies.  I hunt for and buy all my pans, cutters, tips, molds, etc that I use to create each cake or cookie.  At this point, I haven't even remotely touched a pan or rolled out some fondant!

Now that everything has been purchased, I need to make buttercream, fillings, and the cake.  Next, I can color fondant and/or buttercream to fit the cake's theme.  After that, I start making those decorations... one of those things that can take 10 minutes or 10 hours.  I also need to prep a cake board, support boards and dowels (if it is a tiered cake), piping bags, and a box.    And finally it's assembly time!!!    Leveling and torting the cake, filling the cake, icing the cake, rolling out fondant (if applicable), smoothing the fondant, decorating the cake and making those decorations that can't be made in advance. Whew!  Glad that's over... oh wait... there is a mess of pans, tips, cutters, bowls... all over my kitchen and sink... time for clean up!!!

And finally, there is the paperwork, making deposits, and all those other business related things that take time too.  Those items that fall under the "other" category on your status report at the end of the week.  Sure these may take a few minutes here and there, but it is still time.

So now that I bored you with my weekly To Do list... I just wanted to point out that a lot more time goes into make a cake than most people think about.  Even making a simple cake with a can of frosting and no decoration will take at least 15 minutes to mix and put in the oven, 15 minutes to ice, and 15 minutes to clean up, and then there is the idle time of having the cake bake and letting the cake cool.

I am going to end with some things that I read on a popular cake forum recently.  One woman said that a supermarket bakery decorator is expected to churn out at least 4 - 8 sheet or small cakes an hour.  These cakes are already baked, sometimes already even iced, so all they need to do is borders, make or place roses/decorations/airbursh/toys onto the cake, and personalize it, if necessary.  The icing can come is pre-made, pre-colored, and some even already in piping bags.  At less than 15 minutes each, they obviously should cost less than something that take 4 or more hours.

And in case anyone is wondering... yes... I do purchase cakes from BJs or Giant on occasion...